Congressman Denny Rehberg

BILLINGS, MT – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today contacted Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano urging her to immediately freeze additional funding for the soon-to-be-one-way Port of Entry at Whitetail in Montana and to conduct a review before completing the $8.5 million project. The funding for the port has been a matter of national criticism for some time, all the more now that Canada has decided to close its side of the port, effectively making the port available only for Canadian entry into the United States.

“After hearing from the folks who live in northeast Montana, I can say that despite the popular myth that government waste is embraced by those who are supposed to benefit from it, Montanans aren’t happy about how their tax dollars are being wasted,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “$8.5 million is too much to spend for a press release and a ribbon cutting ceremony, and at this point, that looks to be the only benefit this project has. It’s my job to safeguard tax dollars, and I’m making sure this boondoggle doesn’t slip through the cracks.”

When it comes to the ‘so-called’ Stimulus, Rehberg has been a vocal critic of ongoing waste and an advocate for accountability and transparency. For example, he expressed frustration when the cost of the Billings Federal Courthouse ballooned from $35 million to almost $60 million as a result of the influx of stimulus funding. He has also fought against wasting millions of dollars creating the political highway signs crediting the ‘so-called’ Stimulus with funding for construction projects.

“I recommend that the Department of Homeland Security conduct a thorough review to determine whether the Port of Whitetail should remain open,” wrote Rehberg in his letter. “Furthermore, I recommend that the Department freeze any further ARRA spending at the Port of Whitetail until this review can be completed. I believe the Department would do a great disservice to the American taxpayer if it completed construction at the Port of Whitetail and later closed the Port due to lack of use.”

Dear Secretary Napolitano:

Last week, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced its intention to close Saskatchewan’s Port of Big Beaver on April 1, 2011. As you know, Big Beaver is the sister location to Montana’s Whitetail Port of Entry.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allocated $420 million for the modernization of land ports operated by Customs and Border Patrol. According to Recovery.gov, $8.5 million of this allocation is to be spent modernizing and upgrading the Port of Whitetail.

Given that fewer than five vehicles per day pass through Whitetail, its proximity to the Port of Scobey just 12 miles away, and the upcoming closure of its Canadian counterpart; my constituents and I question the wisdom of spending millions of taxpayer dollars modernizing the Port of Whitetail.

Last Fall, following widespread concern about the cost of port modernization projects on the Northern Border, your office appointed an independent committee to conduct a 30-day review of the project allocations. During this review, the independent committee visited the Port of Whitetail and a handful of other ports before making several recommendations in a document entitled 30-Day CBP Port Modernization Review: Summary and Department Response. Among their recommendations, the independent committee suggested that:

“The Department should conduct periodic studies to determine whether any ports of entry should be closed. Although permanent closure of a port of entry involves a number of complex considerations (international relations and impacts on local residents to name just two), some of the facilities that currently exist are separated by only several miles and have low traffic volumes.”

According to that same document, the Department of Homeland Security responded to this suggestion, saying that: “This recommendation will be taken under advisement and reviewed in consultation with the interagency.”

While I understand the need for interagency consultation, I believe that CBSA’s closure of the Big Beaver port dramatically impacts the current plans for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Port.

Due to the Canadian decision to close the Port of Big Beaver, I recommend that the Department of Homeland Security conduct a thorough review to determine whether the Port of Whitetail should remain open. Furthermore, I recommend that the Department freeze any further ARRA spending at the Port of Whitetail until this review can be completed. I believe the Department would do a great disservice to the American taxpayer if it completed construction at the Port of Whitetail and later closed the Port due to lack of use.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-3211.

Sincerely,

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has signed an amicus brief opposing a lawsuit filed by the ACLU to block the implementation of Arizona’s new immigration law.  The brief was written by the Washington Legal Foundation and defends both the practical necessity and Constitutionality of the Arizona law.

“Arizona is just enforcing the federal immigration laws that the federal government refuses to enforce itself,” said Rehberg, the co-chair of the House Northern Border Caucus.  “Ultimately, the federal government ought to be carrying this water so Arizona doesn’t have to, but until that happens, you’d better believe I’m going to support Arizona’s right to enforce their law.”

In April, 2010 the state of Arizona passed the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act (SB 1070), which required immigrants to carry registration documents that were legally required by federal law.  It also created strict policies that discourage the hiring and transportation of illegal immigrants.  The measure is scheduled to go into effect on July 29, 2010.

In May, 2010, a preemptive Class Action Lawsuit was filed by the ACLU on behalf of fourteen organizations and ten individuals.  The lawsuit challenges the Constitutionality of state action to address immigration policy.

The amicus brief that Rehberg signed makes four points in response to this lawsuit.  First, it states the Arizona law is not preempting existing federal laws governing admission or removal of immigrants.  It’s merely assessing legal status using the federal laws already on the books.  Second, it indicates that federal law explicitly establishes a role for the states in enforcement of immigration laws.  Third, it points out the lawsuit requests that the law be preempted based on speculation about possible outcomes before the law is even implemented.  Finally, it makes the case that because the ACLU objects to only some parts of the law, the lawsuit is overly broad in its attempt to repeal the entire law.

“Imagine if the federal government defaulted on its Social Security responsibility in Florida or its air traffic safety duties in New York,” said Rehberg.  “You can bet those states would be pretty upset.  Well, for a border state like Arizona, illegal immigration is just as much a crisis, and the federal government has sat timidly on the fence.  If the feds aren’t going to do their job, the least it can do is let someone else do it for them.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has cosponsored legislation to prohibit the Department of Interior (DOI) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) from preventing the U.S. Border Patrol from fulfilling its congressionally mandated mission to control our borders.  Some DOI and USDA policies, including forbidding the use of motorized vehicles on certain lands, have seriously undermined border control efforts on the northern border.

“Once again, bungling bureaucrats have put Montana families at risk,” said Rehberg, a co-chair of the House Northern Border Caucus.  “As long as we have holes in our border security, they will be exploited by terrorists, drug smugglers and human traffickers.  It’s one thing to deal with the logistics of protecting ourselves, but it’s another thing to enact policies that actively prevent controlling the border.”

While Americans are demanding border control, inflexible environmental policies instituted on DOI and Forest Service lands have closed off large segments of the border to necessary control efforts.  More than 1,000 miles of the U.S.-Canada border are on federal lands, crossing 13 states, 12 National Parks and 4 Indian reservations.

Unfortunately, Border Patrol access has been limited by public land managers who have literally locked out Border Patrol vehicles.  To address this serious problem, Rehberg joined Western Caucus colleagues in sponsoring H.R. 5016, which would prohibit DOI and USDA from impeding the Border Patrol.

“No state other than Alaska has a longer border with Canada,” said Rehberg.  “That makes Montana particularly vulnerable to the consequences of failing to control our border.  Let’s get the federal government on the same page, and get our borders secured.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today joined House Republican colleagues in unveiling America Speaking Out.  By providing an online forum for Montanans to voice their opinions in setting priorities for a national agenda, this initiative mirrors the public input that Rehberg has solicited at 44 public listening sessions and through online social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

“Montanans are sick and tired of the vote-first-ask-questions-later approach to lawmaking that Speaker Pelosi has adopted.  It’s a recipe for bad laws, and worse, it’s a sign of an unresponsive government that serves its own interests before the interests of the people.  That’s why I hosted 44 public listening sessions.  That’s why I asked for 30 days to come back to Montana and listen before any vote on a health care bill.  That’s why, on a daily basis, I interact with thousands of Montanans on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.  It’s time Washington, D.C. listens to the people.  We want to know what you think.  And that’s what America Speaking Out is all about.”

America Speaking Out is the first legislative website of its kind.  Using modern online tools, it empowers users to submit their own ideas or weigh in on the ideas of others.  It creates a one-of-a-kind pipeline to Washington, D.C. that will help make Congress look a lot more like Montana.  Montanans can access America Speaking Out online at http://www.americaspeakingout.com.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has cosponsored legislation that would prevent wages earned while working in the United States illegally from being credited toward Social Security benefits.

“It’s no wonder this country has a serious problem with illegal immigration,” said Rehberg, the co-chairman of the House Northern Border Caucus.  “As long as we’re rewarding people for breaking the law by letting them count income earned through illegal work toward future Social Security benefits, people are going to keep coming.  On the one hand, we’re telling foreigners not to risk their lives attempting sometimes deadly border crossings, and on the other hand we’re giving them a check when they get here.  Talk about sending the wrong message.”

Currently, a worker must have 10 years of Social Security-covered employment to be eligible for retirement benefits (less time is required for disability and survivor benefits). Most U.S. jobs are covered under Social Security, and as a result, noncitizens that are legally authorized to work in the United States are eligible for a Social Security number.

The No Social Security for Illegal Aliens Act prevents work done while in the United States illegally from being counted toward vestment in Social Security.  It does not apply to non-citizens who are working in the country legally.

“The greatness of America is due in no small part to the contribution of hard working immigrants who came here to make a better life for themselves and their families,” said Rehberg.  “While Montanans welcome legal immigrants who do it the right way, if someone’s first act is to break the law by entering the country illegally, they shouldn’t be rewarded for their crimes or get priority over those who follow the law.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has been recognized for promoting “the principles of liberty and the strength of the Constitution,” by the American Conservative Union (ACU), the nation’s oldest and largest conservative grassroots organization.  Rehberg was named an “ACU Conservative” with a 92% percent rating in 2009 based on 25 votes covering government bailouts, wasteful spending, taxes, and health care reform.  Rehberg has a 90% lifetime rating with the ACU.

“I voted with Montanans who believe that government isn’t the solution to all our problems and that government is most effective when it empowers individuals with freedom and opportunity,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Liberty Caucus.  “It’s these ideals, shaped by the input from Montanans at 44 listening sessions that shape my voting record.”

The American Conservative Union was founded in 1964 as a grassroots organization promoting traditional values, a market economy, a strong national defense, and the doctrines of the Constitution.  The ACU has published an annual rating of Congress since 1971 based on 25 votes each in the House and Senate.  Key issues in the first session of the 111th Congress included the financial industry bailouts, stimulus spending, energy policy, federal abortion funding, and health care reform.  Rehberg is the only member of the Montana delegation to vote against every bailout and the $1 trillion so-called stimulus package.

“This award is a reflection of Representative Denny Rehberg’s consistent support of conservative principles on a wide range of issues of concern to grass roots conservatives in 2009,” said David A. Keene, Chairman of the American Conservative Union.  “At a challenging time when the fundamental principles on which the American system of government are being challenged, Representative Denny Rehberg stands with those who are trying to preserve those principles.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, met with officials from the State Department and the Agency for International Development this week to continue fighting to streamline the process for Haitian orphans waiting to be adopted by families in Montana and elsewhere in the Untied States. Approximately 40 Haitian children are already in the process of being adopted, and Rehberg is requesting federal assistance in clearing the final hurdles and arranging safe passage out of the earthquake-torn country.

“These orphans are not only going to be American citizens, but Montanans as well, and I’m working with the State Department and USAID to help ensure their safety,” said Rehberg, a member of the House State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee. “There is understandably fear and frustration on part of the families who want to get their children home. I’m asking the State Department to speed up the paperwork, and that USAID use its resources to unite these orphans with their adoptive parents.”

Rehberg met this week with Ambassador Craig Kelly, of the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, and Dr. Rajiv Shah, Administrator Designate with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Rehberg noted there are around 140 humanitarian flights into Haiti on a daily basis, and is asking the agencies to look into the possibility of using those departing planes as an emergency means of transportation to the U.S. for the orphans. In a letter to Dr. Shah, Rehberg also asked the organization to do whatever is necessary to see that these parents have access to USAID flights into Haiti to assist in the rescue.

WASHINGTON – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, last night joined House colleagues in passing critical legislation to prevent Mexican trucks from gaining unrestricted access to U.S. highways.

“The Administration just isn’t getting it,” said Rehberg a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, “Americans shouldn’t have to share the roads with Mexican trucks that don’t meet the stringent safety requirements for U.S.-based trucks.  Mexican trucks must be held to the same standards as U.S. trucks.”

In 2007, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced plans to implement a pilot program that would extend open operating authority to 100 Mexican truck companies throughout the U.S., according to outstanding provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  In response, the House passed legislation to prevent this pilot program.  Because the Senate failed to act on that bill, a provision was included in the funding bill for the DOT to prevent implementation of the pilot program, but the Administration chose to ignore that directive.  In August, the program was extended for an additional two years.  This legislation will put an end to the program.

“This is about more than safety on our roads.  It’s also a matter of national security.  The Department of Transportation needs to listen to what the American people are demanding, and this bill forces them to do so,” Rehberg said.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today received the “A in English” award for preserving the unifying role of the English language in the United States.

“The English language is a crucial cornerstone on which the United States is built,” said Rehberg.  “That’s why I’ve proudly fought for policies that recognize its importance.”

The “A in English” award, presented by U.S. English, Inc., was awarded to members who received “A” grades on the U.S. English, Inc. legislative scorecard for the 110th Congress. Legislation that factored into the decision included co-sponsorship of H.R. 997, the English Language Unity Act, as well as a series of Congressional votes on encouraging the usage of the English language in government and allowing employers the flexibility to enact English-in-the-Workplace policies.  Earlier this year, Rehberg sponsored legislation allowing employers to require employees to speak English while engaged in work activities.

“I am pleased to present this award to Rep. Rehberg for his efforts to unite our diverse nation under the common language of English,” said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of the Board of U.S. English, Inc. “Rep. Rehberg has been a strong supporter of official English policies during his time in Congress. At a time when there is renewed interest toward preserving what unites us as a nation, we are grateful to Rep. Rehberg for his dedicated and enthusiastic support of this issue.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today issued the following statement in response to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) release of the final rule on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI):

“Over the past year, I’ve been working to get DHS to delay implementation of WHTI until we were positive Montanans, traveling across the border, wouldn’t be affected.  Today, they responded to my demands.  The final rule delays implementation until June 2009 and gives us time to ensure we have a reliable, cost effective means of allowing Montana residents to seamlessly travel out of the country while bolstering national security at the same time. I’ll continue to hold the Administration’s feet to the fire until we can find the right balance between maximizing defense and minimizing inconvenience. ”

WHTI will require all U.S. citizens to have a passport or other approved document when traveling to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

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