Rehberg, D Rep

420 PROMOTE PRIMARY ON TP PUBLIC HEALTH CUTS

lcv dirty dozen, beaten in senate run but still in the house?  pal baucus quit, amb to china

6% lifetime

=<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denny_Rehberg">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denny_Rehberg</a>
Dennis Ray "Denny" Rehberg<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denny_Rehberg#cite_note-1" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">[1]</a> (born October 5, 1955) is an American politician and member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Republican_Party" class="mw-redirect" title="United States Republican Party" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128);">Republican Party</a>. He served as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_Governor_of_Montana" class="mw-redirect" title="Lieutenant Governor of Montana" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128);">Lieutenant Governor of Montana</a> from 1991 to 1997 and as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128);">U.S. Representative</a> for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana%27s_at-large_congressional_district" title="Montana's at-large congressional district" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128);">Montana's at-large congressional district</a> from 2001 to 2013. Rehberg was the Republican nominee for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128);">United States Senate</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Montana,1996" title="United States Senate election in Montana, 1996" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128);">1996</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Montana,2012" title="United States Senate election in Montana, 2012" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128);">2012</a>, losing to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Baucus" title="Max Baucus" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128);">Max Baucus</a> 50% to 45% and to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Tester" title="Jon Tester" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128);">Jon Tester</a> 49% to 45%, respectively.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denny_Rehberg#cite_note-nyt20111223-2" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[2]</a> He subsequently became a co-chairman at Mercury, a Washington D.C. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying" title="Lobbying" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128);">lobbying</a> firm.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denny_Rehberg#cite_note-3" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128);">[3]</a> Jamieson Labor Reporter, The Huffington PostWASHINGTON — Someday, a device known as the personal dust monitor could save coal miners a lot of misery.
The “PDM,” as it’s known in mining circles, can tell coal miners precisely how much coal dust they’re breathing underground at a given moment. By helping moderate miners’ exposure to this dangerous dust, public health experts believe the PDM will help scale back the prevalence of black lung disease, the debilitating respiratory illness that afflicts thousands of American miners.
The PDM has been ready for the market for years, and the federal agency that oversees mining safety has proposed making its use mandatory in American mines. Yet the device remains shelved, caught in a game of Washington politics that public-health advocates say is costing lives in coal country.
“We think it needs to be deployed,” said Phil Smith, spokesman for the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), the leading union for miners. “They are allowing a disease that we know kills people to continue.”
The PDM, which was developed by Thermo Fisher Scientific, is now part of a regulatory proposal for coal mining that stretches back to the Clinton administration: to cut the threshold of allowable coal dust in a mine’s atmosphere by half, from 2 milligrams per cubic meter to 1. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) initially recommended lowering the limit back in the mid-90s, declaring the current regulations too weak to protect workers.
More than 15 years later, their recommendation remains just that. Meanwhile, incidences of black lung have resurged in many mining areas.
Nearly two years ago, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) proposed lowering the coal-dust threshold while mandating the use of PDM’s, a move cheered by safety advocates. But the prospect of lower limits — combined with real-time readings showing just how bad the air is in some mines — has drawn the opposition of mining companies.
The rules still have not gone to the White House for approval, and it appears unlikely the Obama administration will have the political will to take them up ahead of an election centered on jobs and the economy. A Mitt Romney administration would very likely shelve the regulations for good; the GOP presidential candidate has talked about the need to relax regulations on businesses, and he recently campaigned with Bob Murray, a coal baron and major GOP donor who happens to strongly oppose the black lung rule.
Given the politics at play, safety advocates worry that another window of opportunity may be closing.
“That’s what makes me sick to my stomach, thinking for 10 years we could have had that in place,” said Celeste Monforton, who worked at MSHA at the end of the Clinton years and has blogged devotedly about the delay with the regulations. “If this rule, for political reasons, doesn’t move forward, then we have a whole generation of miners who will have been exposed to coal dust because people play politics with people’s lives.”
Miners develop black lung disease, known technically as pneumoconiosis, after years of breathing coal dust. Dust buildup within the lungs makes it difficult to breathe, leaving many miners to live out their retirements gasping for air. NIOSH estimates that around 10,000 miners died of black lung during a recent 10-year period, and that the disease has been the underlying or contributing cause in the deaths of 75,000 miners since 1968.
After a decline that started in the 1970s, black lung disease has seen a disturbing uptick in many pockets of coal country in the last 15 years or so. A recent analysis of data by NPR and the Center for Public Integrity found that “incidence of the disease ... doubled in the last decade.” Experts surmise the problem has been exacerbated by new mining methods that add more silica dust to the coal dust already present in mine atmospheres. Eastern Kentucky, in particular, has been hard hit; the region tends to have smaller coal operators and weak union presence in the mines.
The long delay in lowering the dust limits has probably cost miners their lives, suggests a new report from the Government Accountability Office released Friday. The report found that the current levels put miners at “increased risk” of black lung, massive fibrosis and decreased lung function, while the proposed regulations “would reduce miners’ risk of disease.”
Although miners still aren’t using PDMs, MSHA has solicited some of the devices for its own inspectors. MSHA spokeswoman Amy Louviere declined to comment on the delay, except to say that the agency is still “working on the rule.” Thermo Fisher, the manufacturer of the PDMs, declined to comment.
While the new rules have sat with MSHA, House Republicans have tried to block them from going into effect. Last month, GOP members of the House appropriations committee inserted language in a budget bill that would defund any efforts by MSHA to implement the new coal dust standards. One of the biggest opponents of the new rules has been Rep. Denny Rehberg (R), the Montana congressman who’s running for Senate and relies heavily on donations from oil, gas and mining interests.Given the long delay, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) has introduced a broad mining reform bill that would force MSHA to roll out the new regulation within six months. On Friday, Rockefeller issued a statement calling the lower limit and the use of the PDM “long overdue.” “We must act now before we lose more West Virginia coal miners to this disease,” Rockefeller said.The coal industry’s leading trade group, the National Mining Association, has urged MSHA to scrap the rule. Bruce Waltzman, senior vice president, told HuffPost in an email that there are “flaws in the science.” The NMA wants the agency to withdraw the rule, conduct an independent peer review and “bring all the stakeholders together to discuss how best to reduce the incidence of coal workers pneumoconiosis.” Waltzman noted that the NMA has supported the development of the PDM, though he added that the lobby will support its introduction “once proven to be reliable and mine-worthy.”
Coal safety expert Davitt McAteer headed up MSHA when the agency tried to implement new coal dust regulations at the end of the Clinton administration. McAteer told HuffPost that the agency faced opposition from both the industry and the UMWA. As the Charleston Gazette‘s Ken Ward Jr., recently reported, the union at the time felt the new rule wasn’t strong enough, and the Clinton White House never finalized it.As a result, the same coal dust testing system has remained in place for decades, leaving the coal operators themselves to conduct sampling — a scenario McAteer compares to the proverbial fox guarding the hen house. Given the looming election, McAteer doesn’t expect the rule to be finalized and approved by the White House anytime soon. The White House has been skittish on moving ahead with workplace safety regulations that business groups decry as unnecessary, and miners have little in the way of political capital when compared to the coal lobby.“I expect it won’t happen, and if Obama does win a second term, will he use up the chit on this?” McAteer said. “I think the sad thing is, you’ve seen a disease that is utterly preventable reemerge as a health crisis in an industry that is just unwilling to take it on, and is prepared to sacrifice miners’ lives for the sake of just keeping the regulations at bay.”The UMWA supports the proposal, but with a caveat. According to an agreement it signed with the Bituminous Coal Operators Association, the industry group that negotiates with the union, the UMWA wants the coal dust limits implemented on a per-week, rather than a per-shift, basis. In essence, this would allow a worker who didn’t breathe much coal dust on Monday to breathe more on Tuesday.Smith, the UMWA spokesman, said the union is just looking out for its members. He said they worry that a miner who’s hit his or her exposure limit could end up being temporarily bumped to a lower-paying position elsewhere in the mine. “We’re not in favor of putting them at risk, but at same time we want to see them get the pay they earn,” Smith said.
Until MSHA moves forward with the rule and the White House approves it, such concerns are just preliminary. In the meantime, regulators can weigh the concerns submitted by stakeholders during the public-comment period, including one from Ronald Martin, a miner from Knott County, Ky.“I’m in last stage of Black Lung,” Martin wrote in his own hand. “Please help the miners so they wont suffer like I’m suffer [sic]. I can’t breath but little. God help everyone. Please.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/18/black-lung-disease-politics_n_1799340.html==Former Rep. Rehberg joins K Street firm
By Kevin Bogardus - 03/18/13 11:45 AM EDTFormer Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) is headed to K Street.
Rehberg, who lost his Senate bid last year against Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), has joined Mercury/Clark & Weinstock as a co-chairman. Rehberg served 12 years in the House and was most recently chairman of the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services and Education subcommittee.“I am excited to be joining the prestigious team at Mercury,” Rehberg said in a statement. “This firm has a sterling reputation and a proven track-record. Mercury will afford me the opportunity to work on the issues that have defined my career and matter most to the people of Montana.”Rehberg will join other ex-lawmakers at the firm, including former Reps. Vin Weber (R-Minn.) and Max Sandlin (D-Texas), as well as ex-Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.).The firm also announced the hire of two Democrats on Monday.Karen Hinton, a former Clinton administration official, has merged her shop, Hinton Communications, with Mercury and will join the firm as a managing director.Erick Mullen will also be a managing director at the firm. Mullen has been an aide to Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), as well as a political consultant to retired Gen. Wesley Clark.
“Denny Rehberg, Karen Hinton, and Erick Mullen are critical additions in Washington as Mercury continues to build a national, bipartisan, best-in-class consultancy. We are thrilled they’ve agreed to join Mercury/Clark & Weinstock,” Weber said in a statement.<a href="http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/288655-former-rep-rehberg-joins-k-street-firm">http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/288655-former-rep-rehberg-joins-k-street-firm</a>

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But the "family farm" narrative had taken root. A month after the fix, members of Congress in both chambers introduced the Preserving America’s Family Farm Act to block the Labor Department from enforcing the rules. Among the key forces behind the lobbying push was agribusiness giant Monsanto.

A key opponent in the House was Denny Rehberg, a Montana Republican who sat on the House Appropriations Committee. During a House hearing, he threatened to attach a budget rider stripping the Labor Department of the funds needed to enforce the rules. A multimillionaire rancher, Rehberg said he'd once hired a 10-year-old to herd his flock of cashmere goats. It was "impossible" to get hurt on his ranch, he said, claiming that a 5-year-old could safely run the entire operation. Others piled on. A Daily Caller article claimed the rules banned "farm chores." Sarah Palin wrote that Obama was trying to "prevent children from working on our own family farms."

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<div>

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

5/17/12

WASHINGTON – Today, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) named Montana Senate candidate Rep. Dennis Rehberg to its 2012 “Dirty Dozen” list. LCV's trademark “Dirty Dozen” program targets candidates for Congress — regardless of party affiliation — who consistently vote against clean energy and conservation and are running in races in which LCV has a serious chance to affect the outcome.

“Dennis Rehberg has repeatedly sided with corporate polluters over Montana’s hunters and fishermen, working to undermine critical clean air and water protections and put large swaths of Montana’s world-class wild lands and open space at risk,” said Navin Nayak, Senior Vice President of Campaigns.

LCV plans to make the Montana Senate race a top priority this cycle. LCV has already reported $170,000 in expenditures on a door-to-door campaign in Billings, Missoula, Helena and Bozeman to get pro-conservation voters to vote by mail for Sen. John Tester. Additionally, LCV Action Fund has already raised more than $96,000 for Tester via its <a href="http://www.givegreen.com/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">GiveGreen</a> website. In 2006, LCV named Sen. Conrad Burns to the “Dirty Dozen” and spent nearly $400,000 to defeat him.

“Dennis Rehberg's outright disdain for Montana's public lands mean he's out of step with voters,” said Theresa Keaveny, Executive Director of Montana Conservation Voters. “He's co-sponsoring a bill to cede control of public lands 100 miles south of the border, including Glacier National Park, to the Department of Homeland Security. That's the kind of information our campaign is sharing with concerned voters.”

Rehberg’s anti-conservation record:

<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">Rehberg has earned an abysmal 6% LCV lifetime score during his time in the House. [<a href="http://www.lcv.org/scorecard-2011/scorecardweb.pdf" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">LCV National Environmental Scorecard</a>]</li>

</li>

<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Over the course of his political career, Rehberg has taken $539,407 from the oil and gas industry, making him one of the top-30 recipients of oil and gas money to serve in the House of Representatives.  [<a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=Career&cid=N00004645&type=I" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Center for Responsive Politics</a>; <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=E01&cycle=All&recipdetail=H&mem=Y" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Center for Responsive Politics</a>]</li>

</li>

<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Rehberg co-sponsored legislation which would allow 60 million acres of public lands to lose protection from oil and gas drilling, unchecked development and other threats, including 6 million acres of public land in Montana that is used for hunting, fishing and hiking. [<a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:h.r.01581:" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">HR1581</a>; <a href="http://wilderness.org/content/great-outdoors-giveaway-would-open-even-more-lands-corporate-polluters" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">The Wilderness Society</a>, 7/29/11; <a href="http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/missoula/access-of-evil/Content?oid=1500831" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Missoula Independent</a>, 9/22/11; <a href="http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/delegation_divided_on_roadless_area_act/24802/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Flathead Beacon</a>, 9/28/11]</li>

</li>

<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Rehberg co-sponsored a bill that would grant the Department of Homeland Security unprecedented power to ignore 36 environmental laws in a 100 mile zone of federal land, including the Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and Endangered Species Act.  The impacted public lands would include Montana’s own Glacier National Park. [HR1505; <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016606506_environment26m.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">McClatchy</a>, 10/25/11; <a href="http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/09/27/Critics-wary-of-Homeland-Security-bill/UPI-92641317131223/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">UPI</a>, 9/27/11]</li>

</li>

<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">Rehberg voted to block the EPA from enforcing regulations on greenhouse gas emissions and mercury pollution. [HR1, <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll096.xml" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">House Vote 96</a>, 2/18/11; HR</li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">
</li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"> 2681, <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll764.xml" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">House Vote 764</a>, 10/6/11; HR2250, <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll791.xml" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">House Vote 791</a>, 10/13/11; HR1,<a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll086.xml" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">House Vote 86</a>, 2/17/11]</li>

</ul>

Since 1996, 60 percent of the “Dirty Dozen” have been defeated. LCV has previously named Virginia Senate candidate <a href="http://www.lcv.org/media/press-releases/LCV-Announces-George-Allen-First-Member-of-the-2012-Dirty-Dozen.html" title="LCV Announces George Allen First Member of the 2012 Dirty Dozen" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">George Allen</a>, New Mexico Senate candidate Heather Wilson and Rep. <a href="http://www.lcv.org/media/press-releases/LCV-Launches-230-000-TV-Ad-Campaign-to-Defeat-Rep-Tim-Holden.html" title="LCV Launches $230,000 TV Ad Campaign to Defeat Rep. Tim Holden" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Tim Holden</a> to its 2012 “Dirty Dozen.” Rep. Holden was <a href="http://www.lcv.org/media/press-releases/LCV-Independent-Expenditure-Campaign-Crucial-to-Holden-Defeat.html" title="LCV Independent Expenditure Campaign Crucial to Holden Defeat" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none;">defeated last month</a> in the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania’s 17th congressional district.

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<h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/296353-denny-rehberg-looking-at-another-senate-run" wrc_done="true" style="cursor: pointer;">After Baucus retirement, Denny Rehberg weighing another Senate ...</a> </h3>

<div class="f kv" style="margin-bottom: 1px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite style="font-style: normal;">thehill.com/.../296353-denny-rehberg-looking-at-another-senate-run</cite>‎

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Apr 26, 2013 - Former Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) is considering another Senate run following Sen. Max Baucus's (D-Mont.) retirement announcement.</div>

</div>

<div class="s" style="max-width: 42em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Former Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) is considering another Senate run following Sen. Max Baucus's (D-Mont.) retirement announcement.

Read more: <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/296353-denny-rehberg-looking-at-another-senate-run#ixzz2enbF6myp" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline: none;">http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/296353-denny-rehberg-looking-at-another-senate-run#ixzz2enbF6myp</a>

</div>

"Ever since Max announced his retirement two days ago, my phone has been ringing off the hook. The encouragement I've been getting from Montanans to take a serious look at this race has been overwhelming," Rehberg told The Associated Press in a Thursday email.

"I owe it to them, and to all the folks who I've served over the years, to keep listening and see how things develop. I'm not ruling anything out at this point."

The comments are something of a reversal for the former congressman, who lost a race to Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) last fall.

He <a mce_href="http://mtstandard.com/news/state-and-regional/rehberg-unsure-about-future-but-won-t-run-for-office/article_5fd24404-56f0-11e2-ba75-001a4bcf887a.html" href="http://mtstandard.com/news/state-and-regional/rehberg-unsure-about-future-but-won-t-run-for-office/article_5fd24404-56f0-11e2-ba75-001a4bcf887a.html" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline: none;">said</a> in January he would definitely not run for office again, and has since taken a job at a Washington-based firm.

Baucus's retirement creates a big opportunity for the GOP to pick up a seat in the GOP-leaning state.

</div>

</div></div></div></li>

Former Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) is likely the Democrats' best hope to run for the seat, and <a mce_href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/295539-schweitzer-says-hes-considering-senate-run" href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/295539-schweitzer-says-hes-considering-senate-run" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline: none;">told</a> The Hill earlier this week that he'll weigh a bid.

Rep. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), who replaced Rehberg in the House, is also <a mce_href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/295639-montana-gop-rep-daines-looking-at-running-for-baucus-seat" href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/295639-montana-gop-rep-daines-looking-at-running-for-baucus-seat" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline: none;">considering</a> a bid, while former state Rep. Corey Stapleton (R) and state Sen. Champ Edmunds (R) are already in the race.

Some Republicans in the state have mentioned former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot (R) as a possible candidate, while Democrats say if Schweitzer doesn't run, EMILY's List President Stephanie Schriock (D) and state Secretary of Public Instruction Denise Juneau (D) are possible options.

Read more: <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/296353-denny-rehberg-looking-at-another-senate-run#ixzz2enb5JxyF" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline: none;">http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/296353-denny-rehberg-looking-at-another-senate-run#ixzz2enb5JxyF</a>

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<h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://atr.rollcall.com/montana-denny-rehberg-done-with-politics/" wrc_done="true" style=" cursor: pointer;">Montana: Denny Rehberg Done With Politics </a><a href="http://atr.rollcall.com/montana-denny-rehberg-done-with-politics/" wrc_done="true" style="cursor: pointer;">| At the Races</a> </h3>

<div class="f kv" style="margin-bottom: 1px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><cite style="font-style: normal;">atr.rollcall.com/montana-denny-rehberg-done-with-politics/</cite>‎

</ul>

</div>

Jan 7, 2013 - Former Rep. Denny Rehberg told the Billings Gazette last week that he will not run for office again. After six terms in the House, the Montana ...</div>

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<div class="date left" style=" margin-right: 10px; float: left !important;">January 04, 2013 8:00 pm  •  <a href="http://billingsgazette.com/search/?l=50&sd=desc&s=start_time&f=html&byline=By%20MIKE%20DENNISON%0D%0AGazette%20State%20Bureau" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">By MIKE DENNISON Gazette State Bureau</a></div>

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HELENA — Former U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, who lost a hard-fought U.S. Senate race to Democrat Jon Tester last November, said Friday he’s ready to turn the page on a new chapter in his life — but that it won’t involve running for office.

Rehberg, who’s been a six-term congressman for Montana, lieutenant governor and state representative in his 30-plus years in Montana politics, said he decided before getting into the race against Tester in 2011 that he would either retire from Congress in 2012 or run for the U.S. Senate.

“I made the determination before that it would be up or out,” he said in an interview with the Gazette State Bureau. “As it turned out, it was out.”

Tester won with about 48.5 percent of the vote. Rehberg, a Republican, had almost 45 percent and Libertarian Dan Cox tallied 6.5 percent.

Rehberg said the presence of Cox in the race — and the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent by Tester allies to promote Cox in the contest’s final weeks — certainly played a key role in his defeat.

“We knew that the Libertarian was going to draw votes away,” he said. “But I didn’t have any idea that … the unions, Democrats, Sen. (Max) Baucus would raise money to run heavy advertising on his behalf.”

Rehberg also explained his vote last week against the “fiscal cliff” deal that raised federal income taxes on income over $450,000 for couples, made permanent lower income tax rates on other earners, and extended numerous tax credits.

The vote merely continues tax policy already in place and does nothing to solve the nation’s ballooning debt, which he said is still a major problem facing the country.

“They put off the tough decisions, which is the spending problem,” Rehberg said. “They shouldn’t be thanked or commended for that action. They should be held accountable for once again not making the tough decisions. They are delaying the inevitable of some really difficult problems in America.”

Rehberg and wife, Jan, said they hadn’t yet decided what their immediate plans will be. The couple owns family ranch property north of Billings, and she has been operating a residential subdivision on part of the property known as Rehberg Ranch.

“I’ve enjoyed my 12 years in Congress, but there will be a new chapter for Jan and I,” he said. “Who knows where that path will lead, but it will be exciting. It’s always a change.”

Rehberg, 57, got into politics in the late 1970s as a lobbyist for the Montana Realtors Association and an aide to then-U.S. Rep. Ron Marlenee, a Republican representing Montana’s old eastern district.

He was elected to the Legislature from Billings in 1984 when he was 28, managed Republican Conrad Burns’ first successful U.S. Senate race in 1988, became lieutenant governor under Stan Stephens in 1991, ran against and lost to Sen. Baucus in 1996, and won the statewide congressional seat in 2000, winning re-election five times.

While he spent 12 years in Congress, Rehberg said he doesn’t look back at his career as a list of accomplishments.

“I hope my legacy is one of representing Montanans the way they want to be represented in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “I spent a lot of time thinking about, how do you build a better future for your family?”

Rehberg said he worked to bring many a project to the state, such as the Dry Prairie Water Project in northeastern Montana, but that in Congress, one rarely gets to see a finished project or policy objective because it often takes years to achieve.

He said one of his biggest frustrations is the failure of Congress and the president to devise a comprehensive energy policy for America, including the development of renewable power and traditional fossil fuels like oil, natural gas and coal.

“That has hurt Montana’s economy and it has hurt America’s energy independence,” Rehberg said. “The majority of America is powered by oil, gas and coal … and much of our economy is based on traditional fossil fuels.”

He also said he didn’t appreciate some of the Democrats’ tactics in the campaign, such as using a 16-year-old statement out of context to imply that he favored privatizing Social Security, and criticizing his wife’s subdivision and using it to tar him as a wealthy real estate holder.

“I was never involved in the business,” Rehberg said. “It was her baby; it’s Jan’s business. For the Democrats to chew on a Republican woman for being successful is hypocrisy.”

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Read more: <a href="http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/rehberg-says-he-hasn-t-decided-what-s-next/article_e228f409-5a7f-59b2-a7a2-738bd3986180.html#ixzz2enbzDfSG" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/rehberg-says-he-hasn-t-decided-what-s-next/article_e228f409-5a7f-59b2-a7a2-738bd3986180.html#ixzz2enbzDfSG</a></div>

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</ol>

===

out of state $

<table class="google-visualization-table-table" cellspacing="0" style=" width: 450px;"><tbody><tr class="google-visualization-table-tr-even"><td class="google-visualization-table-td">Denny Rehberg (R - Mont.)</td><td class="google-visualization-table-td google-visualization-table-td-number">$4,288,512</td><td class="google-visualization-table-td google-visualization-table-td-number">78.6%</td></tr></tbody></table>

===

5. Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT). The Chamber has spent more than $1.3 million on “independent expenditures” helping Rehberg in his challenge to Sen. Jon Tester (D), with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOOzySJcRio&feature=plcp" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 24.75px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ads attacking Tester</a> and<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCivIxBjsYQ&feature=plcp" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 24.75px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">encouraging voters to defeat</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws1OcK5Vs74&feature=plcp" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 24.75px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">him</a>. Rehberg <a href="http://www.krtv.com/news/rehberg-votes-no-on-debt-deal/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 24.75px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">called the deal</a> “little more than business as usual for Washington.”

==srcwtch?

Dennis R. Rehberg has been a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Republican_Party_U.S.A." title="Republican Party U.S.A." class="mw-redirect">Republican</a> member of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives" class="mw-redirect">United States House of Representatives</a> since 2001, representing <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Members_of_the_U.S._Congress_from_Montana" title="Category:Members of the U.S. Congress from Montana">Montana</a> at large. (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/pagecgd109_mt2.gif">map</a>) He posts his daily schedule online, available <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Denny_Rehberg/Schedule" title="Denny Rehberg/Schedule">here</a>.

<h2>Contents</h2>

[<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>] </div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Record_and_controversies">1 Record and controversies</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Environmental_record">1.2 Environmental record</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-4"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Schedule_posting">1.2.1 Schedule posting</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Abortion">1.3 Abortion</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Gay_Marriage_and_Sexual_Orientation">1.4 Gay Marriage and Sexual Orientation</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Crime">1.5 Crime</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Children.27s_Health_Insurance">1.7 Children's Health Insurance</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Controversies">1.8 Controversies</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-11"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Criticizes_Bush_administration_over_education_funding_for_Montana">1.8.1 Criticizes Bush administration over education funding for Montana</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</li>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Background">2.1 Background</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-14"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Congressional_career">2.2 Congressional career</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-15"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#2006_elections">2.2.1 2006 elections</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-16"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Money_in_politics">3 Money in politics</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-17"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Campaign_contributions">3.1 Campaign contributions</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-18"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Personal_finances">3.2 Personal finances</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-19"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Committees_and_Affiliations">4 Committees and Affiliations</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-20"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Committees">4.1 Committees</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-21"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Committee_assignments_in_the_109th_Congress_.282005-2006.29">4.1.1 Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-22"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Coalitions_and_Caucuses">4.2 Coalitions and Caucuses</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-23"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Boards_and_other_Affiliations">4.3 Boards and other Affiliations</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-24"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#More_Background_Data">5 More Background Data</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-25"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Contact">6 Contact</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-26"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Twitter">6.1 Twitter</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-27"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Articles_and_Resources">7 Articles and Resources</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-28"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Resources">7.1 Resources</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-29"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Local_blogs_and_discussion_sites">7.1.1 Local blogs and discussion sites</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-30"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#Articles">7.2 Articles</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2>Record and controversies</h2>

<div style=" margin: 0.5em 0.75em 0.5em 0.75em; border-collapse: collapse; background: #dce8f8; border: 1px solid #5c79b5; padding: .25em .25em 0.25em .25em;">General information about important bills and votes for can be found in Congresspedia's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:U.S._legislation" title="Category:U.S. legislation">articles on legislation</a>. You can add information you find on how Denny Rehberg voted by clicking the "[edit]" link to the right and typing it in. Remember to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Help:References" title="Help:References">cite your sources</a>!</div>

Rehberg voted for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Authorization_for_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_Iraq_Resolution_of_2002" title="Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002">Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002</a> that started the Iraq War.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg#cite_note-0">[1]</a>

Rehberg currently serves on the Military Quality of Life and Foreign Operations Subcommittees of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations. In 2007, he voted against the Mandatory Troop Rest Periods between Deployments to Iraq bill (creates a mandatory rest period between deployments to Iraq for members of the Armed Forces, passed) and against the Redeployment from Iraq Act (reduces the presence of the U.S. armed forces in Iraq by April 1, 2008, passed). <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=404&type=category&category=47&go.x=9&go.y=9">[1]</a> In 2002, he voted for the Joint Resolution on the Use of Military Force Against Iraq (adopted). <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?cs_id=V3202&can_id=404">[2]</a>

<div style=" margin: 0.5em 0.75em 0.5em 0.75em; border-collapse: collapse; background: #dce8f8; border: 1px solid #5c79b5; padding: .25em .25em 0.25em .25em;">For more information see the chart of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S._House_of_Representatives_votes_on_the_Iraq_War" title="U.S. House of Representatives votes on the Iraq War">U.S. House of Representatives votes on the Iraq War</a>.</div>

<h3>Environmental record</h3>

Rehberg describes himself as "a lifelong steward of the land” <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.house.gov/rehberg/biography.shtml">[3]</a>, but he supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters and those of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund 0 percent in 2006 <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=404&type=category&category=30&go.x=13&go.y=9">[4]</a>. He voted against the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 (establish regulations and economic incentives to increase renewable energy technology and production in the United States, passed) and against the Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) Act of 2001 (would offer incentives for alternative fuel vehicles, failed). <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=404&type=category&category=30&go.x=3&go.y=8">[5]</a>

For more information on environmental legislation, see the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Portal:Energy_and_Environment_Policy_%28U.S.%29" title="Portal:Energy and Environment Policy (U.S.)" style="">Energy and Environment Policy Portal</a>

<h4>Schedule posting</h4>

Since June 2007, Rehberg began posting his daily schedule online, available <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Denny_Rehberg/Schedule" title="Denny Rehberg/Schedule">here</a>.

<h3>Abortion</h3>

Rehberg does not support legal abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or if the mother's life is in danger. Rehberg is against public funding of abortions, as well as funding to organizations supporting or performing abortions. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/npat.php?can_id=BC033113">[6]</a>

He states, “I believe that abortion is the unjustified taking of a human life. I feel the entire abortion debate is a very sensitive issue that hinges on the question of when life begins. Unfortunately, some people in our country today doubt the full humanity of an unborn child. I am against abortion except in the case of rape, incest, or life of the mother. I support efforts in Congress to prohibit federal funding of abortions and family planning, experimentation on aborted fetuses, partial-birth abortions, and federal funding for so-called family planning groups that promote abortion.” <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.house.gov/rehberg/issues.shtml#life">[7]</a>

As of 2006, Rehberg has recieved no support (zero) from Planned Parenthood and their interests, while as of 2005-2006, the National Right to Life Committee has supported his stance on abortion one hundred (100) percent. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BC033113">[8]</a>

Rehberg has voted for Partial Birth abortion bills (to prohibit partial birth abortions), the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (preventing minors from crossing state lines to get an abortion without parental consent, 2005, passed), and the Abortion Pain Bill (to ensure women seeking abortions are aware of the pain their unborn child will suffer, 2006, failed), and against the Overseas Military Facilities Abortion Amendment (allowing overseas service women to seek an abortion with their own money in military hospitals, 2005, rejected) <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?vote_id=3326&can_id=BC033113">[9]</a>

<h3>Gay Marriage and Sexual Orientation</h3>

Rehberg opposes gay marriage, and supports a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/npat.php?can_id=BC033113">[10]</a> He voted against the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, a bill that amends the Federal definition of a hate crime to include gender identity and sexual orientation. The bill passed, 237 to 180. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?cs_id=12684&can_id=404">[11]</a>

The Human Rights Campaign gave Rehberg a rating of 0% in regards to their interests in 2001-2002. In the same year, Rehberg supported the interests of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 8 percent. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=404&type=category&category=13&go.x=5&go.y=12">[12]</a>

<h3>Crime</h3>

Rehberg is an advocate for the death penalty and administering harsher penalties to those who have committed a corporate crime. Rehberg pushes for support programs to help inmates with drug and alcohol problems, as well as programs focusing on vocational and job-related skills as to help inmates' transition from prison to the work force. He is against reducing prison sentences to those prosecuted for non-violent crime, and feels that minors charged with violent crimes should not be prosecuted as adults. Rehberg has pushed for Mexican-U.S. border security to stop illegal drug flow. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/npat.php?can_id=BC033113">[13]</a>

Rehberg quote: "I support the second amendment. Period." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/npat.php?can_id=BC033113">[14]</a>

The National Rifle Association gave Rehberg an "A" based on his past voting stance on gun issues and based off the results of a questionaire sent to all Congressional Candidates in 2006. (grading scale: A+ to F). Gun owners of America back him with 50%, while the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence gives him no support (0 percent). <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BC033113&type=category&category=Gun%2BIssues&go.x=10&go.y=0">[15]</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?vote_id=3862&can_id=BC033113">[16]</a>

<h3>Children's Health Insurance</h3>

In 2007, Congress took up the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides health care for about 6 million children and 670,000 adults from families who earn too much money qualify for Medicare but not enough to afford health insurance. Congressional Democrats and many Republicans tried to use the opportunity to dramatically expand the program but were opposed by President George W. Bush and other Republicans. In 2006, 5.4 million children were eligible but not enrolled in SCHIP or Medicaid and 9.4 million total children were uninsured.

Denny Rehberg voted against the first House bill, which passed along party lines. It would have added $47 billion over five years to the $25 billion cost of the program and added about 5 million people to the program, including children, some legal immigrants, pregnant women and adults aged 18 and 19. The bill was financed mainly by an increase in cigarette taxes.

House Democrats, with 45 Republicans, later compromised and passed a bill which expanded the plan by $35 billion and would have insured about 3.5 million more children from families generally making between 250% and 300% of the federal poverty line (about $51,000 to $62,000 for a family of four). Most non-pregnant, childless adults were excluded, as were most legal immigrants and all illegal immigrants. Rehberg voted for the bill.

After President Bush vetoed the bill, Democratic leaders attempted to override the veto with the same bill but failed. Rehberg voted for the bill.

House Democrats then attempted to override it with another bill, which gave into Republican demands for increased checks for citizenship, the quick phasing-out of adult coverage, a hard limit of 300% of the federal poverty level and funding for families that covered their children through private insurance instead. Republicans, angry that the vote was scheduled during massive fires in California, blocked the veto override. Rehberg voted for the bill. For details on the bills and the debate, see the main <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/State_Children%27s_Health_Insurance_Program" title="State Children's Health Insurance Program" class="mw-redirect">State Children's Health Insurance Program page</a>.

<h3>Controversies</h3>

<h4>Criticizes Bush administration over education funding for Montana</h4>

In early 2007, Rehberg criticized the Bush administration, pointing out Secretary of Education Margaret Spelling, about cuts in Montana's education funding. He argued that Montana's Indian and rural schools continued to struggle test-wise, and that the cuts would negatively affect them. He stated "Moving inadequate funds between various budgets is only rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. In Montana, testing has shown many of our rural communities and Indian schools are the areas most in need. We don't need more reorganization from the department; we need more money directed to the tried and true programs where we know problems exist." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/mt00_rehberg/031307_EducationHearing.html">[17]</a>

<h3>Background</h3>

Born October 5, 1955 in Billings, Montana, Denny Rehberg served as a member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana_House_of_Representatives" class="extiw" title="w:Montana House of Representatives">Montana State House of Representatives|</a> from 1984-1991. In the legislature, he considered himself to be a fiscal conservative, and he advocated balancing the state budget without any tax increases. He was the only freshman member to serve on the House Appropriations Committee.

After 1991, Rehberg was appointed Lieutenant Governor by Governor Stan Stephens. Following his appointed term, Rehberg joined the statewide ticket with Attorney General and candidate for Governor <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Marc_F.Racicot" title="Marc F. Racicot">Marc Racicot</a> and was elected to his first full term as Montana's Lieutenant Governor in 1992. As Lieutenant Governor, he chaired the Drought Advisory Committee and the Task Force credited with reforming Worker��s Compensation, the Montana Rural Development Council, and several health care initiatives. In 1996, he ran for a seat in the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S.Senate" title="U.S. Senate">U.S. Senate</a> but lost to incumbent <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/United_States_Democratic_Party" title="United States Democratic Party">Democrat</a> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Max_Baucus" title="Max Baucus">Max Baucus</a>. He has served as Montana’s only U.S. Representative since 2001.

A graduate of Washington State University, Rehberg attended Billings West High School and Montana State University. While at Montana State University he joined The Delta Upsilon Fraternity. Since 1996, Rehberg has been managing the Rehberg Ranch near Billings. He oversees a herd of 500 cattle and 600 cashmere goats. He is married to Jan Rehberg, an attorney who represents farmers and ranchers.

<h3>Congressional career</h3>

<h4>2006 elections</h4>

In 2006, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Democratic_Party" title="Democratic Party" class="mw-redirect">Democrats</a> nominated <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Monica_J.Lindeen&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Monica J. Lindeen (page does not exist)">Monica J. Lindeen</a>, and the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Libertarian_Party" title="Libertarian Party">Libertarian Party</a> nominated <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Mike_Fellows" title="Mike Fellows">Mike Fellows</a> to face Rehberg in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S.congressional_elections_in_2006" title="U.S. congressional elections in 2006" class="mw-redirect">U.S. congressional elections in 2006</a>) <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://opensecrets.org/states/election.asp?State=MT&year=2006">[18]</a> Rehberg retained his seat.

<h2>Money in politics</h2>

This section contains links to – and feeds from – money in politics databases.

<h3>Campaign contributions</h3>

Since 2000, Rehberg has received $6,915,915 in campaign funding. Thirty-six percent of these funds have been PAC contributions. Among PAC contributions, 1.6 million dollars (71.7%) have been donated by business-focused PACS. However, primary PAC organizations contributing to Rehberg’s campaign are the League of Rural Voters Action Fund, the National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund, and the National Right to Life Political Action Committee. The following is drawn from government records of campaign contributions to Denny Rehberg. Campaign contributions are one of the most direct conduits for influencing members of Congress. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/SouceWatch:Using_congressional_campaign_contribution_information" title="SouceWatch:Using congressional campaign contribution information" class="mw-redirect">How to use this information.</a> <crpcontribdata>cid=N00004645&cycle=2006</crpcontribdata>

<table class="prettytable"><tbody><tr><th colspan="3">Links to more campaign contribution information for Denny Rehberg

from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org">OpenSecrets.org</a> site.</th></tr><tr><td>Fundraising profile:</td><td><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00004645">2006 election cycle</a></td><td><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allsummary.asp?cid=N00004645">Career totals</a></td></tr><tr><td>Top contributors by organization/corporation:</td><td><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00004645">2006 election cycle</a></td><td><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allcontrib.asp?cid=N00004645">Career totals</a></td></tr><tr><td>Top contributors by industry:</td><td><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/indus.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00004645">2006 election cycle</a></td><td><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allindus.asp?cid=N00004645">Career totals</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

Rehberg states, "I support meaningful campaign finance reform, such as full and open disclosure laws, a mandate limiting out-of-state funding for campaigns, and reforms guaranteeing that corporations and unions respect the wishes of their employees and members when using financial resources for political purposes." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.house.gov/rehberg/issues.shtml#campaign">[19]</a>

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/search_result.asp?mem=Rehberg%2C+Denny">Revolving door profile for Denny Rehberg</a> from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.OpenSecrets.org">OpenSecrets.org</a> website.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/travel.asp?CID=N00004645">2006 privately funded travel profile for Denny Rehberg</a> from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.OpenSecrets.org">OpenSecrets.org</a> website.</li>

</ul>

<h3>Personal finances</h3>

With a net worth of 10.7 to 51.5 million dollars, Rehberg is the twelfth-richest U.S. Representative in the House.The following is drawn from Denny Rehberg's personal financial disclosure forms. Close study of the data has often revealed conflicts of interest by members of Congress. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/SourceWatch:Using_congressional_personal_financial_disclosures" title="SourceWatch:Using congressional personal financial disclosures">How to use this information.</a>

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/candlook.php?CID=N00004645">Personal finance profile for Denny Rehberg</a> from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.OpenSecrets.org">OpenSecrets.org</a> website.</li>

</ul>

<h2>Committees and Affiliations</h2>

<h3>Committees</h3>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/House_Committee_on_Appropriations" title="House Committee on Appropriations">House Committee on Appropriations</a>

<ul>

<li>Subcommittee on House Committee on House Committee on Financial Services and General Government</li>

<li>Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

<h4>Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)</h4>

<ul>

<ul>

<li>Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies -</li>

<li>Subcommittee on Foreign Operations Export Financing and Related Programs</li>

<li>Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

<h3>Coalitions and Caucuses</h3>

<ul>

<li>Congressional Rural Caucus</li>

<li>Former Chair, Drought Advisory Committee</li>

<li>Firefighter Caucus</li>

<li>Forest Caucus</li>

<li>House Vice Chair, Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Congressional Caucus</li>

<li>Northwest Energy Caucus</li>

<li>Republican Study Committee</li>

<li>Sportsmen's Caucus</li>

<li>Western Caucus</li>

</ul>

<h3>Boards and other Affiliations</h3>

<ul>

<li>Member, Billings Chamber of Commerce</li>

<li>Member, Billings Downtown Rotary Club</li>

<li>Former Chair, Montana Rural Development Council</li>

<li>Member, Montana Stockgrowers Association</li>

<li>State Chair, Muscular Dystrophy Association</li>

<li>National Guard and Reserve Components Congressional Members Organization.</li>

</ul>

<h2>More Background Data</h2>

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=BC033113">Background information on Denny Rehberg from Project Vote Smart</a></li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BC033113">Interest group scorecard ratings for Denny Rehberg from Project Vote Smart</a></li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/r000571">Voting record for Denny Rehberg from the Washington Post database</a></li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/cgi-bin/newmemberbio.cgi?lang=&member=MT00&site=congressmerge">Information on Denny Rehberg from Congress Merge</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.vis.org/candlist/Candidates.aspx?pid=500">2006 Montana CD 0 Candidate List from VIS</a></li>

</ul>

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> also has an article on <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denny_Rehberg">Denny Rehberg</a>. This article may use content from the Wikipedia article under the terms of the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GFDL">GFDL</a>.

<h2>Contact</h2>

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denny_Rehberg

===

Hundreds and even thousands of miles from Wall Street, Democratic candidates in a string of red states have embraced the Occupy message of the 99 percent vs. the 1 percent and are running ads hammering greedy millionaires.

The latest popped up Tuesday in Montana, <a href="http://bit.ly/P407H0" target="hplink">targeting Rep. Denny Rehberg</a> (R), the <a href="http://bit.ly/KRIxzQ" target="hplink">62nd wealthiest member of Congress</a>, who is challenging Sen. Jon Tester (D).

The spot, run by the state Democratic Party, declares over the typical attack-ad grainy footage, "After 12 years in Washington, D.C., Dennis Rehberg has forgotten where he comes from. Because Rehberg voted to protect special tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, even while multimillionaires like Rehberg already pay a lower tax rate than the rest of us here in Montana."

The ad is referring to various Rehberg votes, including his opposition to the <a href="http://huff.to/HS8RHS" target="hplink">popular Buffett Rule</a>, which would raise taxes on millionaires, and his support for various GOP budget cuts. A similar ad launched two weeks ago <a href="http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2012/06/dscc-ad-hits-re.php" target="hplink">hits Rehberg</a> for protecting "big bankers on Wall Street."

April 26, 2012

<h1>It’s Time to Stop Letting Congress Stomp on Nonprofit Advocacy Rights</h1>

Richard White/Chronicle of Philanthropy

</div>

<a class="show-enlarge enlarge" href="http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131680/#">Enlarge Image</a></div>

By Gary Bass and Mark Rosenman

Nonprofit organizations have fewer rights to speak out about important public-policy matters today than they did last year.

The latest assault on advocacy came in a spending bill Congress approved to provide money to education, health, and human-service groups.

These new restrictions on advocacy were passed as part of a coordinated campaign by conservatives to quash popular democracy. Unfortunately, as contrasted with past “defund the left” efforts, charity leaders didn’t find out about them in time to take action to prevent their passage.

The challenges to nonprofit advocacy began more than three decades ago when the Heritage Foundation started making new restrictions a priority. This attack was pushed by the Reagan White House in the early 1980s, took the form of major Republican congressional legislative efforts in the mid-1990s, and has arisen in various forms since then.

Some conservative lawmakers and Republican White House officials have tried to go so far as to limit what charities can do with private contributions; others have tried to restrict the types of activities that nonprofits can conduct with federal funds.

Most of their efforts were stopped by groups whose missions were to serve as watchdogs to protect charities’ rights and the coalitions they organized.

<h3>Related Content</h3>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://philanthropy.com/article/What-Counts-as-Lobbying-A-New/131676/">What Counts as Lobbying? A New Challenge for the IRS</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

Nevertheless, conservatives succeeded in several attempts to chip away at nonprofit advocacy rights.

For example, Congress voted to prohibit social-welfare organizations classified under Section 501(c)(4) from receiving federal grants if they lobby. Additionally, grantees of the Legal Services Corporation face greater restrictions on advocacy than do other federal grantees.

Many grant-making foundations were alarmed by these attacks.

Like much of society, they recognized that strong nonprofits help build a vibrant democracy. And they know that the only way to do that is to preserve the ability of nonprofits to speak out on public-policy issues, to challenge institutional power, and to encourage Americans to get more involved in democratic decision making.

A legacy of attacks on charities’ advocacy was that a small number of foundations provided support for nonprofit watchdogs to monitor attacks on advocacy and to help train nonprofits to influence public policy. While laudatory, those grants were too limited and episodic.

Strikingly, in the past few years, even limited foundation grants for protecting and promoting nonprofit advocacy rights have dropped to minimal levels.

Many organizations that used to serve in the watchdog role no longer have staff members dedicated to monitoring advocacy rules, and some nonprofits that devoted all of their work to this cause no longer can. Such losses make it all the more likely that nonprofits will not be prepared to fight future attacks on their rights to influence public policy.

The blueprint for what to expect can be seen in the newly enacted appropriations law, which expands the list of advocacy activities beyond lobbying that nonprofits are forbidden to conduct with federal money.

With the new law, groups that receive money under the appropriations measure cannot use federal grants for “any activity to advocate or promote” any “proposed, pending, or future” tax increase (at any level of government) or any “future requirement or restriction” on a “legal consumer product” (e.g., tobacco and alcohol products, junk foods and beverages, and guns).

None of those key terms is defined. Suppose a group received federal aid to fight cancer by decreasing tobacco use and wanted to educate the public about the health dangers of cigarette sales, especially to minors. Presumably, that wouldn’t be allowed under the law. Or say another nonprofit won a grant to curb obesity. It might want to suggest a surcharge on sodas and other sugary foods as a way to deter consumption, but it probably couldn’t promote that idea.

The new law also forbids nonprofits from using federal money to influence some regulatory and executive-branch actions. That means a charity that receives federal money to provide care and support to families with disabled children, for example, would no longer be allowed to use any of its government money to comment on proposed state regulations that govern residential treatment or in-home services.

To be sure, the new law is limited in scope at this point to programs paid for through a single appropriations bill, the one that covers the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, Education, and several independent agencies.But close to one-third of nonprofit revenue comes from the federal government, so it is easy to see that more groups will be affected if this idea spreads to legislation that affects the arts, the environment, or so many other kinds of groups.

While charities are not permitted to use federal money to lobby, they certainly ought to educate both the public and policy makers and advocate on social problems if they receive government money to solve those issues. Policymakers need to receive information from independent, nonpartisan parties such as federally financed nonprofit groups. Their experience, research, and ideas are often vital to improving lives in our communities. But the new law makes this difficult in many cases and out of the question in others.

The new legislation is a case of the public interest losing out to private ones. Charities advocate on issues in which people’s voices are not adequately heard in the democratic process; they work to promote the common good. The additional restrictions on charities’ free-speech rights make that point clear; they demonstrate how monied interests impose their will on ordinary people and the groups that try to serve them.

The new law was drafted by Rep. Denny Rehberg, a Montana Republican, and supported by industry representatives, including the American Beverage Association.

Why would a trade association want new restrictions on nonprofit advocacy? Maybe because it wants to kill federal money to anti-obesity and other public-health programs that could affect how many sweetened drinks Americans buy. Knowing how hard that is, they go after the speech rights of health charities that get federal aid. And this appears part of a continuing conservative attack on nonprofit speech.

One of the leaders of the assault on nonprofits is Cause of Action, an organization established a few months before these restrictions were enacted, that is directed by Daniel Epstein, a former staff member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, led by Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican. Before that, he was a legal associate at the Koch Foundation, which promotes free-market and limited- government groups.

Cause of Action has written to at least 20 groups that receive federal money to fight obesity and promote tobacco-use warnings indicating to them that they may have engaged in illegal lobbying activities. The group said it was writing “only as a convenience” to tell the grantees they may be subject to civil penalties and private lawsuits imposing triple damages and lawyers’ fees.

This is reminiscent of other right-wing efforts, begun in the 1980s, to stifle charitable advocacy work by suing nonprofits. These assaults on charities earned their own acronym describing their effect: They were called SLAPP suits (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) and were often filed by corporations and other deep-pocket conservatives.

Democracy depends on the ability of ordinary people to have a voice in public-policy decisions. It is most often nonprofits that help people advocate for policies and programs that improve their lives. So attacks on nonprofit advocacy end up undermining our democracy. That is yet another reason for foundations to invest in protecting speech rights for nonprofits.

Gary Bass is executive director of the Bauman Foundation. Mark Rosenman, professor emeritus at the Union Institute and University, works on efforts to improve how nonprofits and foundations serve the public.