Letter to the Editor - Zinke has failed our trust

Editor,

Congressman Ryan Zinke we appreciate your military service. Largely because of that service, we Montanans hired you to represent us in Washington. We certainly believe in giving a vet a shot. We had hoped that a spirit of patriotism would have molded your service in the U.S. House. You were sent there to get positive things done. Now it’s time for your performance evaluation. What legislation have you sponsored and shepherded through the legislature that has become law and had a positive impact on us? I think we know the answer. Zero.

Denise Juneau has a stellar record of managing the Office of Public Instruction. Student performance is improving, particularly in reservation schools. I can tell you from experience as a superintendent of a reservation school that this is no small achievement. She is 100 percent opposed to the sale or transfer of our public lands. You, Congressman Zinke, supported a budget that would sell off our public lands and kill our $6 billion recreation economy and destroy 64,000 jobs. Denise Juneau’s votes on the land board have helped to generate $516 million for our public schools. You, Congressman Zinke, signed a pledge that included resolutions to dismantle our public lands. On the land board Denise Juneau voted to open up nearly 40,000 acres to public access and sell 406 million board feet of timber creating more than 4,000 jobs across Montana. We need a leader in the U.S. House who will push important bills like the Wildfire Disaster Funder Act, The Recreation Not Red Tape Act, the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act and full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The latter should be fully funded and permanently reauthorized. This fund has made possible the many city parks we have across the state including baseball fields that are used heavily by our youth and Giant Springs Park in Great Falls. Congressman Zinke, you voted to cut $128 million from this already shrinking fund.

Denise Juneau and sportsmen and conservation groups oppose HR 2316, that would transfer the management of our public lands to state politically appointed boards. Congressman Zinke, you voted for HR 2316. No wonder you have a 3 percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters and a 0 percent rating from the Montana Sportsmen Alliance.

Congressman Zinke, you have failed our trust miserably. Fool us once shame on you. Fool us twice … I don’t think so.

Leo Beardsley

Havre