WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, released the results of a recent survey conducted through his electronic newsletter regarding congressional earmarks.  The survey showed more than 88-percent of 3,710 respondents support Rehberg’s decision not to pursue earmarks for this fiscal year, and 90-percent indicated they support reduced spending even if it meant Montana would get less federal funding.

“While I don’t need a survey to tell me what I’ve been hearing at listening sessions around the state for the last year, these results really do a great job of showing how fed up Montanans are with the out-of-control spending in Congress,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “Montanans know there is no such thing as a free lunch, and they want Congress to stop trying to spend its way out of every problem.”

The survey was emailed to Montanans on March 30, after Rehberg joined House Republicans in declaring a moratorium on earmarks for fiscal year 2011.  This moratorium comes in the wake of a year that saw record spending, record deficits and record expansions of government.

“When folks see earmarks, they see red,” said Rehberg.  “It’s time to stop talking about making tough spending reforms and time to start making them.  This is the first step to do exactly that.”