Congressman Denny Rehberg

Includes five public listening sessions: Ennis, Dillon, Butte, Philipsburg, Deer Lodge

BILLINGS, MT – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, will be in Western Montana from January 4-8 to hold public listening sessions on Senator Jon Tester’s wilderness proposal being considered in Congress.

“Before Congress decides how this land should be managed, it’s important to give a voice to the folks who work, hunt, fish, hike, camp and enjoy this land,” said Rehberg, a member of the Congressional Western Caucus and the House Appropriations Committee.  “That means public meetings with an open mic where anyone can come and ask questions.”

Rehberg has scheduled five listening sessions, which will be held in counties impacted by the proposed legislation.  All meetings are open to the public for comments and questions.

They are:

Madison County – Ennis
Monday, January 4, 2010 at 10 AM
Madison Valley Rural Fire Station 1
537 US HWY 287

Beaverhead County – Dillon
Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at 12:30 PM
University of Montana Western, Auditorium Main Hall
710 South Atlantic

Butte-Silver Bow County – Butte
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 9:30 AM
Montana Tech – SUB Copper Lounge
1300 West Park Street

Granite County – Philipsburg
Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 2:30 PM
Taylor-Knapp Building, Sapphire Gallery, Banquet Room
212 E. Broadway

Powell County – Deer Lodge
Friday, January 8, 2010 at 10 AM
William K. Kohrs Library, Meeting Room
501 Missouri Avenue

In 2009, Rehberg held 36 listening sessions on a broad range of issues from energy policy to health care reform.  At each, he invited the public through press releases, his website and various forms of social media, and then answered their questions and listened to comments from Montanans.

“As Montanans, the land we live on is our most valuable resource,” said Rehberg.  “The question isn’t whether it’s worth protecting, but how we can best do that.  The one-size fits all approach of federal management doesn’t always work, and I want to listen to the folks on the ground before deciding whether I can support any proposal to expand wilderness.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today criticized the passage of a second stimulus bill which spends $154,000,000,000 of borrowed money on more of the same efforts contained in the trillion-dollar “so-called” stimulus. While the vast majority of the funds from the first stimulus have yet to be spent, the House of Representatives today voted to seize the inbound TARP repayment funds in order to pay for more spending. Provisions contained in the original bill obligate those funds to pay down the national debt.

“While Montanans desperately need a true economic stimulus that empowers entrepreneurs and small businesses to create jobs, we instead got another dose of the prescription that has failed us so spectacularly since February. More spending and larger government hasn’t helped anyone outside the public sector, and the record debt it incurred puts our shared future in serious jeopardy. It’s hard to imagine a policy that’s more out of touch with what I’ve heard at the 36 listening sessions I hosted across Montana this year. There’s a word for doing the same thing over and over expecting different results, and this exemplifies it.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement after voting against a $290 billion increase in the federal debt limit.

“While we were able to delay Speaker Pelosi’s reckless effort to increase the federal debt limit by nearly $2 trillion by the end of the year, today’s increase to $13 trillion – the unprecedented fourth increase since 2008 – represents another major step in the wrong direction. Every man, woman and child in Montana, already owes nearly $40,000. We can’t afford to delay fiscal sanity; it’s time to cut up the federal credit card.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, went to bat on behalf of Billings American Legion Post 4 to host the 2011 and 2012 regional baseball tournaments. Rehberg, a lifelong Billings resident, wrote a letter of support to the national organization.

“Hosting this tournament in Billings would boost the local economy, sustain jobs and give residents the opportunity to partake in America’s pastime,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Billings has a long tradition of great baseball, and the new Dehler Park, in downtown Billings, offers a perfect venue for a regional tournament.”

American Legion Post 4 will present its bid, along with letters of support from Rehberg and others, this month. The bids will be awarded on May 5, 2010. This is the first time Legion Baseball has opened the bidding process to all states within a region for the right to host the tournament for a two-year period. Previously, the regional tournaments were rotated among each state on a yearly basis and Legion programs within the state would compete for the right to host. Montana is part of the Northwest region, which also includes Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.

“The people of Billings have a well-deserved reputation for rolling out the red carpet for our visitors,” said Rehberg. “I whole-heartedly support the tournament bid, and look forward to catching some American Legion tournament baseball real soon.”

“Billings American Legion Baseball is thrilled with Congressman Rehberg’s support of our bid to host the 2011 and 2012 Northwest Regional tournament,” said Jeff Ballard, Chairman, Billings American Legion Baseball. “Congressman Rehberg exemplifies the support that we receive from the Billings community and shows why Billings would be an excellent choice to host the tournament for 2 years.”

LETTER:

To Whom It May Concern:

It’s a privilege to offer my support to Billings American Legion Baseball and its bid to host the 2011-2012 Northwest Regional Tournament.

As Montana’s Congressman and a lifelong resident of Billings, I can attest to the many contributions Billings could offer as a host city to the Northwest Regional Tournament. In November 2006, voters passed a bond to replace Billings’ former baseball venue, Cobb Field, which hosted the local minor league team since its first season in 1948.

Located in close proximity to downtown Billings, the new Dehler Field offers easy access to dining, lodging and entertainment venues, in addition to being a great place to watch a baseball game. Since opening in 2008, it has quickly gained widespread support from baseball fans across Montana, and I’m confident it would make a great host to the tournament.

I’m proud to support Billings American Legion Baseball and its bid to host the Northwest Regional Tournament. Thank you for offering them every consideration, and please don’t hesitate to contact my office if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has cosponsored legislation to preserve the Impact Aid program in its current, successful form. The Fair Funding for Schools Act of 2009 (H.R. 2280) maintains the funding mechanisms that benefit Montana’s federally impacted schools. The bill also protects Montana’s schools from changes that would hurt rural districts and result in less funding for many Montana communities.

“Montana kids deserve the best education no matter where they live,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee and the Impact Aid Coalition. “Impact Aid plays a vital role for school districts located on Montana’s seven reservations and in all the state’s federally impacted communities. These districts often lack the funding that typically comes from property taxes. Impact Aid fills that funding gap so Montana students receive a quality education.”

Impact Aid is a program designed to ensure that military children, children residing on Indian lands, and children living in federally-owned low-rent housing facilities receive a quality education by providing funding to school districts that have lost tax revenue as a result of the federal presence in their district. In 2007, Impact Aid provided $38 million in funding to 75 Montana school districts.

H.R. 2280 highlights the federal government’s obligation to communities impacted by a federal presence and provides a proposal to address the changing needs of the program. It makes necessary changes to streamline the program while recognizing that the needs of federally impacted school districts differ. At its heart, this bill seeks to maintain Impact Aid as a “need based” program and resists attempts to restructure the program in a way that would hurt rural schools and rural children.

The legislation is broadly supported by Montana school districts including those in Browning, Frazer, Box Elder, Hardin, Lame Deer, Harlem, Valier and Wolf Point.

“As Superintendent of Browning Public Schools I would like to say that we are very appreciative that Representative Rehberg has chosen to sign on to HR 2280, a bill that clearly supports the best interest of Montana Impact Aid schools,” said Mary Johnson. “Representative Rehberg has long recognized that Impact Aid is vital to the funding of Indian land schools and has been a strong advocate for Impact Aid and education. We appreciate his continued support.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement following news that Smurfit-Stone was closing its Missoula plant at the end of the year.

“Behind the ‘417 Jobs Lost’ headline, there are 417 families that are now facing a difficult Christmas season and uncertainty about where their next paycheck will come from. I’m ready to do whatever I can to provide assistance to all those impacted by this closure, and to avoid similar closures from happening in the future.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement:

“For 18 years, Conrad worked hard every day for the people of Montana.  I drive through all 56 counties in Montana each congressional term, and in every one, his lasting impact is clearly visible.  During his time in office, there was not an area of the state that didn’t benefit from Conrad’s hard work.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, at the request of Montana Senator Conrad Burns and his family released the following update from Garrett Burns, the son of Senator Conrad Burns:

Senator Conrad Burns remains in Intensive Care at a Washington, D.C. hospital following a stroke late Wednesday night.  Doctors indicate he made slight improvements throughout the night.

“This has been a difficult time for our family, and the prayers and kind words of encouragement have been a real source of strength and hope.  It’s difficult to put into words what the outpouring of love for my dad has meant to us.  Folks are reminding us every day about the positive impact he has had on the lives of so many Montanans.  We’re very thankful for Dad’s many friends and supporters and we remain optimistic for his recovery.”

Cards can be sent to Conrad Burns & Family c/o GAGE, 122 C, NW Suite 380, Washington, DC 20001.

In lieu of flowers, the Burns family requests that interested families make a donation to their local food bank.  Senator Burns is a strong supporter of the Billings Food Bank.

Montana Food Bank Network:
http://www.mfbn.org/

Department of Housing and Urban Development Food Bank Listing
http://www.hud.gov/local/mt/homeless/foodbanks.cfm

WASHINGTON, D.C. -  Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, joined every other Republican member of the House Appropriations Committee in sending a letter to House Speaker Pelosi and Appropriations Chairman Obey indicating that they would not support the Defense Appropriations bill if it was used as a vehicle to increase the federal debt limit.

“Using troop funding to pass politically unpopular measures in a time of war is nothing short of legislative extortion and it needs to stop,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “A line needs to be drawn, and a message sent: you don’t support the troops by holding the resources they need hostage to legislation that can’t pass on its own merit.  The majority promised to clean up Washington, and they can start by introducing a clean defense funding bill.”

Although a final Defense Appropriations Bill has not been formally introduced, reports have surfaced indicating that a massive increase in the statutory debt limit is going to be attached.  This isn’t the first time House Democrats have used military funding to pass other parts of their agenda.  In October, controversial hate-crime legislation was attached to the House version of the Defense Authorization Bill.

Rehberg has cosponsored legislation that would require all increases in the Statutory Debt Limit to be considered as a stand-alone measure, and to pass by a 2/3 supermajority.

Federal debt is capped by a statutory limit set by Congress.  The limit, which is ordinarily increased as a part of the Federal Budget Resolution, was recently increased to $11.315 trillion by TARP and then again to $12.104 trillion in the so-called Stimulus that passed in February.  Another increase to as much as $13.2 trillion is expected to be added to the Defense Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2010.

“My support for our brave men and women serving in harms way overseas is a matter of record,” said Rehberg.  “In fact, it’s that support that compels me to stop some members of Congress from treating soldiers like a bargaining chips.”

Letter:

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Obey,

We are writing today to express our extreme concern over the potential composition of a Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Appropriations bill package, and the process by which you intend to bring the bill to the House floor.

Recent reports indicate that you are considering attaching costly and controversial non-defense legislative items like an increase in the debt limit to the Defense Appropriations bill. We object to this maneuver, and we will oppose a Defense Appropriations package that includes such provisions.

Let us be very clear: House Republican members of the Appropriations Committee will not support passage of the Defense Appropriations measure if it is used as a vehicle to raise the debt limit.

Our troops have been aggressively fighting to protect American interests overseas and our security here at home. Their exemplary service has accomplished much in ensuring the safety of all Americans and stopping terrorist threats around the globe. Now, especially with a heightened effort beginning in Afghanistan, we must honor the service of our troops by providing them with the support they need to accomplish the mission.

Our men and women in uniform deserve this support without strings and caveats, and without being used as bargaining chips to accomplish other unrelated legislative priorities.

It has been four months since the House passed its version of the Defense Appropriations bill, and two months since the Senate did the same. However, this critically important piece of legislation has languished in legislative purgatory, being held hostage to indecision and partisan maneuvering. There is no valid reason why a clean Defense Appropriations bill could not have already been approved and signed into law, giving our troops a much needed infusion of resources, as well as the knowledge that they have the support of their Congressional leaders.

Congress should move immediately to pass a clean Defense Appropriations bill as prompt action on this legislation is vital to the well-being of our troops and our national security. However, while time is of the essence, we will not support a process that circumvents basic legislative responsibilities in order for the Democrat majority to force through controversial and costly legislative items.

It is time to pass a clean Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Appropriations bill that we all can be proud to support. Our troops deserve no less as we bring this challenging year to a close.

Sincerely,

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, released the following statement after he joined members of both parties in voting against the massive $446.8 billion “Multi-Bus” Appropriations Act, which included six different appropriations bills: Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Commerce, Justice, Science, Financial Services – District of Columbia, Labor, Health, and Human Services, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and State and Foreign Operations.

When added to the $410 billion Omnibus Appropriations Bill that passed less than a year ago, non-defense, non-veterans discretionary spending has increased by more than 85% over the last two fiscal years.

“Although we’ve been working on these bills since March, the majority has been so busy devising new ways to spend taxpayers’ money that it couldn’t get its normal work done.  The result was a 1,088-page spending bill that was so wasteful that even 28 Democrats couldn’t stomach voting for it.  After the Omnibus and the Multi-bus, the American people are shouting ‘Stop the Bus!’  It’s time to pull the emergency brake on this spending.”