Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today introduced legislation that would exempt the State of Montana from the provisions of the Antiquities Act, which allow the President to circumvent public opposition and congressional oversight to designate land as a National Monument.  The introduction comes after the discovery of an internal memo from the U.S. Department of Interior, which outlined plans to misuse the Antiquities Act to designate 13 million acres in 11 Western States.  This figure includes 2.5 million acres in Montana.

“For more than a century, the Antiquities Act has served a valuable function in the preservation of America’s natural treasures, making it all the more tragic that it’s now being misused for a 13 million-acre land-grab,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Western Caucus.  “When it comes to land in Montana, we’ve got a long-standing tradition of working together to find consensus-based solutions.  Circumventing that tradition by unilaterally carving out millions of acres with the stroke of a pen is not the American way.  The President is not a king, and we are not his subjects, which is why congressional checks and balances are so important.”

Rehberg, who recently sent a letter to Interior Secretary Salazar demanding details on the proposals, introduced H.R. 4754, which requires congressional approval of new National Monument designations in Montana.  This requirement isn’t unprecedented; the current law prohibits the extension or establishment of any National Monument in Wyoming without the express authorization of Congress.

“This isn’t about undermining a good law,” said Rehberg.  “It’s about preventing a good law from being abused.  It’s about ensuring Montanans are heard and preventing a bureaucratic overreach.  It’s about making sure that we aren’t rendered landless in our own state because a big-city politician thought it would be fun to shut us out of our land.”

The Department of Interior Memo can be found here: http://robbishop.house.gov/UploadedFiles/states_for_designation.pdf

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, joined fellow members of the House Western Caucus in sending a letter demanding answers from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar regarding efforts to designate 2.5 million acres of land in Montana – some owned by private citizens – as a newly created National Monument.  The plan was leaked from an internal Department of Interior memo, which lays out plans to federalize potentially millions of acres of private lands in Montana.  The memo also calls for the buy-out of 80,000 acres of private inholdings within the Missouri Breaks National Monument and the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, in addition to the acquisition of 39,000 acres of state-administered inholdings in the same area.

“This naked abuse of power is not only a misuse of the Antiquities Act, but an egregious affront to the will of Montanans,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Western Caucus.  “The White House is considering a land-grab of more than three times the acreage with absolutely no regard for the interests or views of the people in Montana.  No wonder folks that I’ve heard from are fed up with how things work in Washington.”

The Antiquities Act authorized the President to designate objects or areas of historic or scientific interest as National Monuments on lands owned or controlled by the United States.  An internal Department of Interior document recently revealed the Administration is considering using this law to create as many as 14 new National Monument designations in the West.  These designations could lock up as many as 13 million acres of land in 11 different Western states, including Montana.

Rehberg has been a vocal opponent of a similar effort to lock up millions of acres through the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act.  That effort, at least, requires a vote by Congress which gives the impacted people an opportunity to be heard.  Rehberg has testified multiple times on behalf of more than 10,000 Montanans who contacted his office in opposition to this bill.

“When it comes to unilateral federal land grabs, Montanans don’t mince words.  They want bureaucrats to keep their hands off our state,” said Rehberg, citing a Facebook group he launched that has more than 3,000 members, “For the Montanans who work, till, graze, hunt, fish, hike, camp and enjoy this land, conservation is not only a daily personal choice; it’s our way of life.  Real conservation isn’t about making tough decisions for someone else who lives thousands of miles away, yet that’s exactly what the White House is trying to do.”

(Letter Below) Read the rest of this entry »

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 praised the passage of a measure that will require Amtrak to allow passengers to carry handguns in checked baggage by March, 2010.  The language was included in the FY2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill and is similar to the Amtrak Secure Transportation of Firearms Act of 2009 which Rehberg introduced last October.

“If Chapter 1 of How the West Was Won was called ‘Guns’, Chapter 2 would have to be called ‘Trains’.  So it’s appropriate that these two staples of Western culture can once again coexist.  This provision is great news for both Amtrak, which gets a whole new ridership market, and law abiding gun enthusiasts who can once again enjoy the quality services of Amtrak.  And it’s also great news for our economy, as folks from around the country can now ride the Empire Builder to Montana to hunt in our great state.”

Rehberg is a member of the Second Amendment Task Force, which works with gun rights groups such as the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America to defend the Constitutional right of Americans to bear arms.

BILLINGS, MT. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, announced today nine rural schools in Montana will share a $404,587 grant to develop a distance learning consortium that will help improve the quality of rural education in Montana.

“Improving education opportunities in Montana is a priority of mine in Congress,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Rural Education Caucus. “Distance learning technology in Montana’s rural classrooms increases student access to a wide variety of world-wide learning opportunities, and provides the educator with a host of additional teaching tools.”

The funding is from the USDA Rural Development Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program, which provides equipment, software, and training resources for education and health care institutions in rural areas. The money will be used for a web-based interactive and streamed media consortium of nine rural schools. The schools are located in Colstrip, Glasgow, Harlem, Noxon, and Rocky Boy.

“These distance learning tools will help students see the world,” said Tracey Dean, distance learning coordinator at Noxon Public Schools. “The program will be used school-wide, not only helping students, but helping educators make teacher-to-teacher connections and learn from each other,” said Dean, who added the program will also be used as a community and adult education resource.

The $1.04 million distance learning system will require school district matching funds, and likely be operational by the start of next school year.

BILLINGS, MT. – Montana Congressman Denny Rehberg’s regular constituent outreach program, known as Traveling Office Hours, will have three of his Montana staff members covering a total of more than 1,800 miles this week.

“Montana is aptly named Big Sky Country, with vast landscapes and diverse geography,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “As Montana’s Congressman, it’s crucial that I know the thoughts and concerns of my constituents – from every corner of the state – and my Traveling Office Hours program is one way to help them connect with me.”

Rehberg’s six field representatives conduct approximately 10 to 15 Traveling Office Hours throughout the state on a monthly basis. This week, Rehberg field representatives conducted office hours in the following locations: Plains, Ronan, Polson, Havre, Malta, Glasgow, Scobey, Plentywood and Wolf Point.

“I have four district offices in Montana, and my door is always open, but, as a life-long Montanan, I understand that it’s not always easy to get around in this state,” said Rehberg, who regularly drives hundreds of miles each weekend to personally meet with constituents, local government officials, and industry representatives. “I rely on input from Montanans when making decisions in Washington. I’ll continue to do whatever it takes to make sure folks have a way to communicate with my office, no matter the distance.”

Rehberg’s four district offices are located in Billings, Helena, Great Falls, and Missoula.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today sent a letter to Director Jim Lynch at the Montana Department of Transportation, asking him to stop the production of road signs touting that a project is paid for by the so-called “stimulus” act. The signs cost taxpayers $1,700 a piece. While a provision that would have blocked the use of federal dollars for these signs failed to pass in the U.S. Senate, at least six states have chosen to spend tax dollars more responsibly.

“Many states have rightfully taken it upon themselves to stop the wasteful production of the self-congratulatory stimulus signs,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “The state of Montana should do right by taxpayers and join the movement.”

In September, Rehberg sent a letter to Vice President Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood expressing criticism of the continued waste of federal stimulus funds. Specifically, Rehberg expressed concerns over signs to notify drivers that construction projects are funded by the “Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act.”

Federal officials quickly deflected blame by pointing out that the decision was made at a state level, despite the statement from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which “strongly encourages agencies to use the economic recovery signs on all projects funded by the ARRA” (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/economicrecovery/arrasignguidance.htm).

Following his letter, Rehberg surveyed Montanans to get their opinion. A full 95% of those surveyed said they would rather the stimulus sign funds be used elsewhere.

The Montana Department of Transportation has already spent at least $185,144 in federal stimulus dollars on 106 signs – at a cost of about $1746 per sign.

Rehberg’s letter is below:

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has introduced legislation with colleagues to allow the transportation of legal firearms on Amtrak trains. The Amtrak Secure Transportation of Firearms Act of 2009 is the companion measure to legislation introduced in the Senate by Senator Wicker.

“Amtrak is a great way for Montanans to get around the country, but folks shouldn’t have to forfeit their Second Amendment rights when they climb aboard,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee and a recipient of the Golden Spike Award. “Current restrictions prevent Montanans who wish to legally transport firearms from enjoying the convenience of Amtrak travel. It’s time to protect gun rights, whether you travel by plane, train or automobile.”

The Amtrak Secure Transportation of Firearms Act permits travelers to transport firearms from Amtrak stations that accept checked baggage as long as the firearm is declared and carried in a hard-sided, locked container. Current Amtrak policy prohibits weapons, including firearms, from being carried on its trains. This legislation would extend the same benefits currently afforded to airline passengers.

Rehberg recently joined the Second Amendment Task Force which works with gun rights’ groups such as the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America to defend the Constitutional right of Americans to bear arms.

“I appreciate Denny’s continued work in the House to protect Montanan’s Second Amendment rights,” said Gary Marbut, President of Montana Shooting Sports Association. “The federal and state prohibition of self defense or transporting firearms on trains is long overdue for correction. Such laws only inconvenience law abiding people but have little effect on criminals.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today voted in support of passage of the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill. Rehberg is a member of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee.

“So much of Montana’s economy and quality of life depends upon energy production and clean drinking water,” said Rehberg. “Serving on the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee gives Montana a pretty big seat at the table when it comes to funding these priorities.”

The projects are listed below:

Rocky Boy/North Central Montana Water Project - $9 Million

The Rocky Boy’s/North Central Water Project is a municipal, rural and industrial water system proposed for an eight county area in north central Montana. It will serve the Rocky Boy’s Reservation and thirteen surrounding communities through a partnership between Montana’s Chippewa Cree Tribe and its non-Tribal Partners in the North Central Montana Regional Water Authority. Poor quality drinking water, major water supply constraints and the high costs for compliance with federal Safe Drinking Water Act regulations established a critical need for funding this project. In fact, some of the affected communities are already under federal mandate to improve their drinking water systems and others are on boil orders. The North Central Water Project will deliver water to roughly 30,000 Montanans. The project will also provide infrastructure to pipe water to the Rocky Boy’s Reservation.

“The Authority can’t thank Congressman Rehberg enough for his hard work on the Appropriations Committee and the fact that he again secured federal dollars for the construction of the Rocky Boy’s/North Central Montana Regional Water System,” said Dan Keil, Chairman, North Central Montana Regional Water Authority. “Congressman Rehberg knows that many of the 23 communities that make up the North Central Montana Regional Water Authority need immediate help for their water systems and we are appreciative of his efforts to get this System built. Someday this water project will deliver clean and safe drinking water to over 30,000 Montanans who desperately need it.”

Fort Peck/Dry Prairie Water Project - $8 Million

The funds will be used by the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes to complete their regional water treatment plant and extend the main transmission pipelines to Poplar and Wolf Point. Treated water that reaches Poplar will serve the third largest community in the project and replace existing water supplies threatened by Brine Plume contamination. The Project, as authorized by Congress in 2000, calls for the water to be diverted from the Missouri River at a single location south of Poplar, MT, to an intake system or an infiltration gallery. After treatment, it will serve both tribal and off-reservation communities that desperately need a clean water supply.

“Fort Peck/Dry Prairie is grateful for the FY 2010 funding mark supplied by Rep. Rehberg through his continued efforts as a member of the House Appropriations Committee on Energy and Water,” said Clint Jacobs, General Manager for Dry Prairie. “The bulk of these funds will be applied toward completion of the main distribution pipelines from the project’s water treatment plant to the communities of Wolf Point and Poplar.”

Milk River/St. Mary Diversion Rehabilitation - $3.5 Million

The St. Mary Rehabilitation Project serves the entire Milk River Basin with both irrigation and clean drinking water. Over 100 years ago, the United States government recognized the benefit of agriculture production in the region between western Glacier County and the lower Milk River after which the Bureau of Reclamation made significant investments in infrastructure along the St. Mary and Milk River Basins. However, 100 years have taken a toll on these facilities and the diversion is in serious need of modernization and rehabilitation.

“To say we’re elated is an understatement for what Congressman Rehberg has done for our efforts to keep the Saint Mary Diversion System operational,” said Larry Mires, Executive Director for the Saint Mary Rehabilitation Working Group. “It’s been a long journey and this appropriation means we can continue to assure irrigation for 140,000 acres of land and clean water for 18,000 people in the 13 communities of the Milk River Basin. This project is the lifeline of the hi-line.”

Center for Zero Emissions Research & Technology - $3 Million

In a coal producing state like Montana, the ability to monitor and validate deep geological carbon dioxide sequestration from coal is extremely important. New technologies hold great promise to significantly reduce emissions from fossil fuels, but the engineering, economic, and environmental viability of these zero emission fossil energy technologies must be confirmed.

“The continued funding resulting from Congressman Rehberg’s support for the Zero Emissions Research and Technology Center (ZERT) will allow us to continue development of key tools that benefit the carbon sequestration program,” said Lee Spangler, Director of the Energy Research Institute and ZERT at Montana State University. “This includes development and testing of new detection technologies, improved simulation models, and biologically based methods of plugging leaky wells. It also helps Montana State continue a leadership role in carbon sequestration.”

Sythesis of Renewable Biofuels from Biomass - $500,000

With these funds, the Montana Physical Sciences Foundation will work for the Department of Energy to develop technology to convert sources of rural biomass like wheat straw, wood and grass into renewable biofuel. Montana currently has 3 million tons of waste wheat straw and 2.8 million tons of wood mill waste and logging residue, which could be converted into approximately 1,044 million gallons of biofuel each year. Such technology would be scaled for location within the rural communities, at the source of the feedstock, creating locally-based jobs for rural Montanans.

“Thanks to Denny, this project will help develop advanced, renewable biofuels that will provide immediate research jobs as well as lead to new technologies that will help expand the alternative energy market right here in Montana,” said Lawrence C. Farrar, President of Resodyn Corporation. “This funding is an example of Denny’s vision and commitment to the importance of a diversified domestic energy portfolio in Montana. He also understands how to get the most out of Montana’s resources - both natural and human. We are looking forward to undertaking the project and greatly appreciate the support of our Montana delegation.”

Geothermal Development in Hot Springs Valley - $491,000

Hydrologists believe that a water source at the Lake County hot springs may be hot enough deep in the earth for geothermal power production. Geothermal energy is power extracted from heat stored in the earth. It’s an important, renewable source of energy that can be produced domestically. While cost-effective and environmentally friendly, it can only be tapped in very specific locations, which makes it important to locate hot spots.

“The Hot Springs area in Lake County, Montana is a proven source for geothermal. Shallow wells indicate that the source goes deeper,” said Kenneth Sugden, General Manager for Flathead Electric Cooperative. “This project will allow Flathead Electric to continue drilling in shallow wells to verify the potential source of development. Geothermal power is a valuable source of distributed, renewable power for the area.”

Yellowstone River Corridor - $519,000

The Yellowstone River Study is a grassroots project defining cumulative effects to the river and establishing the best management practices that local governments and private landowners can implement. The purpose of the project is to improve management of the Yellowstone River including both the waters and adjacent lands. The project assists with the removal of invasive plants such as the Russian olive and is a catalyst for fish passage projects and helps to improve irrigation infrastructures for endangered species like the pallid sturgeon. Additionally the Yellowstone River Corridor project considers how far the Yellowstone River channel is likely to migrate in the next 50 years so future species protection and irrigation infrastructure that involves higher costs will provide better planning. It is proving to be a model for economic sustainability while providing sensible environmental protection, eliminating costly spending on litigation and controversy.

“The Yellowstone River Conservation District Council would like to thank Congressman Denny Rehberg for his support of the Yellowstone River Corridor Comprehensive Study,” said Nicole McClain, Coordinator of the Yellowstone River Conservation District Council. “The $200,000 will help complete the decade long study of the entire Yellowstone River system, which is aimed at developing the first citizen-based voluntary management plan on a river system of such national importance. We hope this study will serve as a model that demonstrates how to maintain and improve the health of river systems while simultaneously enhancing productivity.”

Rural Montana Water Projects - $4,844,000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg today announced $5 Million for the Rocky Boy’s/North Central Montana Regional Water Authority’s drinking water project. The funding was included in the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee bill for Fiscal Year 2010.

“Helping bring safe drinking water to the people of North Central Montana has been a top priority of mine,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. “Working along-side the tribal and other dedicated community leaders, thousands of residents in rural Montana now have access to clean drinking water for years to come.”

The Rocky Boy’s/North Central Water Project is a municipal, rural and industrial water system proposed for an eight county area in north central Montana. It will serve the Rocky Boy’s Reservation and thirteen surrounding communities through a partnership between Montana’s Chippewa Cree Tribe and its non-Tribal Partners in the North Central Montana Regional Water Authority. Poor quality drinking water, major water supply constraints and the high costs for compliance with federal Safe Drinking Water Act regulations established a critical need for funding this project. In fact, some of the affected communities are already under federal mandate to improve their drinking water systems and others are on boil orders. The North Central Water Project will deliver water to roughly 30,000 Montanans. The project will also provide infrastructure to pipe water to the Rocky Boy’s Reservation.

“The Authority can’t thank Congressman Rehberg enough for his hard work on the Appropriations Committee and the fact that he again secured federal dollars for the construction of the Rocky Boy’s/North Central Montana Regional Water System,” said Dan Keil, Chairman, North Central Montana Regional Water Authority. “Congressman Rehberg knows that many of the 23 communities that make up the North Central Montana Regional Water Authority need immediate help for their water systems and we are appreciative of his efforts to get this System built. Someday this water project will deliver clean and safe drinking water to over 30,000 Montanans who desperately need it.”