Congressman Denny Rehberg

BILLINGS, MT – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement following the release of 14 additional pages pertaining to the Department of Interior’s clandestine plans to declare millions of acres in Montana to be National Monuments. The missing pages may complete the “NOT FOR RELEASE” memo that originally outlined plans to utilize the Antiquities Act for the Presidential designation of National Monuments across the west, including Montana. Pages 15-21 of the memo were leaked earlier this year. The Department of Interior has acknowledged that it continues to withhold more than 2,000 pages of related documents.

“While I’m glad the Department of Interior has finally released these pages, I can certainly understand why they wanted to keep them a secret. A single sentence acknowledging the benefit of public input won’t appease Montanans when the rest of the document lays out plans to circumvent that input if it doesn’t fall in line with the pre-constructed plans of unelected Washington bureaucrats. The new pages make a disturbing case for bypassing Congress with a unilateral Presidential designation of National Monuments. This was the worst-case scenario, and it’s no longer hypothetical.”

In March, Rehberg joined his colleagues on the House Western Caucus in sending a letter with four questions. So far, only the first has been answered. These questions are below:

1. All pages of the “Internal Draft” document of which we obtained only pages 15 to 21 …

2. With regard to the “brainstorming” sessions you publicly mentioned, we would like a copy of any documents distributed at or in preparation for the meetings, a list of all participants or invitees, any notes taken at the meeting (s), and any memoranda, work product or follow up documents from the meeting(s). All records, electronic or otherwise, of meetings or discussions with private groups, individuals or other persons or entities that are not employees of the Department of the Interior where potential National Monument designations were discussed. We request all notes, agendas, memoranda or documents from those meetings.

3. All documents related to the Secretary’s initiative to compile a list of potential National Monument designations since July 1, 2009, including, but not limited to, maps.

4. Any communication with any person or entity outside of the Department of the Interior related to the Secretary’s initiative since July 1, 2009.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, announced he will seek to remove the gray wolf from consideration under the Endangered Species Act. Rehberg will support legislation asking Congress to amend the 1973 act “to prohibit treatment of the Gray Wolf as an endangered species or threatened species.” The move comes in response to a recent court ruling effectively reinstating endangered status for the wolf.

“It’s become clear the courts and the environmental extremists have abandoned the principle of sound science when determining the status of the gray wolf,” said Rehberg, a member of the Congressional Western Caucus. “Years of research, dedicated efforts by land owners and local officials, and the expert opinions of on-the-ground wildlife managers have been given a back seat to profit-motivated environmental groups. We need to call attention to this abuse and solve an issue that should have been put to rest years ago.”

When Congress returns to Washington, Rehberg will cosponsor H.R. 6028, a measure introduced by Texas Representative Chet Edwards that will amend the original Endangered Species Act to prohibit gray wolves from being listed as an endangered species.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) first issued the decision to delist the wolf in 2008, after the species had met revised recovery goals of 30 breeding pairs and 300 wolves for eight consecutive years. Wildlife biologists estimate there are 1,700 wolves in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, eastern Oregon and Washington. Wolves were first placed on the endangered species list in 1974.

“The evidence of a recovery for the gray wolf is as plain as day, yet Montana stock-growers and wildlife managers have their hands tied when it comes to managing the predator,” said Rehberg, who in February urged the White House to adhere to an FWS opinion that the wolf be delisted in Montana and Idaho. “Stock losses and big game depredation caused by an uncontrolled wolf population are a real concern in Montana, and the state’s responsible management plan needs to be put in place.”

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.”

Public meetings scheduled for Cascade, Hill, Blaine and Valley Counties

WASHINGTON, D.C. July 13, 2010-– Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has scheduled four Listening Sessions across Montana.  This continues his open-door policy of holding open meetings where anyone can attend and Rehberg takes comments and questions from all comers.

“Government transparency is only useful if it’s coupled with accountability,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “It’s easy to sit behind a desk in Washington and wait for the phone to ring, and that’s what some of my colleagues have decided to do.  But I made a commitment years ago to visit each of Montana’s 56 counties each Congress, to listen and learn what the people I represent think about where our country is headed.  In turn, my actions are framed by the input I receive from thousands of Montanans who attend the listening sessions.  That’s why I voted against Obama’s takeover of health care and against every single bailout including the biggest bailout of them all, the ‘so-called’ stimulus. ”

Rehberg scheduled the following Listening Sessions between July 17 and July 18, 2010:

Cascade County – Great Falls
Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 12 PM
Cascade County Courthouse
415 2nd Avenue North

Hill County—Havre
Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 3 PM
Applied Technology Center Hensler Auditorium
MSU-Northern
300 West 11th Street

Blaine County—Chinook
Sunday, July 18, 2010 at 1 PM
Blaine County Library
94 4th Street

Valley County—Glasgow
Sunday, July 18, 2010 at 4:30 PM
Glasgow Civic Center
319 3rd Street South

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today sent a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar expressing concerns about proposals to designate between 2.5 and 4.1 million acres of Montana lands as National Monuments.  He also urged him to include all impacted Montanans in the discussions long before such a designation is ever made.
 
“I want Secretary Salazar to understand that the concerns of thousands of Montanans are much deeper than what some have called mere politics,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Western Caucus.  “We’ve been down this road before, long before he was in the driver’s seat, and we know where it leads.  If the course of action is already determined, as some suspect it is, then going through the motions of public input is a waste of time.  Montanans deserve more than a voice. We also have a right to say no if we don’t like the federal government’s plan for our land.”
 
In the eleventh hour of the outgoing Clinton Administration, the President used his authority granted in the Antiquities Act to create the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, despite outright opposition from Montanans across the state.  So when a secret memo was discovered laying out a vision for millions of new acres for designation under the same authority, Rehberg and other members of the House Western Caucus started asking questions.  Most of those questions have not been answered.
 
It’s since become evident that high ranking officials within the Department of the Interior have been working closely with select members of powerful special interest groups, while most Montanans have been left out of the process.  Rehberg has posted hundreds of pages of emails and documents on his website at http://rehberg.house.gov.
 
“Montanans expect a high level of transparency when it comes to their government’s plans,” said Rehberg.  “But even more important than transparency, they expect to have a say in the end result.  I’m inviting Secretary Salazar to join me in listening to what Montanans have to say.”

The complete letter is below:

Dear Secretary Salazar:

Earlier this year, a Department of the Interior (DOI) memo recommending 13 million acres for designation as new National Monuments was leaked to members of Congress.  The document included 2.5 million acres in Montana, with an additional 4.1 million acres mentioned in related emails between your agency and the World Wildlife Fund.

Unfortunately, this proposed land grab is neither surprising nor unprecedented.  In the waning hours of the Clinton Administration, federal bureaucrats locked up tens of thousands of acres in Montana when it created the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.  At the time, officials claimed to have listened to Montanans prior to making that decision, a decision that ultimately was very controversial. 

As a result, Montanans remain skeptical when they hear similar promises from the federal government today.  You echoed these promises during a hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations, where you guaranteed a “conversation and a dialogue” with local citizens before decisions are made regarding new National Monuments.

With this in mind, I encourage you to visit the lands referenced in the leaked document, the so-called Montana’s Northern Prairie, to start a dialogue with Montanans who are rightfully concerned about the future of their lands.  I’d like to extend an invitation, on behalf of all those who were left out of the discussions, asking you to make an official visit to our great state to meet with my constituents and me.

The current Administration claims to be the most open and transparent in history, yet it blatantly excluded affected landowners, ranchers, farmers, elected officials, outdoor recreationists and hunters from these discussions.  Instead, the Administration chose to exclusively seek the advice of powerful special interest groups, and it refuses to make public thousands of pages of public documents. 

While we don’t always see eye-to-eye, I think we can both agree that Montanans should have a seat at the table when decisions are made that affect our public lands.  Thank you for your consideration of this request, and please don’t hesitate to contact my office if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressmen Denny Rehberg (MT-AL), Allen Boyd (FL-02), Vernon Ehlers (MI-03),  Mike Simpson (ID-02) and Walt Minnick (ID-01) have jointly introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives supporting recreational aviation and backcountry airstrips on America’s public lands.

“With 147,000 square miles, there are plenty of places in Montana that you just can’t get to by road,” said Congressman Rehberg, a member of the House General Aviation Caucus.  “That’s why aviation is as important to modern Montana as the horse was for frontier Montana.  During a time when our lands are under threat from drought, insect infestation and wildfire, and when our economy continues to struggle, backcountry airstrips serve a valuable role for land managers and visitors alike.”

“As a pilot, I know that many of us combine flying with other recreational activities, such as hunting, fishing and camping,” said Congressman Boyd, co-chair of the House General Aviation Caucus.  “This legislation recognizes the important role rural backcountry airstrips are to general aviation enthusiasts and tourists across the country, and I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this resolution.”

“The Recreational Aviation Foundation has done a great service by pointing out the potential loss of a number of backcountry airstrips,” said Congressman Ehlers. These airstrips allow citizens to land near wilderness areas, and be able to hike, camp, and explore these beautiful parts of our country. These strips provide great access, and should be preserved wherever possible so that generations ahead can continue to enjoy the wilderness areas of our nation.”

“Backcountry airstrips ensure that Idahoans and visitors to our state have access to beautiful and wild places for recreation, work, and management of land and wildlife, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to work with my colleagues to make sure that they continue to be able to use them,” said Congressman Mike Simpson, Ranking Member of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds the U.S. Forest Service.

“For Idahoans who treasure our backcountry, these airstrips not only allow folks a great way to see the out of doors, but they also represent a lifeline for remote sections of the state,” Congressman Minnick said. “They are important to our way of life and ought to be maintained.”

Backcountry airstrips are often targeted for closure by powerful special interest groups or simply neglected by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.  Yet, they are a part of life for many Americans.  In addition to search and rescue, fire management, research, disaster relief and wildlife management, they also provide access to some of the most beautiful, remote federal lands in America—regardless of one’s physical ability to otherwise enjoy the backcountry.  For pilots, in the event of mechanical problems or inclement weather, they serve as emergency landing sites when larger airports are out of reach.  Finally, backcountry airstrips serve as efficient access points for tourists, who in turn contribute to local economies and small businesses.

“Too often, backcountry airstrips receive little if any attention, so they are vulnerable to efforts to close them. This resolution introduced by Reps. Rehberg, Boyd, Ehlers, Minnick and Simpson acknowledges the important role of these air strips and raises their profile, especially among their colleagues on Capitol Hill whose actions are critical to the airstrips’ survival,” said Craig Fuller, President of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

“We are excited that these Representatives are recognizing the value of backcountry aviation in this way,” said John McKenna, President of the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF).  “This Resolution clarifies the status of recreational aviation, its participants, supporters and those who work hard to maintain and preserve it for the future.”  McKenna lives and works in Bozeman, Montana, the headquarters of the national non-profit organization.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has cosponsored the National Monument Designation Transparency and Accountability Act with members of the Congressional Western Caucus.  In conjunction with legislation he’s already introduced that would require congressional approval of any National Monument designation in Montana, this legislation would enact additional reforms intended to modernize the original 1906 legislation to meet public expectations of transparency and accountability.

“Montanans expect and deserve a new level of government transparency that wasn’t possible when the Antiquities Act was first created more than a century ago,” said Rehberg, a member of the Congressional Western Caucus.  “The Antiquities Act is a relic of a time when politicians worked far from the scrutiny of public attention – often days of travel by train from the voters they represented.  The secrecy that this distance afforded simply doesn’t fly anymore.  Voters deserve to know what their government is doing, and they deserve to have a say in it.  Modern technology makes it possible, and it’s the responsibility of every elected official to ensure it happens.”

The National Monument Designation Transparency and Accountability Act includes several provisions that will modernize the Antiquities Act.  By changing the size restriction of land the President can designate from “the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the object to be protected,” to “the smallest area essential to ensure the proper care and management of the objects to be protected,” it reduces the amount of land the President can designate as a national monument.  This simple change has become necessary following the audacity of the recently leaked secret plans being crafted by the Department of the Interior to designate more than 13 million acres as new National Monuments.

In addition, the process by which a National Monument is designated is also updated in the bill, with new requirements for transparency and accountability added before and after any monument designation.  For example, 30 days before making a decision, the President would be required to provide the language of the proposed proclamation to all government officials with authority over the land located within the proposed National Monument.  This includes state, local and tribal officials.  The Secretary of the Interior would then be required, by the law, to hold a public meeting, take public comments and make the draft and comments available online.

The legislation also creates a role for congressional oversight once the President designates the monument.  Within one year of a new designation, the Administration would have to produce a report that examines the monument designation across several criteria: economic impact of the local communities, impact on domestic energy production, and the impact on other interests, rights and uses of the land – including water rights, hunting, grazing, timber production, forest health, off-road vehicle use, hiking, horseback riding, and mineral and energy leases, claims, and permits.  Once the report is completed, the designation must be approved by an Act of Congress within two years.  Without such an approval, the proclamation would be undone.

“The Clinton Administration invented the abuse of the Antiquities Act with the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument and the Obama Administration seems intent on perfecting it,” said Rehberg.  “The Secretary of the Interior has already promised an open and transparent system – this legislation ensures the Department keeps its promise.  Transparency is the antidote to government abuse.”

WASHINGTON ,D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement regarding comments attributed to Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar, which were then distributed by Senator Jon Tester following a Senate hearing.  In reference to a federal land-grab in Montana that was repeatedly mentioned in secret Department of Interior emails and documents, the Secretary is reported to have said: “I think it is folks fanning the flames.  We hope that we move forward with a conservation agenda. But it involves listening to the people and it doesn’t involve the heavy hand of government coming in and imposing the monument authority.”

“In the closing hours of the Clinton Administration, federal bureaucrats locked up tens of thousands of acres in Montana as a National Monument.  At the time, officials also claimed to have listened to Montanans prior to making that decision – a decision that ultimately was very controversial in Montana.   So forgive me for continuing to be very skeptical of Washington bureaucrats who claim to know what’s best for Montana.   If Secretary Salazar were sincere about his willingness to be open and transparent, he could settle the matter in an instant by releasing the document that his agency has decided to keep a secret.  This includes the missing pages of the original memo and the more than 2,000 pages of emails and attachments referenced in the 300-pages that I have posted on my website.  If I had the fortune of publicly questioning the Secretary about this matter you can bet that I would put Montana’s interest in managing our land ahead of the Department of Interior’s interest in covering its tracks.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has announced the endorsement of his Firearms Freedom on Federal Lands Act by two critical Second Amendment advocacy groups, the National Rifle Association and the Montana Shooting Sports Association.  The legislation was introduced earlier today.

“It has been an NRA priority to end the patchwork of gun laws on America’s public lands, and we are pleased that members of Congress are introducing this critical legislation.  This step will bring clarity and uniformity for law-abiding gun owners visiting our nation’s public lands. NRA will continue to support the American people’s God-given right of self-defense.” - Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist.

“Thanks to Denny for introducing this bill, an important, proactive measure that will prevent administrative curtailment of out cherished right to bear arms.” - Gary Marbut, President of the Montana Shooting Sports Association President, Gary Marbut.

WASHIGNTON, D.C. – Congressman Denny Rehberg (MT-AL), Rob Bishop (UT-01) and Paul Broun (GA-10) have introduced the Firearms Freedom on Federal Lands Act to prevent the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior from issuing or enforcing any regulation or executive order, including presidential declarations authorized under the Antiquities Act, that prohibit an individual from possessing a firearm on lands managed by the Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  The legislation responds to the Obama Administration’s disturbing pattern of bypassing congressional authority and public input when making decisions that affect our public lands, including the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) leaked plan to designate 13 million acres as new National Monuments.

“There’s a large segment of powerful Washington, D.C. elites that thinks the Second Amendment is obsolete and unnecessary,” said Denny Rehberg, a member of the House Second Amendment Task Force and the Congressional Western Caucus.  “These progressives envision a world where only criminals and agents of the state are armed, and will use every tactic at their disposal to make this a reality.  It’s up to Congress to protect these rights from overreaching bureaucrats, and that’s exactly what this legislation seeks to do.”

“There is no question that there are many in Washington who would like to do away with the Second Amendment altogether and are aggressively finding new avenues to fulfill this very agenda.  Just last year, my fellow Western colleagues and I were successful in reversing outdated laws that prevent individuals complying with federal and state laws from exercising their right to carry a concealed firearm while visiting national parks and wildlife refuges.  Today, we are taking similar steps to safeguard Second Amendment rights on BLM and Forest Service lands from the heavy handedness of Washington bureaucrats looking to fulfill their political agendas,” said Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Rob Bishop.  Bishop also serves as Ranking Member of the House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.

“The right to keep and bear arms is one of the most fundamental rights of a free people,” said Rep. Paul Broun, the co-chairman of the Congressional Second Amendment Task Force.  “Since lawmakers and judicial activists continuously attempt to strip Americans of their second amendment rights, it is critical that we pass legislation that protects people’s rights to exercise this precious freedom all across America.”

Until last year, when Congress stepped in to correct the problem, the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prevented visitors from carrying firearms on federally controlled National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges; however, no such statute prevents the Forest Service or BLM from issuing similar restrictions banning guns on lands under their management.  Visitors choosing to bring a firearm onto these lands would continue to be governed under state law.

“We applaud Congressmen Rehberg, Bishop and Broun for taking the lead in making sure all outdoorsmen can continue to pursue their passion on Forest Service and BLM lands,” said David Allen, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation President and CEO. “It’s vitally important to the future of our outdoor traditions, recreation, conservation and economic impact—but also for the future of wildlife management.  For these same reasons, we are very concerned about future proposed federal land designations that have the potential to inhibit sporting activity, access and opportunity as we know it today. We are disappointed that RMEF and other similar wildlife conservation groups have not been included so far in the planning process to re-designate significant amounts of public land as new National Monument land.”