U.S. Congressman Denny Rehberg, in his fourth term representing the state of Montana, is a fifth generation Montana rancher, with more than a quarter century of ranching and public service experience.
In 1977 he began his life-long dedication to public service by working as an intern in the Montana State Senate and two years later he joined the Washington, D.C. staff of Montana Congressman Ron Marlenee as a legislative assistant. In 1982, Denny returned to Montana and the family business of ranching.
In 1984, Rehberg was again called to public service when his fellow Montanans elected him to the state House of Representatives. After serving three successful terms where he led the effort to bring fiscal accountability to state government, balanced the budget and fought off attempts to raise taxes, Denny was appointed Lieutenant Governor by Governor Stan Stephens.
Following his appointed term, Rehberg joined the statewide ticket with Attorney General and candidate for Governor Marc Racicot and was elected to his first full term as Montana's Lieutenant Governor in 1992.
As Lieutenant Governor, Denny sought to bring government back to the local level by traveling to all 56 counties every year - a practice he has maintained as Montana's Congressman. 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.
A life long steward of the land, Denny managed the Rehberg Ranch near Billings prior to his election to Congress, where he oversaw a herd of 500 cattle and 600 cashmere goats.
Since 2001, Denny Rehberg has served as Montana’s sole member in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Denny serves as a member of the highly regarded U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, which has budget jurisdiction of the 13 annual spending bills and controls one-third of the federal government's $2.5 trillion budget. He serves on two Appropriation Subcommittees:
- Labor Health and Human Services
- Financial Services
In the wake of the terrible tragedies of September 11th, Congressman Rehberg has been an outspoken proponent of common sense reform. He has joined successful majorities in voting to re-build America's neglected military infrastructure, eliminate the failed INS agency in favor of a more accountable system and dramatically increase efforts to secure America's borders.
Congressman Rehberg's priorities for the future are clear: he wants to ensure American security at home and abroad, provide for a quality public education so that every child has the ability to achieve his or her fullest potential, and is committed to keeping America's promise to our senior citizens by preserving Social Security and Medicare, which now offers a comprehensive prescription drug benefit.
Denny Rehberg has been happily married to his high school sweetheart, Jan, for over 25 years. Together they have three children, A.J. (22), Katie (18), and Elsie (8). A graduate of Washington State University (1977), Rehberg attended Billings West High School and Montana State University.
