It’s official: Rehberg fails to pass Farm Bill

Congressman silently allows Farm Bill to expire for first time in 39 years

BILLINGS, Mont. – It’s official: Lobbyist-turned-congressman Dennis Rehberg allowed the Farm Bill to expire—something that hasn’t happened since 1973.

Because of Rehberg’s failed leadership, the Farm Bill will expire on September 30. Farmers and ranchers face record drought and wildfires across Montana.

Rehberg holds a leadership position in the U.S. House of Representatives. Last week he told KFBB-TV in Great Falls, Mont., that “Congress needs to stay in session until its work is done. Period.”

This week, Rehberg didn’t get his work done.

“Does that mean Lobbyist Dennis Rehberg will be staying in Washington until he gets the job done, or will he return to Montana to try and explain why he neglected to be a leader in Congress?” said Montanans for Tester spokeswoman Alexandra Fetissoff. “Either way, Congressman Rehberg gave us nothing but lip service while failing to put Montana first.”

Jon Tester, the U.S. Senate’s only working farmer, worked across party lines to pass a Farm Bill in the Senate months ago. The bipartisan Farm Bill Tester supports saves taxpayers $23 million.

But Rehberg continues to give lip service to Montanans, telling the Associated Press that the measure is “far too important for too many Montanans to let election-year politics get in the way of doing the right thing.”

“Congressman Rehberg needs to stop making excuses and he needs to start explaining why he didn’t go to the mat to get this important measure passed for Montana,” Fetissoff said.

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