WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today responded to the President’s FY 2013 budget which, despite raising taxes by $1.5 trillion incurs a $901 billion deficit for 2013.  The budget is full of payoffs for political allies and gimmicks to make smoke and mirrors look like real cuts.

“A budget is a starting point, and we’ve sure got a ways to go on this one.  I appreciate that the President has offered a budget, something the Senate hasn’t done for more than three years.  That being said, the President isn’t being straight with the American people, and I think Montanans deserve better.  Accounting tricks and budget gimmicks aren’t going to solve our problems and put people to work.  Let’s stop giving special deals to special interests and start working together to make government work more effectively and efficiently for everyone.  We need an honest, fair, long-term budget that meets the challenges we face today so our kids don’t have even bigger challenges tomorrow.  That will require a realization that we’ve simply got more government than we need or can afford.  We can do better by setting priorities and making sure Washington doesn’t balance the budget on the backs of hardworking rural taxpayers.  This is America.  Working together we can get this right.”