From 1996 to 2001, Rehberg managed the Rehberg Ranch near Billings. He oversaw a herd of 500 cattle and 600 cashmere goats.[6] After being elected to Congress, Rehberg gave up ranching, citing the difficulty of managing a herd whilst travelling between Montana and Washington D.C.[7][8]
Early political career
Staffer
In 1977 he began working as an intern in the Montana State Senate, and two years later he joined the Washington, D.C. staff of Montana U.S. Congressman Ron Marlenee as a legislative assistant. In 1982, Rehberg returned to farming, until running for the State House in 1984.
Montana legislature
Rehberg was elected then to the Montana State House of Representatives from 1985 to 1991, where he served three terms. In the legislature, he considered himself to be a fiscal conservative, and he advocated balancing the state budget without any tax increases. He was the only freshman member to serve on the House Appropriations Committee.
Lieutenant governor
In July 1991, Rehberg was appointed lieutenant governor by Governor Stan Stephens. He was subsequently elected to a full term in 1992.
As lieutenant governor, Rehberg sought to bring government back to the local level by traveling to all 56 counties every year. 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. Rehberg stepped down from his post to run for U.S. Senate.[9] He was succeeded as lieutenant governor by fellow Republican Judy Martz.
Incumbent Republican U.S. Congressman Rick Hill of Montana's at-large congressional district decided to retire after two terms in 2000. Rehberg decided to run and won the Republican primary with 74% of the vote.[11] In the general election, he defeated Democratic State School Superintendent Nancy Keenan 52%–46%.[12]
He won re-election to a sixth term against Democrat Dennis McDonald 60%–33%.[17]
Tenure
National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act (H.R. 1505)
In 2012 Rehberg co-sponsored H.R. 1505,[18] which would waive environmental laws that would otherwise prevent the Department of Homeland Security from constructing roads, fences, and forward operating bases in national parks and wilderness areas within 100 miles of the international border. Homeland Security would not have to inform affected parties before pursuing these activities.[19] The bill's dissenters claim that it "employs a manufactured conflict with border security to weaken [environmental laws]." The Department of Homeland Security called the bill "unnecessary and bad policy" since DHS already has a memorandum of understanding allowing them to enter these lands without prior approval.[20]
Economic record
On April 15, 2011, Rehberg was one of four Republican members of Congress to vote against The Path to Prosperity.[21]
Pell grants and school lunches
After having scrutinized the Pell Grant program as one that was 'expanding' too quickly, congressman Rehberg set his sights on the free school lunch program as a program where there was potential of taxpayers being ripped off, although the state Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau expressed the real concern that not enough families that qualify request the assistance.[22]
Rehberg served on the Military Quality of Life and Foreign Operations Subcommittees of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations. In 2007, he voted against the Mandatory Troop Rest Periods between Deployments to Iraq bill (creates a mandatory rest period between deployments to Iraq for members of the Armed Forces, passed) and against the Redeployment from Iraq Act (reduces the presence of the U.S. armed forces in Iraq by April 1, 2008, passed).[25]
Environmental record
Rehberg describes himself as "a lifelong steward of the land". He voted against the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 and against the Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE) Act of 2001.[26] He is currently one of the foremost critics on keeping the gray wolf on the endangered species list.[27]
On environmental issues, Rehberg has also been given low ratings by interest groups. Environment America gave him an 8% rating in 2008, and 27% rating in 2009. Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund gave him a 13% rating. In his position statement on Economic Development, he said "Our [Montana's] coal and natural gas reserves stretch for hundreds of years into the future, and we can turn them into much needed energy."
Dennis Rehberg states opposition to the Shays-Meehan bill from 1998, of which he says it "stripped freedom of speech rights from Montana citizens." Aside from the bill, he makes a point to say he supports full and open disclosure laws for campaign finance reform.
LGBT issues
Rehberg opposes same-sex marriage, and supports a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman.[28] He voted against the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, a bill that amends the Federal definition of a hate crime to include gender identity and sexual orientation. The bill passed, 237 to 180.[29] In the December 26, 1994, issue of Newsweek, p. 83, then lieutenant governor Rehberg was quoted as saying, "The problem with AIDS is: you got it, you die. So why are we spending money on the issue?" when discussing cuts to the state's hospital budget.[30]
On February 6, 2011, Rehberg announced that he would challenge Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) in 2012.[32] The outcome of the race was expected to have a significant impact on which party controlled the United States Senate during the 113th Congress.[33]
According to Salon, it was a "race that pundits are saying could be a tough challenge for Tester."[34] Political scientist Larry Sabato predicted a narrow Rehberg victory, pointing out that Rehberg had led in 10 of 13 recent polls.[35] However, Tester eventually defeated Rehberg, 48.7%–44.8%.[36]
2014 U.S. House election
When after one term in the U.S. House Steve Daines ran for the U.S. Senate, Rehberg considered running for his old House seat, but ultimately declined.[37] The seat was ultimately won by Republican Ryan Zinke.
2024 U.S. House election
Rehberg ran in 2024 in the primary for Montana's 2nd congressional district, which was held by Representative Matt Rosendale. Rehberg was criticized by foreign policy experts and human rights activists over the fact that he previously lobbied as a registered foreign agent at the firm Mercury Public Affairs for Hikvision, a Chinese state-owned video surveillance company that was sanctioned by the U.S. government for aiding China's government in the detainment and surveillance of Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in China [38][39][40]
Rehberg lobbied for Hikvision against U.S. sanctions while working at Mercury, though claimed to the Washington Examiner in May 2024 that he "has no knowledge or idea of what happened” in China with Hikvision, seeking to distance himself from the company's activities.[38]Rushan Abbas, a Uyghur American activist and advocate from the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in China, said it's “extremely disappointing” Rehberg prioritized “profit from China’s blood money over human rights and human dignity."[41][42]
“Unless he denounces or publicly apologizes for what he did, he should not be elected to represent the American people,” Rushan Abbas told the Washington Examiner.[38][43]
Personal life
Rehberg married his high school sweetheart, Jan, a water attorney who represents farmers and ranchers. They have been married for over 25 years and have three children, A.J., Katie, and Elsie. He is an Episcopalian.[44]
Wealth
With a net worth of between $6.5 and $54 million, Rehberg was the fourteenth-richest U.S. Representative in the House in 2008.[45] In an April 2011 town hall meeting video released by the Montana Democratic Party, he told an audience member that he was "land-rich and cash-poor" and "struggling like everyone else."[46]
Boating crash
On the night of Thursday, August 27, 2009, while in the area for a series of town hall forums on healthcare, Rehberg was a passenger in a boating accident near Bigfork, Montana on Flathead Lake. Montana State Senate Majority Whip Greg Barkus was driving the boat.[34][47]
Rehberg, Barkus and his wife Kathy, and two Rehberg aides, Dustin Frost and Kristin Smith, were hospitalized in Kalispell following the accident, which took place sometime between 10pm and midnight. Frost, Rehberg's then 27-year-old state director in Montana, suffered a brain injury. Frost was in a coma for more than a week.[47]
Rehberg sustained a broken ankle and rib fractures.[48]
Law enforcement agents investigated the cause of the accident, including "how fast the boat was going, who was driving, and 'whether alcohol and drugs were involved.'" [47] Barkus "was found to have a blood alcohol content of .16 two hours after the accident. Despite the fact that, according to a witness quoted in the criminal complaint, Barkus had been drinking scotch and wine at a lakeside restaurant that night, Rehberg later said he 'was surprised to learn the results of Greg's blood alcohol test'."[34] Rehberg released his BAC, measured several hours after the crash, at an alleged 0.05 percent.[49]
Barkus, who had other driving violations and previously had plea bargained a DUI case down, ultimately pleaded no contest to a felony criminal endangerment charge. He was given a four-year deferred sentence, probation, paid $4,000 in restitution and a $25,000 fine.[50]
Lawsuit against the City of Billings
In July 2010, Rehberg's corporation that has developed a subdivision on his former ranch land sued the City of Billings for calling back firefighters from protecting trees and some scrub brush. The City of Billings had recently annexed a significant amount of undeveloped grass-land, including Rehberg's ranch, and had not developed a firefighting policy for wildfires, which are significantly different from structure fires. When the fire flared again, the city firefighters had to return to put out the fire after significant damage was done.[51] While the suit was filed in July, Rehberg and his wife did not push forward with litigation, given the political pressures of the 2010 Congressional campaign.[52]
The city of Billings spent nearly $21,000 defending itself against the lawsuit before it was dropped by Rehberg.[53]
