Congressman Denny Rehberg

BILLINGS, MT – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, was praised this week for his efforts in Missoula to create jobs and advance the local and statewide economy through foreign trade efforts. He also heard concerns from the Montana Food Bank Network, which has seen increased demand amid economic struggles around the state.

“While the consequences of the economic struggles in Missoula are easy to see, it’s encouraging to know that there are hard working people eager to role up their sleeves and fight to create the markets that will create the jobs that will pull us out of this hole,” said Rehberg. “In Missoula, I saw both sides of that coin, and I’ll always fight to do whatever I can to help.”

“Denny’s long-standing support and promotion of international trade is key for Montana’s continued economic success,” said Webb Brown, the President and CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce. “We will continue to work with him on Taking Montana to the World. Montana has a terrific opportunity to improve our economy by aggressively pursuing international trade. Functions like this trade luncheon can show Montana business the way.”

“At a time when the economy is hurting, people really start to seek out the critical needs of their communities,” said Peggy Grimes, the Executive Director of the Montana Food Bank Network. “We’ve seen a 61 percent increase in visits to emergency food programs in the last year alone, but the community has really circled the wagons, and the generosity of Montanans has been amazing. Denny’s visit meant a lot to all of us. I really think we had a productive visit, both to discuss pending federal legislation and to demonstrate the expansion to our facility that he was so instrumental in supporting. Denny was able to see the exciting work we’re doing here in Missoula and across Montana first hand.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called members back to Washington to vote on yet another multi-billion bailout.

“While Montana’s economy continues to hemorrhage jobs and our families struggle to pay their bills, Speaker Pelosi summoned Congress back to Washington to force a vote on yet another bailout for her home state of California, a state that has been unwilling to make the tough fiscal decisions necessary to balance its budget. Montana has a balanced budget, so it’s beyond insulting to be forced to pay off California’s debts. But that’s exactly what Speaker Pelosi is asking taxpayers to do. Montana’s families know that you shouldn’t balance the checkbook with a credit card. If your checking account is overdrawn, the painful reality is you’ve got to spend less. There is no justification for what Nancy Pelosi is doing to taxpayers.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement in response to a federal court ruling that effectively places wolves back on the endangered species list. The decision also cancels the scheduled wolf hunts in Montana and Idaho by prohibiting state management of wolf populations.

“I’ve long said decisions regarding the endangered species list should be based on sound science. I’m disappointed that after years of monitoring and research, and hundreds of millions of federal dollars spent, there are still people in this country who refuse to acknowledge the fact that gray wolves are a recovered species and ready for responsible state management. Land-owners, stock-growers, biologists, conservationists, and public officials at the state and federal level have all worked diligently to get to this point.

“It’s high time for the billion-dollar environmental extremist industry to start listening to local experts and stop assuming all knowledge about wildlife issues resides outside of Montana. State wildlife managers have legitimate concerns over depleting elk and deer populations and our livestock industry is faced with ever increasing wolf encroachment. Montana has developed a responsible wolf management plan and it should have been given a chance to succeed.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement in support of increased access to Yellowstone National Park for snowmobiles. Today, the National Park Service announced a new draft plan for winter management.

“Montana snowmobilers continue to face uncertainty and unjustified hurdles restricting access to the Park. Opponents of snowmobiles have turned to judicial wrangling and the never-ending rulemaking process to completely end access to our national parks. Meanwhile, the local economy around the Park is suffering. While these obstructionist groups always trumpet the economic benefits of public lands, they are also doing everything they can to choke those benefits out of existence. It’s time for a long-term solution to fix this mess once and for all.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, sent a letter today to Richard King, President and CEO of the Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation, asking him to weigh in on Smurfit-Stone’s bankruptcy proceedings to ensure the Missoula mill can be reopened for business. The facility was shut down by Smurfit-Stone as a result of ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.

“Missoula has a great facility that’s sitting idle and in need of a new mission,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “I want to ensure this facility is used in a way that best helps Montana’s loggers, drivers and millworkers. This is about getting Montanans back to work as quickly as possible.”

The Chapter 11 Bankruptcy of Smurfit-Stone, which resulted in the closure of its Missoula mill, has also resulted in supply chain disruptions with statewide impacts.

The letter is below:

Mr. Richard C. King
President and Chief Executive Officer
Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation
1121 East Broadway
Missoula, Montana 59802

Re: Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation Bankruptcy Proceeding #09-10235 (BLS)

Dear Mr. King:

I’m writing to thank you for your active oversight of the above referenced bankruptcy proceeding. As you know, the proper disposition of Smurfit-Stone’s Missoula facility is critical to the local economy and the entire state. As a result, I believe it’s important that the plant remain open as a paper mill or is converted to an appropriate alternative use.

The University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research says that, as a result of Smurfit-Stone’s closure, 1,700 jobs worth more than $40 million annually have been lost. In addition to the devastating economic loss, the direct impact to private landowners, resource managers and Montana’s manufacturing and professional logging community is tremendous.

Montana annually produces approximately 2.5 million tons of residual wood fiber. Smurfit-Stone utilized about 80% of this material. Not only has a key link in the wood products chain been broken, but transportation costs have increased with longer haul distances. With each mill closure, Montana loses more and more professionally trained wood workers and log haulers.

I urge your continued diligence as the bankruptcy court proceedings enter their final phase. I also encourage you to weigh in on an outcome that retains jobs and ensures the economic viability of Missoula and the surrounding communities.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement following today’s report that Montana’s seasonally adjusted unemployment increased to 7.3 percent in June from 7.2 percent in May. Last June, Montana’s unemployment was 6.2 percent. Despite record-level spending on a “so-called” Stimulus, Montana has not seen a reduction in its unemployment since September, 2006.

“Unfortunately, Congress appears intent on killing job creation with a steady onslaught of new taxes, complex federal regulations and a fog of uncertainty that has paralyzed new hiring by small businesses. As I travel around the state, I hear time and again that Washington, D.C. is not only failing to encourage job growth, but it’s actually making things worse and delaying an economic recovery.”

Rehberg recently conducted an email survey of Montanans about job creation. A full 70 percent of more than 3,500 responses indicated that our economy was worse today than when the “so-called” Stimulus passed. 57 percent thought that the “so-called” Stimulus actually hurt the economy while only 18 percent thought it helped. And the vast majority of people surveyed thought that the better path to economic prosperity is smaller government, lower taxes and fewer federal regulations.

WASHIGNTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, this week introduced an amendment to the House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill that would have blocked funding for the enforcement of a particularly ominous new reporting requirement for American small businesses.  The provision – which will require companies to start issuing 1099 tax forms to all vendors  from whom they purchase more than $600 in goods and services – was intended to increase tax revenues to pay for the  health care benefits that don’t even begin until 2012 or later.  Currently, businesses  typically issue 1099 forms only to independent contractors and freelancers receive them each year from their clients.

“Before we even get to the mountains of health care-related paperwork that small businesses are  facing, this tax provision requires Montana small businesses to track every penny they spend over $600 in the course of a year,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriation Subcommittee.  “For example, if a company spends $600 on miscellaneous supplies from the local supermarket, they’ll now be required to submit a tax form reporting that expenditure to the IRS.  That’s time that you could be using building your business and creating jobs.”

A recent poll conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce indicated that 68% of small business owners say the government’s regulations hurt the economy and job creation.  Rehberg, who has long fought to reduce required government paperwork, has also co-sponsored H.R. 5141, the “Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act,” which repeals the burdensome new 1099 provision in the Health Care Bill.

“Congressman Rehberg’s effort to halt this egregious tax grab perfectly captures the frustration that Montana’s small business owners have been voicing,” said Riley Johnson, the Montana State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business. “They know this new health care law, with provisions like this, will bury them in paperwork and force them to spend even more money on tax compliance.  Those new costs mean less investment in their business and fewer jobs – the exact opposite of the kind of policies small businesses need to create jobs and jump start our economy.  We look forward to working with pro-small business members like Congressman Rehberg to repeal the 1099 reporting provision once and for all.”

Rehberg’s Amendment would have prevented any funds from being used to implement this provision.  It failed on a strictly party-line vote.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today offered an amendment during the initial stages of next year’s Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Bill reducing the cost to the taxpayer by $13 billion.

“While talking about spending freezes next year, House Democrats are blowing up the spending this year to compensate,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Labor, Health and Humans Services, Education Appropriations Subcommittee.  “This slight of hand is at best ineffective and at worst completely dishonest and cynical.  This freeze is empty rhetoric because it won’t actually reduce spending, or even hold it steady.  Montanans expect better.  My amendment essentially implements the spending freeze a year early – locking last year’s funding level in place.”

The national debt has grown to more than $13 trillion, which is more than $42,000 for every man, woman and child in America.  Despite not passing a budget for the coming year, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Subcommittee has requested $176 billion for next year.  That figure was $163 billion this year.  Rehberg’s Amendment reduces the 2011 funding figure to the 2010 level.

“I’ve joined Republicans in forgoing earmarks this year, promising it was the first step toward true comprehensive spending reform,” said Rehberg.  “My amendment gave my Democratic colleagues a chance to actually put taxpayers money where their mouths are, and they said no.  When it comes to fiscal reform, the distinction couldn’t be more clear.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, joined forces with colleagues from both parties in a letter to President Obama encouraging inclusion of long-term reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act (SRSCA) in the President’s budget for fiscal year 2012.  The Secure Rural Schools program addresses the unique challenges of rural education by providing federal funding to counties for local schools and transportation projects.

“It’s critical the President does not lose sight of the unique needs of Montana’s rural communities,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Rural Education Caucus.  “I’m working with colleagues from rural districts in both parties to ensure that Montana and other rural states are not overlooked.  This isn’t a partisan issue.  This is about providing the best education for all our children.”

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, signed into law in 2000, provides an alternative source of funding to counties that were once dependent on timber sales from federal lands.  At the time the bill was passed, it was estimated to provide assistance to 700 counties in 39 states.  85 percent of Montana’s schools are classified as either rural or frontier, accounting for 70% of the state’s students.

“This economy has hit rural communities particularly hard, and that makes federal assistance for education all the more important,” said Rehberg.  “We know the President is concerned about the challenges of inner city education, but we hope he doesn’t forget about the challenges we face.”

LETTER:

Dear Mr. President:
 
We respectfully request that you include a long-term reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self-Determination Act (SRSCA), and the concomitant funding, in your Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 budget request to Congress. 
 
The SRSCA is not an entitlement program, but rather a demonstration of the commitment that this nation made to rural forest counties when they determined that large blocks (193 million acres in total) of our forest lands should be set aside for the benefit of the entire nation.  Indeed this “contract” between the federal government and rural America is part of the very foundation of our national forest system.  President Theodore Roosevelt understood the value of conserving our forest lands and placing them in public trust.  He likewise understood the economic burden this placed on rural counties to provide essential infrastructure like roads and public schools with their tax revenues reduced by the presence of federal lands in these counties.
 
To mitigate these economic effects, President Roosevelt and Forest Service Chief Gifford Pinchot supported a revenue sharing concept that made forest counties a contracted business partner with the federal government.  In 1908, Congress approved a revenue sharing plan specifying 25 percent of all revenues from National Forests would be returned to forested counties.  This law worked well for nearly a century.  However, by the late 1980’s national policies and court rulings substantially diminished revenue generating activity in our national forests.  By 1998, revenues for national forest counties had declined by over 70 percent.  The decline had a devastating impact on 780 counties nationwide and over nine million school children.
 
Recognizing its obligation to rural America, Congress passed the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self-Determination Act of 2000, and President Bill Clinton signed the bill.  It provided six years of funding.  In 2007, Congress extended the SRSCA for one year.  In 2008, Congress once again provided a four year extension of the SRSCA from 2008-2011.
 
Timber harvests have not rebounded, so both the logic and the need for this program remain as strong today as when President Roosevelt first supported revenue sharing.  The vast majority of the funds provided through the SRSCA are used to directly fund jobs in road maintenance and public works and positions within the public school system.  These are essential services for the citizens of these rural communities and constitute family-wage earner jobs.
 
Failure to extend the SRSCA in 2012 would have a devastating impact on the economies of over 780 of our most rural and most economically depressed counties and school districts across the nation.  In these counties, unemployment is higher than in other regions of the country with rates approaching those experienced in the Great Depression.
 
Failure to extend the SRSCA would lead to an annual payment loss of 468 million dollars starting in 2012-13.  The economic impacts will be ongoing without an extension.  This includes support for construction, roads, education, conservation, and various other government funded services and projects.  The loss of the funding leads to various businesses throughout the United States, mainly in rural America, losing on an annual basis almost $1.37 billion in revenues, government at all levels losing over $188 million in tax receipts and over 11,000 people losing their jobs in 2012-13.
 
In addition, Title II of the SRSCA has proven to be a substantial asset to rural communities and our forested public lands.  Since 2000, in a very collaborative process, over $350 million has been invested in watershed restoration and forest health projects by Resource Advisory Committees (RACs).  Not one project has been appealed or litigated.  In fact, based on changes in the 2008 Act, the number of RACs has grown from 55 to 116.
 
We are grateful that you appreciate the importance of the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self-Determination Act.  In May 2008, you stated in an interview with the Eugene Register-Guard, “I completely agree that it’s [SRSCA] an obligation we have to meet.  I think that we’re not meeting it well right now because we’re doing it piecemeal year after year by year. . . .” Those words send a strong message about the need to support this ongoing commitment to rural America.
 
We look forward to meeting with you and your administration to draft legislation to continue this historic partnership with rural America.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, joined colleagues in sending a letter to the United States Green Building Council urging increased use of wood products in green building construction certification done by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).  The timber industry in Western Montana has been particularly hard hit in the current economic downturn, and green building opportunities could help to revitalize future industry growth.

“Wood is among the most reliable and renewable building product there is,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “We need to expand incentives for America’s wood products industry to ensure our mills stay open and Montana’s loggers, millworkers and drivers have good-paying jobs.”

When a builder chooses to use wood, the LEED standard awards credits only if the builder uses products certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).  It doesn’t give credit for two other major U.S. certification system—the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the American Tree Farm System (ATFS).  These two programs certify more than 80 million acres in the U.S.  In Montana, more than 1.2 million acres is certified under the SFI and ATFS programs, but none under FSC.

“It’s pretty clear to anyone who’s visited communities that have been impacted by the timber industry downturn that the economic ramifications are significant and widespread,” said Rehberg.  “The timber industry is a critical part of our economy, not just as a stand-alone industry, but as the starting point for thousands of small businesses across many industries.”

The Full Letter is below:

Dear Mr. Fedrizzi:

As members who are both active on forestry issues and represent districts with many small woodlot owners, we are writing to express our concern over the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

While we appreciate the efforts of the USGBC to promote energy efficiency and environmental conservation, we are very concerned that the LEED rating system’s wood credit does not recognize two of the largest sustainable forest certification programs in the United States – the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the American Tree Farm System (AFTS) – and recognizes only Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood.

Over 84 million acres of forests in the United States are certified to SFI or ATFS, almost three times the amount of forests certified to FSC nationally. If the LEED rating system maintains the status quo and does not recognize SFI or ATFS, many builders seeking LEED certification would be discouraged to use third-party certified SFI and ATFS products grown here in the United States. Furthermore, by requiring wood to have third party certification to receive a credit and not forcing that requirement on steel and concrete, the USGBC is discouraging the overall use of a product that uses less energy and produces less pollution in its manufacturing.

We understand that the LEED rating system has proposed draft benchmarks to evaluate forest certification programs, but we are concerned that they do not offer a clear and simple way to give credit for all of the major third-party forest certification systems operating in the United States. Broadening the number of eligible certification programs could stimulate the market for American produced forest products and the communities and jobs that depend on both.

We urge you and your organization to expedite your review of forest management certification systems and to accept all credible forest management certification systems for qualification under the LEED rating system.  Doing so will help ensure strong markets for domestic lumber producers and our forest landowners, which is vital to the future of our forests and our forest industry workers.

Sincerely,