Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today sent a response to Senator Jon Tester (MT) regarding his request for a meeting to discuss his wilderness bill. Senator Tester sent a letter to Rehberg late last week asking the Congressman to meet him in his Senate office in Washington, DC to discuss the issue. Rehberg recently completed 22 public meetings in Montana on the subject of Senator Tester’s wilderness bill.

“While it’s clear that some fortunate interest groups have been very involved in writing this bill from the beginning, my goal is to include all Montanans who are impacted by this legislation,” said Rehberg, a member of the Congressional Sportsman’s Caucus. “Each of my twenty-two meetings has been open to the public. I certainly don’t see a reason why a meeting with Senator Tester should be any different.” Rehberg asked Senator Tester to meet with him in Montana, rather than in his Washington, D.C. office, and that the meeting be open to the public and the press.

In his letter, Rehberg also asked Senator Tester to join him in posting the individual comments Senator Tester heard from Montanans at his “open house” meetings on his website. “As Montana’s representatives to the U.S. Congress, we have the honorable distinction of setting for ourselves a higher standard of openness and transparency,” wrote Rehberg in his letter.

Finally, Rehberg noted that all of Senator Tester’s “open house” meetings took place after his bill had been written and introduced. Since Senator Tester’s most recent meeting was more than two months ago, Rehberg asked to see the most recent working draft of his wilderness bill that contained any changes resulting from the input he received at those meetings.

“I think Montanans would like to see how their ideas are being implemented in the bill,” said Rehberg. “Seeing what progress has already been made would certainly make our meeting more productive since we could avoid concerns that have already been addressed.”

Complete Letter Below:

Dear Senator Tester,

Thank you for your letter of January 15, and for your patience in receiving my response. In fairness to all whose opinions I have heard, I wanted to complete my January 16 listening session in Lincoln County before responding. Libby was my twenty-second public meeting on your wilderness bill. I’ve heard from hundreds of Montanans on every aspect of your legislation. It’s important to me that each of their opinions is given due consideration.

As you have likely read in the various press accounts of my public meetings, Montanans have some reasonable and thoughtful concerns that deserve to be addressed. It’s our job to account for those concerns.

As Montana’s representatives to the U.S. Congress, we have the honorable distinction of setting for ourselves a higher standard of openness and transparency. I therefore propose that before you and I sit down, we put the input we’ve received into the public forum for all to see. I have a three-step approach which I believe is the best way for us to work together to provide the transparency Montanans expect and deserve.

First, because I took questions during my listening sessions, many of the questions and comments I received have already been reported in the corresponding press coverage. However, many comments weren’t reported by the media, which is why I’m currently working to post each comment on my website for all Montanans to see. We undoubtedly have heard a lot of the same ideas, and it would be helpful for our meeting to see the scope of comments you have already heard in order to focus on those that may be new to you. I therefore ask you to join me in posting summaries of each of the comments you heard at your public meetings.

Second, according to your online schedule, you hosted six “open houses” to discuss your wilderness bill between July 18 and November 12. These meetings occurred after you had already written and introduced your bill on July 17, so the current version posted on your website – which is exactly the same as the version you introduced on July 17 – couldn’t possibly contain any of the changes that were suggested at your later “open house” meetings. Since it’s been two months since your most recent “open house,” you’ve had plenty of time to make changes based on what you learned in Montana. I would appreciate a copy of your most recent legislative draft, which incorporates the comments and suggestions you have received, so we can ensure we’re both working from the same starting point.

Third, if there’s one thing I’ve heard crystal clear at the 42 listening sessions I’ve hosted since last year, it’s that Montanans don’t like the sort of secret back room deals we’re currently seeing in the health care debate. I therefore suggest that instead of a private meeting in your Senate office, it would be more appropriate to meet in Montana, in full view of Montanans and the press. Let’s do this right by doing it in the light of day.

As I have said at each of my meetings, I appreciate your efforts to get this important ball rolling. Together, I think we can find a way to forge a consensus-based solution when it comes to stewardship of our forests. Ultimately, I think we can both agree that this approach is most likely to result in a policy that’s good for all Montanans.

Sincerely,