January 11, 2009

 

Delegation eyes economy, energy

By FAITH BREMNER
Tribune Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — Putting the nation's economy back on track and boosting energy production will be top priorities for Montana's federal lawmakers during the 111th Congress that began last week.

Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, will play a leading role in crafting and potentially passing a proposed $800 billion economic stimulus plan. About half of the money would be used for tax cuts for the middle class and small businesses, and to help states pay medical costs for the poor, under a plan proposed by President-elect Barack Obama. Those components of the economic stimulus plan fall under the jurisdiction of Baucus' committee.

Other portions of the stimulus money, reportedly about $85 billion, would be given to states to build and repair roads and bridges, shore up transit systems and build environmental improvement projects.

The stimulus package is being worked on feverishly in an effort to help curb the nationwide recession.

On Friday the Department of Labor said in a news release that the country lost 524,000 jobs in December, continuing an economic downturn. The country lost 533,000 jobs in November, after losing 403,000 jobs in September and 320,000 jobs in October.

Baucus said he hopes to hold hearings on the Democrats' stimulus plan this week.

"I've said many times and I'll keep saying it — my No. 1, 2 and 3 priorities are good-paying jobs for Montanans," Baucus said. "(I'll be doing) everything I can do to get more dollars in Montanans' pockets."

Fellow Democratic Sen. Jon Tester said he will look for strong oversight measures to ensure the infrastructure money is spent wisely.

"It's critically important that, whatever dollars we spend, we make sure it gets to the ground to really help the economy and build infrastructure, and it will pay back for generations to come," said Tester, who last year voted against legislation bailing out the banking and auto industries.

Montana's lone House member, Republican Denny Rehberg, said he will look for opportunities to rein in government spending to offset some costs of the stimulus plan during the current session.

"I'm going to be working very hard to scrutinize the various stimulus packages ... trying to interject spending discipline, rather than just throwing money at problems, which seems like what they attempted to do in the last two bailouts," Rehberg said. "I opposed them for very good reasons."

Baucus voted in favor of the bank bailout in October but against the auto bailout in December.

One thing the three lawmakers agree on is the need to encourage energy production, despite the recent drop in gasoline prices.

"People should be every bit as worried and desirous to come up with a meaningful, comprehensive energy policy when the price of gasoline is down as when it's up because it's going to come back up again," Rehberg said. "(Montana has) literally a plethora of inventory — wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, oil and gas, and our forte is really in coal."

Tester, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said he will work on cutting red tape for renewable energy projects and transmission lines needed to move that electricity to markets, such as the $140 million Montana-Alberta Tie Line.

"That line took three years to get authorized and that's way too long," Tester said. "We can do better than that, and we will if we get the kind of language in the statutes that will allow the agencies to do better work."

A top priority for Baucus will be leading the charge to reform the nation's health care system. Baucus formally presented his ideas on health care reform in November and the feedback has been positive so far, he said.

His proposal calls for preserving the existing employer-provided health insurance system while creating a nationwide insurance pool with affordable rates for people who can't afford sufficient health insurance.

"A lot has to be worked through there, it's very complicated but extremely important," Baucus said. "Health costs are just way, way too much for Montanans and other people in the country."