“An expensive vacation home.”

That’s what millionaire Congressman Dennis Rehberg called health care for thousands of Montanans.

Congressman Rehberg is asking the bipartisan committee tasked with cutting debt and spending to prevent Medicaid from serving many low-income Montanans access health care.  According to the Kaiser family foundation, the measure Congressman Rehberg wants to end will provide 57,356 Montanans with health care [Kaiser Family Foundation, 5/10, p. 43].

After weeks of cancellations, delays and closed-door meetings in Congress, Rep. Dennis Rehberg just rolled out a proposal of his most important bill of the year.

His controversial Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill contains serious attacks on student financial aid and Pell Grants, women’s and family health, and protections for workers and home heating assistance.  No wonder Congressman Rehberg has never explained his bill to Montanans.
 
And Congressman Rehberg is hurting Montana families with these cuts, while protecting irresponsible loopholes for Big Oil and his fellow millionaires.
 
Here’s a look at what's in Congressman Rehberg's irresponsible bill:
 
Student Financial Aid

Rehberg bill to keep Community Health Centers and Jobs Corps afloat is long overdue – will he explain the delay to Montanans?

Helena, Mont. -- With only three days left before his key appropriations bill is due to be approved by Congress, millionaire Congressman Dennis Rehberg has still not told Montanans anything about the bill.

Congressman Rehberg is chairman of the House Labor Health, Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, giving him the power to decide resources for Head Start and other initiatives like Community Health Centers and Pell Grants.   That bill has been delayed for weeks without any explanation from Congressman Rehberg [The Hill, 9/20/11].

"Congressman Rehberg's failure to discuss this bill in the light of day is irresponsible," said Ted Dick, Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party.  "Montanans deserve transparency and we deserve to know what's going on behind Congressman's Rehberg's closed doors.  After 30 years as a politician, Congressman Rehberg has finally been asked to take on a major responsibility in Congress, but he has failed to deliver and Montanans are waiting for answers."

In Astronomy the term “Constant Candle” is used to denote a star that shines in a way that allows the depth and the shape of the universe to be measured. This past weekend the Montana Democratic family lost one of our “constant candles” when Mike Pichette passed away. Mike was a journeyman fighter for the Democratic Party and its principals, and principles.

In Helena and in Washington DC, the leaders of Montana's Grand Old Party have tried to take Montana off the rails with their extreme agenda for our state.

Call it a Crazy Train.  And we think you'll agree: It shouldn't be picking up steam in Montana.

Check out this video that shows just how extreme Republican lawmakers have become.  

Helena, Mont. -- While Steve Bullock spent the morning making sure that people - not corporations - decide our elections, Congressman Dennis Rehberg spent his day politicking with those that want our elected officials sold to the highest bidder.

The extreme Citizen’s United Victory Fund today announced their endorsement of Congressman Rehberg.

“Congressman Rehberg is proud to take help from the shadowy special interests who want to buy him and the election,” said Ted Dick, Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party.  “Wall Street and Big Oil have rewarded Congressman Rehberg with this endorsement because he’s put them ahead of Montana for past decade in DC.”

Our Convention in Great Falls last weekend was a great success. Democrats from across the state gathered to stand up for the values that make Montana a great place to live and work.

Our message to the people of Montana? Montana Democrats are the party of responsibility. We have a record of cutting spending and living within our means. We have a record of creating jobs and empowering small businesses and family farms and ranches. We believe in equal pay for women for equal work, good public education, and making sure we have clean air, water and land to pass down to our children.

We also believe in electing good people at all levels, from local city councils to the U.S. Senate.

If you weren't able to make it to the convention, check out the video below of top Democrats like Jon Tester, Max Baucus, and Brian Schweitzer sharing their vision for a better Montana. 

Our 2011 Convention was a great success.  Democrats from across the state gathered in Great Falls to renew our commitment to responsible leadership.  Jon Tester, Max Baucus and Brian Schweitzer all helped rally the troops to victory next year.  

If you weren't able to join us, here's a summary from a story in Sunday's Great Falls Tribune: 

"Out-of-state interests are going to try to dictate how Montanans think and how they feel about their elected officials, but in the end I think Montanans will make their voice heard. I don't think they can be bought, and I think we'll be just fine, but the fact is it's going to be an incredible election process over the next 14 months," said Sen. Jon Tester

...

"Voting counts, and organizing and working together really make a difference. These elections are very, very close, and a little bit of extra effort makes a huge, huge difference," said Sen. Max Baucus

...

Montana's millionaire Congressman Dennis Rehberg is lying to cover up his failure to pass a wolf solution.

Here is what Congressman Rehberg said on KPAX on August 26, 2011:

"I led the issue. The wolf issue was mine. What I wanted to do was to reform the Endangered Species Act, so that the federal government could in fact delist them. It's a failed policy--we need a better Endangered Species Act. I helped lead the effort, ultimately from the House, but the guys in the Senate tried to take credit for it. Mike Simpson of Idaho got it in the house bill and frankly the Senate never did pass a version. Everything that was put into place was done in the house." (Click here to listen to the relevant part of the interview)

Montana’s millionaire Congressman Dennis Rehberg recently visited a Job Corps center in Darby, a job-creating program that he has consistently and ideologically opposed.

In March, Congressman Rehberg has this to say about Job Corps,