Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today reacted to reports that the Montana Air National Guard (MANG) will get a new mission comprised of eight C-130 cargo/transport planes.  MANG currently runs a critical F-15 fighter jet mission.  In 2011, three unit citations of excellence were awarded, the first time in history that every unit in a state received these awards in the same year.

“The men and women who serve in the Montana Air National Guard are the best in the country.  Instead of another mission swap that may or may not leave MANG in a better position, we should do the right thing and reward hard work and dedication with more responsibility.  This constant horse trading is bad for national security, bad for the Montana Air National Guard, and bad for the community in Great Falls.  It’s time for not only mission stability, but expansion as well.  MANG has done amazing work with the F-15s and there’s no justification for the money and infrastructure that will be wasted sending them to Fresno.  I’m going to fight to keep those in Montana where they belong.  And let’s take the C-130s too.  We’ve earned them, and our track record speaks for itself.  Let’s stop settling for mission cuts when what we deserve is a promotion.”

In 2011, all three MANG missions were given awards of excellence:

• 120th Fighter Wing: Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
• 219th Red Horse Squadron: Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
• Montana Joint Force Headquarters: Air Force Organization Excellence Award

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today sent a letter to House and Senate Conferees who are hammering out a final bill to extend the Payroll Tax Relief for the rest of the year asking them to once again include language to allow the Keystone XL jobs project to move forward.  Rehberg has championed the private sector infrastructure project because it will create thousands of jobs including at least 1,200 in Montana.

“This isn’t a time to sit on the fence and hope this pipeline will build itself,” said Rehberg.  “We need this energy infrastructure and the jobs it will create today.  The President said we couldn’t wait, well, I think he’s right.  What does it tell you when the President and his Senate allies think putting thousands of people to work will hurt their chances for re-election?”

Rehberg’s letter encourages the inclusion of language allowing construction to begin on the Keystone XL Pipeline after more than three years of review.  This allows states like Montana, which have already approved the pipeline, to let the private sector start creating jobs.

Last December, Rehberg added language to the short-term Payroll Tax extension requiring the President to make a decision on the Keystone XL permit within 60 days.  That permit was rejected by the Obama Administration for purely political reasons.  President Obama cited the route in Nebraska as his excuse for rejecting the pipeline but his reasoning did not take into account the legal flexibility provided by Keystone XL Language introduced by Rehberg and signed into law.

“I am extremely disappointed in the President’s decision to reject the Keystone’s federal permit for political reasons,” said Rehberg in his letter.  “I believe the inclusion of language to congressionally approve the permit is absolutely necessary, both to shore up our energy infrastructure and begin creating jobs today.”

The full letter is below:

Dear Chairman Camp and Chairman Baucus,

As you and your fellow conferees negotiate an extension of the payroll tax cut, I strongly urge you to include language that would congressionally approve the federal permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. As you know, members on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol have indicated time and time again that they want construction on the pipeline to move forward – and now is the time to act.

The Keystone XL pipeline project has been under review for more than three years now and will create thousands of jobs around the country, including 1,200 jobs in Montana.  It’s time to let America get to work.

I’ve expressed my disappointment in the President’s decision to reject the Keystone’s federal permit for purely political reasons, and in light of his action, the inclusion of this language to congressionally approve the permit is absolutely necessary – both to shore up our energy infrastructure and begin creating jobs today.

Thank you for your consideration of this important matter. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Sincerely,

Announces Prohibition to Rule in FY13 Labor, Health & Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today questioned Nancy Leppink, the Deputy Administrator of the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, about a proposed rule widely believed to represent a major regulatory threat to the future of the family farm.  Drawing on his personal experience as a rancher, Rehberg expressed his opposition to the measure, and promised to include language in the Appropriations legislation he’s responsible for crafting to prevent the implementation of any so-called “Youth Ag Rule” in its current form.

“I just don’t think the bureaucrats at the Department of Labor get it,” said Rehberg.  “I agree with Ms. Leppink when she said that one child being injured or killed is one child too many.  Only in Washington D.C. would anyone assume that a faceless bureaucrat is better equipped to look out for a child’s best interest than a parent.  Instead of a top-down government-knows-best set of rules, let’s get the federal government on the side of our struggling family farms.”

Despite not being on the Small Business Committee, Rehberg’s leadership on this issue led Chairman Scott Tipton (CO-03) to ask him to join the hearing.  It was held by the Small Business Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade and was entitled, “The Future of the Family Farm: The Effect of Proposed DOL Regulations on Small Business Producers.”

During his testimony, Rehberg drew on his personal experience as a fifth generation Montana rancher, including hiring youngsters to help him herd his goats.  He also promised to fight to block any funding for the enforcement of the rule in its current form.

Among the problematic provisions proposed by the Department of Labor under the Obama Administration:

• No one under the age of 16 would be allowed to work with animals when pain is being inflicted, such as branding, castrating, vaccinating, etc.
• No one under the age of 16 would be allowed to work on a ladder or a scaffold over 6 feet high (current restriction is 20 feet).
• No one under the age of 16 would be allowed to work in a pen with an uncastrated male bovine, porcine, or equine animal over 6 months old.
• Currently, hired workers under the age of 16 are not allowed to operate combines, corn pickers, etc.  The proposal would prohibit those under 16 from using all power driven machines to do ag work, including anything operated by “wind, electricity, fossil fuels, batteries, animals, or water.
• No one under 18 would be allowed to work in stockyards, grain elevators, feedlots, livestock exchanges, and auctions.

Rehberg officially submitted a comment against the proposed rule on December 1 last year, and on December 16 crafted and sent a bipartisan letter with 153 fellow members, including 23 Democrats, expressing opposition to the proposal.

Will Participate in a Hearing on This Rule Before the Small Business Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy & Trade on Thursday

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement after the Department of Labor announced it would “re-propose the portion of its regulation on child labor in agriculture interpreting the ‘parental exemption.’”  This provision was a small part of a much larger effort to dramatically alter federal rules governing young people working on farms.  Since the rule was introduced last year, Rehberg has led the way in a bipartisan swell of Congressional opposition it.

“It’s good to see the Department of Labor finally acknowledge that there are some problems with this regulation, even if they continue to ignore other big issues.  Frankly, though, this change isn’t enough.  Not even close.  When I have the chance to talk to Nancy Leppink at tomorrow’s hearing, I’ll make sure she understands that this rule doesn’t work for rural states like Montana.”  Nancy Leppink is the Deputy Administrator of the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.

Below are additional problematic provisions proposed by the Obama Administration:

• No one under the age of 16 would be allowed to work with animals when pain is being inflicted, such as branding, castrating, vaccinating, etc.
• No one under the age of 16 would be allowed to work on a ladder or a scaffold over 6 feet high (current restriction is 20 feet).
• No one under the age of 16 would be allowed to work in a pen with an uncastrated male bovine, porcine, or equine animal over 6 months old.
• Currently, hired workers under the age of 16 are not allowed to operate combines, corn pickers, etc.  The proposal would prohibit those under 16 from using all power driven machines to do ag work, including anything operated by “wind, electricity, fossil fuels, batteries, animals, or water.
• No one under 18 would be allowed to work in stockyards, grain elevators, feedlots, livestock exchanges, and auctions.

Timeline of Rehberg’s leadership:

• September 2: Proposal was issued and opened for public comment until November 1.
• October 24: Led a letter of 78 members, including 13 Democrats, asking for an extension to the comment period.  The letter asked for two months, but the Department only granted one month, and the comment period was extended until December 1.
• December 1: Submitted comments for the record.
• December 16: Led a letter of 153 members, including 23 Democrats, expressing opposition to the proposal.

Rehberg will participate in a Hearing held by the Small Business Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade entitled, “The Future of the Family Farm: The Effect of Proposed DOL Regulations on Small Business Producers.“  The Hearing will take place tomorrow at 10 am Eastern, 8 am Mountain.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montanan’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today contacted Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack urging him to reconsider the Obama Administration’s proposal to close the Farm Service Agency (FSA) office in Hysham, Montana.  In a letter to Vilsack, Rehberg explains the vital role ag producers in Treasure County play in Montana and lays out the importance of an easily accessible FSA location.

“It’s important to reduce federal spending in a way that doesn’t unfairly target rural services,” said Rehberg.  “Closing offices in rural areas may seem like the easiest cut from behind a desk in Washington, but for folks driving a combine in the fields at harvest time, that office may be the only connection they have to the government services they help pay for.  I’ve made this argument to the Postal Service too: looking to cut services in rural areas where they are most needed first is the wrong approach.  It’s time to stop asking Montanans to carry more than our fair share.”

Rehberg notes that the United States Postal Service is also considering moving forward on a plan to eliminate the Post Office in Bighorn, Montana, also located in Treasure County.

The full letter is below:

Dear Secretary Vilsack:

I am writing to urge you to reconsider your proposal to close the Farm Service Agency (FSA) office in Hysham, Montana.  While I understand the need for our government to find ways to cut costs, I believe that closing the Hysham FSA office will unnecessarily burden Treasure County’s farmers and ranchers without sufficient savings to justify that burden.

Montana ag producers depend upon the face-to-face communication they have with their local FSA representative.  Local FSA offices allow producers better access to information, greater opportunities to discuss local issues, and the ability to easily sign any necessary papers or documents for various vital programs.  However, FSA’s proposed office closure would strip producers of these advantages and force them to travel long distances to speak in person with an FSA representative, costing them both time and money.  Treasure County produces a wide variety of crops, including wheat, barley, corn, and sugar beets, which necessitates closer coordination with their local FSA office.  If the Hysham office is closed, producers will lose the ability to deal with both the FSA and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) at one location.  This would add a significant burden for producers and according to the Department of Agriculture itself, the plan only saves $14,100.  The savings this plan would bring about are not offset by the cost in time and money to the farmers and ranchers of Treasure County.

I urge you to thoroughly analyze the effect on the ag producers of Treasure County before moving forward with the plan to close the office.  Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Chairman Rehberg Key to Uncovering Massive Massive CLASS Act Budget Gimmick

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement after the U.S. House voted to repeal the CLASS Act.  As the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services and Education, Rehberg’s oversight authority allowed him to obtain documents that revealed a concerted effort to hide critical information from Congress in order to preserve $70 billion in false savings on the balance sheet to offset the massive new spending.  Not only did the Obama Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) know that the program was unsustainable, they actually suppressed this information from Congressional leaders and the American people prior to the passage of the health care law.  Rehberg’s efforts to uncover the truth contributed to the bicameral Repeal CLASS Working Group.

“President Obama’s health care law was written behind closed doors, so it’s not surprising to find it’s full of dishonest budget gimmicks built around reckless policy.  The more we learn about this bill, the worse it gets.  This is just the beginning, which is why the responsible thing to do is to repeal this law completely and start over.  We need real health care reform that actually addresses the rising cost of health care.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement after the Forest Service announced its decision to extend the special use permit for a 25’x25’ parcel of land which holds a veterans memorial statue of Jesus on Big Mountain.  The permit reauthorizes the community memorial for ten years.

“I’m glad that after hearing from more than 95,000 people, the Forest Service had the courage to do the right thing today.  Whether comments were submitted through my website at VeteransJesus.com or any of a handful of other avenues, together we showed the importance of this statue to our community and our history.  This is a huge win, not only for the people in Northwest Montana, but for the veterans of the Tenth Mountain Division to whom the statue pays tribute.  This victory belongs to everyone that took time to voice an opinion.  This government belongs to the people of the United States, and while lately Washington hasn’t been listening, it’s good to see that in this case, the voice of the people mattered.”

Last October, Rehberg sent a letter to Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell and Northern Region Director Leslie Weldon asking them to reconsider their initial denial of a lease renewal and requirement that the monument itself be moved by the Knights of Columbus.  The Forest Service had been responding to complaints from a Wisconsin-based organization that incorrectly suggested the statue violated the Establishment Clause.

The Forest Service responded quickly, announcing it was withdrawing its initial decision and promising to open the decision for public comment.  Additionally, after being on Big Mountain for nearly 60 years, the statue was determined to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rehberg then used traditional and new media to drive attention to the issue.  He launched a website, VeteransJesus.com to gather public comments and held a well-attended rally in Whitefish, Montana.  This outreach contributed to the more than 95,000 public comments received by the Forest Service on this issue.  Those comments demonstrated the historical significance of the statue, as well as it’s importance in the local community.

Rehberg also introduced legislation intended as a last-resort if the Forest Service refused to heed public comments.  His bill, based on an idea he heard in an interview with John Hendricks at KGEZ in Kalispell, would have permitted a land swap between the Forest Service and the Whitefish Mountain Resort.  Rehberg announced last Friday that the House of Representatives was taking action on his legislation – holding a legislative hearing on February 3.

In light of today’s Forest Service decision, the legislation becomes unnecessary and the hearing has been indefinitely postponed.  To view documents associated with the special use permit reauthorization, including the decision memo itself, please visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/flathead/projects and click on the Knights of Columbus Special Use Permit Reauthorization Project (CE) link.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has announced his sponsorship of the Keystone For a Secure Tomorrow Act, legislation introduced by Rep. Ted Poe (TX-02) to Congressionally approve the federal permit allowing construction to begin on the Keystone XL Pipeline.  After more than three years of review, this jobs project will create thousands of jobs around the country including 1,200 jobs in Montana.  It was rejected by the Obama Administration for purely political reasons.  President Obama cited the route in Nebraska as his excuse for rejecting the pipeline but his reasoning did not take into account the legal flexibility provided by Keystone XL Language introduced by Rehberg and signed into law.

“Some politicians are content to sit on the fence and play a waiting game to see where the cards fall,” said Rehberg.  “That doesn’t work for Montana, where we need these jobs and this energy infrastructure today.  The President made a politically motivated decision to pacify his political base and put his re-election ahead of thousands of American jobs.  His decision may improve his chances to raise campaign cash from environmental obstructionist groups like the League of Conservation Voters, but it doesn’t get our country back on track to economic recovery.  Keystone XL has bipartisan support across the country, and if the President is not willing to do the right thing, then it’s up to Congress to get us moving forward.”

H.R. 3811, the Keystone For a Secure Tomorrow Act simply approves the necessary federal permit so that states like Montana, which have already approved the pipeline, can let the private sector start creating jobs.  Like Rehberg’s legislation, special provisions are made for the Nebraska portion of the route so that the rest of the jobs aren’t held up by one state.

Rehberg has also sponsored legislation to transfer authority for approving or denying the Keystone XL permit from the State Department to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

“This is about more than thousands of jobs for the construction of one pipeline,” said Rehberg.  “This is about putting an end to the bureaucratic obstruction to economic recovery.  We’ve seen this anti-jobs theme played out over and over again.  Sometimes, it’s a mine, other times it’s an oil refinery or a timber project.  In every case, private sector jobs find themselves at the mercy of government bureaucrats who seem more interested in serving special interest groups than the American public.  It’s time for that to stop so Montanans can get back to work.”

BILLINGS, MT – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today announced the selection of Whitney Derks as Montana’s Cherry Blossom Princess for the 100th anniversary of the Cherry Blossom Festival, April 7-14, 2012.  Rehberg’s office worked with the non-partisan Montana State Society to help with the selection of the Princess and her alternate.

“The best testament to our great state is our people,” said Rehberg, a fifth-generation Montanan and a member of the Montana State Society.  “The Cherry Blossom Princess is a good-will ambassador of Montana to the world.  It’s a tremendous honor and one that I’m confident Whitney will fulfill effectively.  I look forward to meeting with her when she gets into town.”

Every year, Cherry Blossom Princesses from every state and territory are invited to Washington, D.C. to honor the 1912 gift of Japanese cherry trees to the capital city.  This year’s applicants were judged by a panel that included representatives from Montana’s Congressional delegation, including Sheila Rath from Rehberg’s office.  They selected Whitney Derks as the 2012 Princess and Katie Russell as the runner up.

Derks, daughter of Keith and Sheri Derks of Denton, attended Denton High School and graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.  She currently resides in Moorhead and works in Fargo, North Dakota for the marketing agency Results Unlimited.

If Whitney is unable to attend the Cherry Blossom Festival, runner-up Katie Russell will take her place. Katie is from Great Falls, and is the daughter of Joe and Leslie Russell. She attended CMR High School in Great Falls graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.

For more information on the Cherry Blossom Princess Program, please visit the Montana State Society’s website at www.montanastatesociety.com.

“This year’s applicants were incredibly talented and any one of them would have been an excellent choice to represent Montana during the Cherry Blossom Festival,” said Stephanie Samford, with the Montana State Society. “Ultimately, Whitney really stood out because of her articulate and thoughtful comments during the interview process. She will serve as the perfect representative of Montana during the Cherry Blossom Festival as she has the opportunity to share with people from throughout the country exactly what makes Montana the Last Best Place.”

Impacts for Airports in Glasgow, Glendive, Havre, Lewistown, Miles City, Sidney, West Yellowstone, Wolf Point

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today joined rural colleagues in sending a letter to House Transportation & Infrastructure Chairman John Mica (FL-07) and Ranking Member Nick Rahall (WV-03) as well as to Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Thomas Petri (WI-06) and Ranking Member Jerry Costello (IL-12) urging them to remove language from the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization that would phase out Essential Air Service (EAS) by October 1, 2013.  Montana currently has 8 Essential Air Service Airports.

“We’ve got to reauthorize the FAA to ensure Montana’s airport improvement projects stay on track, but I hope we can do it without sacrificing rural communities,” said Rehberg.  “This isn’t about political party – in fact, both sides are wrong in this case – it’s about understanding and addressing the unique challenges of living in a rural state like Montana.  What we need is a long-term fix that protects Essential Air Service and fulfills a promise that was made to our rural communities.  That’s what we asked them to do in our letter.”

H.R. 658, the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act includes language to gradually phase out EAS and terminate the program on October 1, 2013.  This action would almost certainly end commercial air service to approximately 106 rural communities throughout the continental United States, including eight in Montana.  It also comes at a time when many rural communities sit on the brink of economic recovery.

Last year, the long-term reauthorization stalled in the Senate, resulting in a short-term extension.  Rehberg opposed that language because it targeted Glendive for closure.  Now, as both chambers work out a final bill in Conference Committee negotiations, he is working to ensure the new law doesn’t cut the legs out from underneath these airports that so many folks rely on.

The full letter is below:

Dear Chairmen Mica and Petri and Ranking Members Rahall and Costello:

As you enter final negotiations on a long term reauthorization of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs, we respectfully request that you work to ensure the integrity of the Essential Air Service (EAS) program is preserved in the final FAA conference report.

EAS is vital to maintaining airline service to our country’s smaller, rural areas and ensures that businesses and residents have access to the national transportation system.  The sunset provision in the House-passed legislation, H.R. 658, would gradually phase out EAS and terminate the program on October 1, 2013.  Should the provisions included in H.R. 658 become law, there will be severe impacts to approximately 106 rural communities, many of which continue to have unemployment levels higher than the national average and are struggling towards economic recovery. EAS provides a vital link that our communities need to remain accessible and competitive in attracting new businesses. Congress has an obligation to provide a level playing field for rural Americans when it comes to transportation and the economic opportunities that transportation provides. The proposed phase out of the EAS program represents a step back for Rural America as it struggles to create jobs, attract industry and connect with the rest of the country.

As the conference committee continues its work, we encourage you to reject this sunset provision and preserve the integrity of the EAS program.  We appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to working with you in the future.

Sincerely,