Congress is on a five-week recess, but Rehberg, Montana's only U.S. House member, said he returned to the nation's capital to join Republicans calling for action on a bill they say would help decrease record-high fuel prices.
“During the few days while I was back in Montana, I heard over and over from Montanans that Congress needs to solve the energy crisis, and solve it immediately,” he said. “It can't wait five weeks while Congress is on recess.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has refused to allow a vote on proposals to open sensitive areas to drilling, saying it won't lead to significant production or have any immediate effect on prices or supply.
The Montana Democratic Party also chimed in Tuesday, rapping Rehberg for consistently voting against Democratic proposals aimed at easing the energy crisis and instead supporting oil-company positions.
Party spokesman Kevin O'Brien said it's no surprise Rehberg “does the oil companies' bidding at every turn,” because he has accepted thousands in contributions from oil-and-gas interests.
The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics reports that Rehberg has received about $95,000 in campaign contributions from oil-and-gas interests since 2003 - about 3.5 percent of his $2.75 million in total contributions.
O'Brien noted that in the past three months, Rehberg voted against bills to fund more public transportation, to extend tax credits to renewable energy production, to release oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve and to crack down on oil speculators.
Over in the Senate, both of Montana's members - Democrats Max Baucus and Jon Tester - said Tuesday they support “responsible drilling” in some areas and increasing domestic oil production.
But Tester said more drilling for oil is just a “bridge” and “that without a long-term solution, the bridge won't lead us anywhere.”
Tester said he'd support a bipartisan solution that includes some drilling, conservation and “a serious investment in alternative energy.”
A proposal last week that includes these elements and is supported by Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and a group of 10 Republican and Democratic U.S. senators “is a darn good start, and I look forward to working together on the ideas that they put on the table,” Tester said.
Baucus said only that he was looking at the bipartisan proposal.
Tester and Baucus also noted that Republican senators have used filibusters in recent weeks to block legislation cracking down on oil speculators and extending tax credits for renewable energy, such as wind power.
“It's time for all of Congress to put tired political stunts aside and work together to do what's best for Montana and America,” Tester said.
Rehberg and fellow Republicans plan to take to the floor of the House on Wednesday - in the absence of any Democrats - and make speeches about why action is needed now.
“Folks in Montana are suffering from a constant strain on their pocketbooks,” Rehberg said. “They've asked me to come back and tell those stories.”
Through a spokesman, Rehberg also said he's disappointed that the Montana Democratic Party is politicizing the issue rather than looking for solutions.
“Denny isn't interested in politics; like all Montanans, he wants results,” said Bridger Pierce, communications director for Rehberg. “He's going to continue to roll up his sleeves and work to solve the problem.”
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