A look back at recent Rehberg budget decisions

Before the discussion about the controversial Rehberg/Ryan budget moves forward, it’s helpful to take a look back at some of Congressman Dennis Rehberg’s missteps during the ongoing budget debate.

Congressman Rehberg's recent budget history reveals a clear set of priorities -- side with Congressional extremists to score cheap political points, while refusing to accept responsibility for the impacts of his DC decisions in Montana.

Job Cuts, Job Tour – Right after supporting a Continuing Resolution that put jobs for weather, seniors services, and community health center workers at risk, Congressman Rehberg came to Montana on a jobs tour, but he couldn't face the music.

• Clueless about Aging Services cuts: “Rehberg said he was 'so sorry' to see the cuts, but couldn't speak specifically to the five-person job loss they could bring the Missoula Aging Services.”
• Rehberg Ignores Health Workers: National experts say Rehbergs cuts cost 54 jobs in Kalispell, but Rehberg says “There is no cut in community health center funding.”

Rehberg Guts Pell Grants, Call them 'Welfare' – Congressman Rehberg’s Continuing Resolution proposed to slash $15 million in Pell Grant support for Montana students. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/1/11]

Then, Congressman Rehberg rubbed salt in the wounds of Montana students who use Pell Grants in a radio interview with a blogger:

    "So you can go to college on Pell Grants -- maybe I should not be telling anybody this because it’s turning out to be the welfare of the 21st century.  You can go to school, collect your Pell Grants, get food stamps, low-income energy assistance, section 8 housing, and all of a sudden we find ourselves subsidizing people that don’t have to graduate from college." [Huffington Post, 4/1/11]

In a separate voucher bill supported by Congressman Rehberg, students in Washington DC will get $300 million in new funding [Congressional Budget Office, 3/14/11; H.R.1, House Vote HR 471, 2/19/11].

Votes to Keep Paying Himself During a Government Shutdown -- As one of the richest members of Congress, Dennis Rehberg could probably go without a check for a few days. That didn't stop him from voting to maintain Congressional pay during a shutdown. [House Roll Call Vote #223, 4/1/11].

When pushed on his decisions, Congressman Rehberg denied the ramifications of his vote to Montanans, as verified by the Pulitzer Prize-winning website PolitiFact.

Tough decisions will need to be made during the debate about the the controversial budget proposal by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-WI, and Congressman Rehberg will have to explain the impacts of those decisions to Montanans in plain language. Unfortunately, Congressman Rehberg's doublespeak on the budget reveals much about his likely strategy for the Ryan budget -- fall back on DC spin to obscure the truth about his controversial budget decisions.