Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in introducing The Cabin Fee Act of 2010.  This legislation would correct problems arising from how the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) implemented a law passed in 2000, which has saddled thousands of cabin owners on forest service land with massive fee increases.

“Montanans are rightfully outraged when government seizes their land by eminent domain, but increasing government fees beyond a property-owner’s ability to pay is just as capable of displacing someone,” warned Rehberg.  “This legislation will allow families to not only keep their cabins, but pass them down to future generations of Montanans instead of selling them to people from out-of-state.

The Cabin User Fee Fairness Act (CUFFA), passed in 2000, directed the USFS to create a fair appraisal process for determining cabin fees.  Unfortunately, USFS ignored many of the factors that play a critical role in determining the appraisal value, such as the limited ownership rights held by cabin owners who do not own the land where their cabins are situated, who do not have year-round use of the site, and who cannot limit public access to their lots.  This caused the Forest Service to over-evaluate the cabins, which in turn lead to unreasonable fee assessments.

Establishing this new structured, tiered fee system should also reduce the costs of overseeing and managing the cabin system for the Forest Service by eliminating the time-consuming and costly appraisal process.

“My family has had a cabin in Custer National Forest for 20 years,” said Roger Ferguson of Red Lodge.  “When this reappraisal happened our annual fee jumped from $1,220 to $3,250 in a single year even though we’re locked out of this land from December 1 until April 15 every year.  The Forest Service is charging us as if we had total access all the time.  I’m a retiree on a fixed income, and this change has undermined our ability to maintain and keep this cabin.  We may have to sell it.  Congressman Rehberg’s bill may be the salvation for the Ferguson family to keep this cabin, and we are very happy that he’s on our side.”

Rehberg is an original sponsor.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today urged Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan to rethink proposed changes to the allocation of federal education funds.  Rehberg is concerned that new competitive funding formulas would undermine the health of rural schools at the expense of large urban schools.  Eighty-five percent of Montana’s students attend rural or frontier schools.

“Once again, the Administration is looking at policy through an urban filter, putting rural needs on a back burner,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Rural Education Caucus.  “In recent weeks, I’ve heard from dozens of Montana educators who asked me to fight for an increase in reliable formula funding, instead of competitive grants.  It’s not that they’re afraid of fair competition, it’s that rural communities don’t have the raw resources to compete against urban schools.  If you’ve only got a staff of two, you’re not going to be able to hire a full-time grant-writer.”

“Montana’s schools are committed to providing our children with a quality education, but switching from guaranteed formula funding to competitive grants will create a disadvantage for our students,” said Claudette Morton, Exec. Director, Montana Small Schools Alliance.  “I commend Mr. Rehberg for ensuring that rural schools have a voice at the table throughout this process, and I look forward to working with him to build an education system that works for all of Montana’s children.”

Rehberg also expressed concerns about the Administration’s proposals for turning around low-performing schools.  The four proposed models mandate a one-size-fits-all policy that would require low-performing schools to fire the principal, replace the teachers, lengthen the school day, change the curriculum or agree to become a charter school if they want to continue receiving federal dollars.  During the hearing, Rehberg asked if the Department of Education would be willing to work with his office and the House Rural Education Caucus to develop other turnaround models that are more realistic for rural schools.

“In regards to the current reauthorization, the Montana Rural Education Association is greatly concerned about the strategies suggested for turning around low-performing schools,” said Dave Puyear, Executive Director.  “Once again, we see the development of another “one size fits all” program that will not work in rural, frontier states like Montana.  Implementing this plan would be a disaster for a state like ours as it would destroy any chance low-performing schools have of recruiting talented educators.  I really appreciate Mr. Rehberg taking the time to solicit our input and pass it on to the Secretary.”

“While we all agree that we need to help low-performing schools improve, we can’t continue to force urban-based solutions on our rural schools,” said Rehberg.  “Rural schools face their own unique challenges and we need the Department of Education to provide Montana’s schools with the flexibility to solve these issues.  Mandating top-down solutions isn’t going to help turnaround Montana’s schools.”

Rehberg will continue to accept comments on the proposed changes to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act through March 24th.  These comments will be submitted to the House Committee on Education and Labor as they develop and implement changes to the current federal education guidelines.  Comments can be submitted by e-mail to montanaeducators@mail.house.gov.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today sponsored a Resolution preventing Speaker Nancy Pelosi from passing Health Care by “deeming” the Senate bill as passed.  The so-called “Slaughter Rule” would let the House of Representatives pass a law without holding a vote.

“Even with a 40 vote advantage in the House, the policy that we’re being asked to support is so unpopular that Speaker Pelosi can’t find enough votes to pass it,” said Rehberg.  “Pelosi has given up even trying to talk about the merits of the bill, warning that the only way the American people could see what was in it was for Congress to pass it.”

The House Resolution Rehberg sponsored would require an up or down vote so that members of Congress would be held to account for their votes by their constituents.

“When a restaurant doesn’t put the prices on the menu, it usually means someone’s going to be upset when the bill comes,” said Rehberg.  “In this case, Congress is planning to stick Montana taxpayers with the bill for their government takeover of health care.  This isn’t how Democracy is supposed to work.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today invited Montana high school students to submit their original artwork to Montana’s Congressional Art Competition for a chance to be displayed for a year in the halls of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

“The Congressional Art Competition is a great way for Montana’s young artists to be recognized and rewarded for their talents,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Each year, I look forward to seeing how our state’s gifted young artists will bring some of Montana’s rich artistic tradition to the halls of the nation’s capital.”

Each Spring, the House of Representatives holds the Congressional Art Competition to recognize the outstanding artwork of one high school student from each congressional district by displaying their work for one year in the Cannon Tunnel in the U.S. Capitol.  The well-traveled Cannon Tunnel connects the U.S. Capitol Building with the House Cannon Office Building. It is used by members of Congress on their way to vote as well as thousands of tourists from around the world every year.

The University of Montana and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Georgia have both offered scholarships to this year’s winning artist who applies and is accepted to the respective institution.

The grand prize winner and a guest will also be invited to a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Reception in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 2010.

“In years past, Montana’s contribution has been among the best in the country,” said Rehberg.  “I’m sure this year will be no different.”

The competition is open to all students enrolled in a Montana high school or home-school equivalent. All submissions are due by Monday, April 23, 2010. The first runner-up’s entry will be displayed for the public in Rehberg’s Washington, D.C. office. Further information, including official rules, guidelines, and instructions for submission, can be found online at http://rehberg.house.gov under the Art Competition heading in the Services tab.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has sponsored a House Resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that no one should be fined or put in jail for failing to purchase government-approved health insurance.  Such a mandate, punishable by fines which can result in jail time if unpaid, has been included as a major aspect of health reform packages being debated.

“When Montanans told me they were unhappy with the cost of health care, no one dreamed that Congress would respond by forcing them to buy insurance or risk going to jail,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee.  “Montanans don’t need Washington D.C. telling them how to live and where to spend their money.  They certainly don’t need federal agents throwing them in jail if they disagree with federal bureaucrats.”

Speaker Pelosi is expected to force a vote on her health care package later this week.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today joined House Republicans in declaring a unilateral moratorium on earmarks, including tax and tariff-related earmarks for fiscal year 2011.  This moratorium comes in the wake of a year that saw record spending, record deficits and record expansions of government.

“Earmarks have become the symbol for all the abuse and waste in Washington.  While every aspect of my own earmark process has been open and transparent at unprecedented levels, many of my colleagues weren’t as open.  That’s why I have joined in this effort to enact some spending reform.  This earmark moratorium won’t balance the budget by itself, however it is an important first step and demonstrates to the American people that we are serious about bringing true fiscal reform to Washington.

“Like the Montanans I’ve heard from, I’m upset about the dramatic increases in the budget and downright furious about all the new spending.  From taxpayer-funded bailouts for Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac, Bear Stearns, AIG, Banks and the auto industry totaling more than $1 trillion, to a $1 trillion so-called stimulus that only stimulated bigger government, to a $1.2 trillion government takeover of health care, this Congress can’t spend money it doesn’t have fast enough.  I’m proud to be the only member of Montana’s delegation who voted against all of these big spending plans and in favor of true fiscal responsibility.  Montanans are rightfully upset about these dramatic increases in spending, which is why I am an original cosponsor of a Constitutional Amendment to require the Federal Government to balance the budget.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement following testimony of U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar before a Senate committee today.  Last week, Rehberg asked the Secretary for details pertaining to a leaked memo that lays out plans to use the Antiquities Act to carve out 13 million acres of national monuments in 11 western states including Montana.  That information has not yet been provided.  Rehberg also introduced H.R. 4754, which requires congressional approval of new National Monument designations in Montana, similar to a provision already in place for Wyoming.

“Public input is certainly important, but it’s not enough if that input is ignored or comes after a policy has been written or implemented.  When it comes to executive action, we’ve already seen this Administration shoot first and ask questions later, and now that the sights are on millions of acres in Montana, the responsible action is to reassert congressional oversight, just like Wyoming has already done.”

WASHINGTON D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, cosponsored the Open Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) of 2010, with bipartisan supporters from other Western states. The legislation reinstates oversight and transparency measures for taxpayer payments made to organizations through the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA).

“I think Montanans would be outraged to learn that huge national special interest groups with multi-million dollar endowments are bankrolling thousands of lawsuits with tax dollars meant for small businesses, individuals and non-profits,” said Rehberg a member of the House Western Caucus.  “It’s one thing to have access to the courts, but it’s another to force taxpayers to pay for it.  Since 1995, the federal government has inexplicably stopped tracking how it spends these funds, and it’s time to restore the transparency and accountability.”

Originally passed in 1980, EAJA was meant to help provide fair access to legal remedies for individuals, small businesses and non-profits with limited means.  It does this by reimbursing attorney’s fees for plaintiffs who sue the federal government if they win the case or settle out of court.  The original legislation required annual reports to Congress on the amount and nature of EAJA payments, but those reports ended in 1995.

Two private studies, one by a Wyoming law firm and another by Virginia Tech University, have shown that despite congressional intent to assist small organizations, some large environmental obstructionist groups appear to be the biggest beneficiaries of EAJA payments.  The Wyoming study, for example, found that more than 1,200 federal cases were filed in 19 states and the District of Columbia by just 14 environmental groups.  The cost to the taxpayer was $37 million.

The Open EAJA Act reinstates and consolidates tracking and reporting requirements under the Department of Justice (DOJ), and requires the DOJ to publish a public online, searchable database of EAJA payments.  It would also authorize an audit of the last 15 years, during which the fund has operated with absolutely no oversight.

“The hard working folks of the Montana Wood Products Association appreciate Rep. Rehberg signing on to the Open EAJA Act of 2010,” said Ellen Simpson, the Executive Vice President of the Montana Wood Products Association.  “Changes in EAJA are sorely needed to shine a bright light on obstructionists who have made a cottage industry out of suing the Forest Service to stop active management on Montana’s national forests.  The taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent and who benefits while the forests die.  The Open EAJA Act of 2010 will provide that information.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, joined the House Levee Caucus and sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with specific questions about their levee certification process.  He recently raised the issue, which impacts thousands of Montanans who live in the protection of Corps-certified levees in Montana, at an Appropriations hearing.

“Even after the notoriety of the New Orleans levee failures in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, someone in the Army Corps of Engineers made the decision to stop certifying levees altogether,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Levee Caucus.  “That was the wrong decision, because it leaves struggling homeowners up a flooded creek without a paddle.  I’m working closely with the Corps to identify their concerns.  Once those are clear, I’ll be able to decide the best course forward, whether it’s legislative or administrative action.”

The Corps has traditionally certified levees that were originally built by the Corps and turned over to drainage districts.  The West Side Great Falls Levee, which was built by the Corps after a major flooding event in 1964, currently protects 1,000 homes near Great Falls.  Certifications were funded through the Inspection of Completed Works program. 

Failure of the Corps to certify levees in turn forces municipalities or private homeowners to contract with private engineering firms, which is often very expensive because of the potential liability for a levee failure.  In fact, there are no such firms in Montana that currently issue certifications.  If no action is taken, homeowners could be forced to purchase flood insurance because FEMA maps would show that no levees exist.

Although a major problem in Montana, this issue is by no means restricted solely to the Last Best Place.  The bipartisan Congressional Levee Caucus gives Rehberg a chance to amplify his concerns by teaming up with other members of Congress.  The Caucus Chairman, Rep. Rodney Alexander (LA-5), has indicated that levee certification is the number one priority for the Caucus.

“If these levies don’t get certified, our flood insurance costs will go sky high, while property values will fall,” said Sandy Mares, the Administrative Commissioner of the West Great Falls Flood Control and Drainage District.  “We all really appreciate Denny’s work on this important issue.”

“The scary part is that a lot of the folks who are in the path of the proverbial storm don’t even know it’s raining yet,” said Rehberg.  “We’ve got to work together to get this fixed, or Montanans are going to be fighting mad when their insurance rates increase.”

Letter below:

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has signed on as an original cosponsor to the “Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act.”  A wave of new Executive Branch regulations, including the regulation of carbon dioxide by the Environmental Protection Agency, indicates that the Obama Administration is willing to circumvent Congress’ Constitutional responsibility “to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers.”

“The Constitution puts the authority to pass laws in the hands of Congress because we must answer directly to the will of the people,” said Rehberg, a member of the Congressional Liberty Caucus.  “An agency, whether it be the Environmental Protection Agency or the Secretary of the Interior, has no such responsibility to the people.  When Congress abdicates its role to legislate, it undermines the very notion of a government by the People.  This legislation would restore the Constitutional checks and balances.”

Rehberg pointed out that rules and regulations authored by non-elected Washington, D.C. bureaucrats can have the same harmful consequences as those passed by Congress.  The REINS Act requires a vote on every new major rule, which will ensure Congress resumes the legislative accountability granted by the Constitution and the responsibility for Congressional decisions intended by our founders.

“This isn’t about which President happens to be in the White House today,” said Rehberg.  “The fact is, whether it’s a Republican or a Democrat, Congress has been too willing to sacrifice our authority.  Our authority, ultimately, is the authority of the American people, and our duty is to protect it.”