WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following remarks on Feb. 16, 2023: * * * U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, delivered the following remarks at a hearing entitled, "Ending Trade that Cheats American Workers By Modernizing Trade Laws and Enforcement, Fighting Forced Labor, Eliminating Counterfeits, and Leveling the Playing Field." The text of Ranking Member Crapo's remarks, as prepared, is below. "Thank you, Mr.   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following remarks on Feb. 15, 2023: * * * U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, delivered the following remarks at hearing to consider the nomination of Daniel Werfel to be Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner. The text of Ranking Member Crapo's remarks, as prepared, is below. "Mr. Werfel, thank you for your willingness to serve and answer our questions. "The IRS exists solel  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) is prioritizing pro-military legislation aimed at refocusing priorities and strengthening readiness during the 118th Congress. "Our military should continue to focus on combatting increasing national security threats, not advancing distracting agendas and radical ideologies," said Crapo. "While the Department of Defense ending its vaccine mandate for servicemembers is a welcome  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined a group of 12 additional Senators in introducing legislation to reauthorize the Debbie Smith Act, which would provide state and local law enforcement agencies with resources to complete forensic analyses of crime scenes and untested rape kits. "Making sure resources are in place to support prompt and thorough forensic investigations that bring perpetrators of crime to ju  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) led a group of 25 additional Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Hearing Protection Act (HPA). The HPA, S. 401, would reclassify suppressors to regulate them like a regular firearm. The measure would benefit Idaho's recreational gun users and provide them better access to hearing protection equipment. "The Hearing Protection Act will benefit Idaho's sportswomen and men by en  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) and six additional co-sponsors in introducing the Food and Energy Security Act, which would prohibit the Biden Administration from forcing its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda onto the American economy. Specifically, the bill would require federal financial regulators to estimate the impact of their  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: With a looming battle over the nation's debt and borrowing authority, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi) and 21 additional Senators to introduce a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution to force the President and Congress to enact annual balanced budgets. The joint resolution (S.J.Res.13) proposes a constitutional amendment to establ  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on Feb. 16, 2023: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jon Tester (D-Montana) today announced the reintroduction of the Major Richard Star Act--bipartisan legislation to provide combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of military service their full benefits. Currently, only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount of the  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senate Finance Committee Republicans, led by Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), reintroduced a bill to prevent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from using its $80 billion infusion of taxpayer dollars included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to squeeze more revenue out of hardworking taxpayers who earn less than $400,000 per year. "Advocates claim they do not intend for the IRS to increase audits o  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release on Feb. 15, 2023: Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) in introducing the Hearing Protection Act (HPA) to help law-abiding gun owners better access suppressors to preserve their hearing and safety. The HPA would reclassify suppressors so that they receive the same regulation as traditional firearms, removing regulatory burdens. "Making it easier to buy and transfer suppressors w  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following statement on Feb. 17, 2023: * * * Access to the courts and fair legal representation is the backbone of the American justice system. Unfortunately, as the legal community in Idaho well knows, our state is facing a federal judicial crisis caused by an overburdened court system that threatens access to justice. With too many cases pending before too few federal judges and a court of appeals that is too massive and unwieldy t  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Alabama, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 17, 2023, and letter: U.S. Representatives Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, along with U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Finance, and other Senate Republican colleagues introduced the Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act, which would prevent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from implementing Democrats' plan to give the agency access to  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jim Risch, member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, announced the selection of The Shoe and Tack Shop in Jerome as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for February 2023. "The Shoe and Tack Shop represents everything that makes Idaho great-- a close sense of community, a commitment to integrity, and a respect for the cowboy way of life. Steve and   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: With a looming battle over the nation's debt and borrowing authority, U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho) joined Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and 21 additional Senators to introduce a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution to force the President and Congress to enact annual balanced budgets. The joint resolution, S.J.Res.13, proposes a constitutional amendment to establish r  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho) reintroduced the Grizzly Bear State Management Act of 2023 alongside Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.). This bill would remove grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) from the endangered species list and shift management of the grizzlies to wildlife scientists in the states. Both Sen  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho) led a group of 24 additional Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Hearing Protection Act (HPA). The HPA, S. 401, would reclassify suppressors to regulate them like a regular firearm. The measure would benefit Idaho's recreational gun users and provide them better access to hearing protection equipment. "Idaho's sportsmen and women want to safely and legall  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho) and Ted Budd (R-N.C.) introduced the Build the Wall Now Act, which requires border wall reconstruction to restart within 24 hours of the bill being signed into law, removes legal impediments to construction, and unlocks $2.1 billion in federal funding that was previously allocated for wall construction. "Border walls work. It successfully deters illegal immigrat  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on Feb. 15, 2023: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Steve Daines (R-Mont) today introduced the Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination (FIND) Act to stop the federal government from entering into contracts with entities that promote anti-Second Amendment policies. "The Second Amendment is ingrained in America and Idaho's culture and way of life. If a business promotes anti-Second Amendment rhetoric, it should f  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on Feb. 14, 2023: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today led 12 Senators in signing an amicus brief supporting a lawsuit challenging the Food and Drug Administration's approval and deregulation of chemical abortion drugs. The brief, authored by Americans United for Life, has been filed in the case of Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA , which is pending before the Northern   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced the Women's Public Health and Safety Act, which gives states the authority to exclude abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood, from receiving state Medicaid funds. Under current law, states are required to allow any qualified provider to participate in a state's Medicaid system. A non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) re  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on Feb. 11, 2023: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement in response to the Biden Administration's "general license" related to Syria. The move undermines longstanding U.S. po  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), with Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.,) introduced legislation to develop the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain, decrease U.S. dependence on Russia, and combat Russia's dominance in enriched uranium production. "Enriched uranium is key to unlocking the boundless potential for clean and reliable nuclear energy. Just as importantly, it's a pillar of Ame  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) joined Neil Cavuto on Fox News to discuss the Chinese spy balloon and the recent objects removed from North America's air space. In the interview, Senator Risch said: "The administration has been slow to react to this from the beginning. This was an invasion of the U.S. by a balloon that belonged to the Chinese government. It was sent in intentionally. It was spying intentionally.   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, delivered the following remarks at a hearing entitled, "Ending Trade that Cheats American Workers By Modernizing Trade Laws and Enforcement, Fighting Forced Labor, Eliminating Counterfeits, and Leveling the Playing Field." The text of Ranking Member Crapo's remarks, as prepare  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, delivered the following remarks at hearing to consider the nomination of Daniel Werfel to be Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner. The text of Ranking Member Crapo's remarks, as prepared, is below. "Mr. Werfel, thank you for your willingness to serve and answer our qu  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: At a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing on the nomination of Danny Werfel to be the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) secured commitments from Mr. Werfel to be transparent and accountable to hardworking American taxpayers, if confirmed. Senator Crapo pushed Mr. Werfel for commitments to make funding plans for  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senate Finance Committee Republicans, led by Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), reintroduced a bill to prevent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from using its $80 billion infusion of taxpayer dollars included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to squeeze more revenue out of hardworking taxpayers who earn less than $400,000 per year. "Advocates claim th  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following column on Feb. 13, 2023: * * * Providing For The Common Defense * * * "We should deal in a spirit of justice and fairness with weaker nations, and we should show to the strongest that we are able to maintain our rights. . . . Let us speak courteously, deal fairly, and keep ourselves armed and ready."--26th President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt, speech on May 13, 1903 * * * In December, Congress passed and th  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 15, 2023: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today led 13 colleagues in reintroducing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency Accountability and Transparency Act . This legislation outlines a comprehensive approach to cease U.S. contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Finance, and other Senate Republican colleagues introduced the Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act, which will block future progressive polit  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement at a hearing on Feb. 16, 2023, entitled "Ending Trade that Cheats American Workers By Modernizing Trade Laws and Enforcement, Fighting Forced Labor, Eliminating Counterfeits and Leveling the Playing Field": * * * "Before we begin, I will mention two things--particularly since this is the Committee's first trade hearing of the new Congress. "First, I welcome Ms. Cindy  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 15, 2023: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee hearing on countering illicit fentanyl trafficking. The witnesses included The Honorable Todd Robinson, assistant secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enf  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 16, 2023: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee nominations hearing for Richard R. Verma nominee to be to be deputy secretary of State for management and resources. Ranking Member Risch gave the following remarks: "Thank you, Mr. Ch  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Delaware, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) reintroduced the Securing Allies Food in Emergencies Act (SAFE Act), legislation that responds to the ongoing global food crisis created by Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine by improving the timeliness, and expanding the reach of, U.S. international food assistance. "Climate change, public health threats, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine ha  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, were joined by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) in introducing bipartisan legislation to bolster support for families advocating for the release of their loved ones wrongfully or unlawfully deta  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 16, 2023: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), co-chair of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and author of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, today reintroduced a resolution recognizing Russian actions in Ukraine, which include forced deportations to Russ  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Chris Coons (D-Del.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies, yesterday reintroduced the Securing Allies Food in Emergencies Act (SAFE Act), legislation to respond to the ongoing  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 15, 2023: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today joined in introducing legislation to better protect civilians in the Middle East from Iran's weaponized unmanned aerial systems. "The threat from Iranian drones is reshaping the security environment a  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, were joined by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) in introducing bipartisan legislation to bolster support for families advocating for the release of their loved ones wrongfully or unlawfully detaine  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 16, 2023: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, along with U.S. Representatives Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the House Armed Se  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news: Continuing their push to deliver veterans the benefits they have earned, Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) reintroduced the Major Richard Star Act--bipartisan legislation to provide combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of military service their full benefits. Currently, only veterans wit  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on Feb. 15, 2023: Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today highlighted the inclusion of the Healing Idaho Community Development Project in the FY23 Omnibus package that was signed into law on December 29, 2022. The project was included in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill at Congressman Simpson's request through Community Project Funding (CPF). "This project is a wonderful exam  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on Feb. 17, 2023: Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today highlighted the inclusion of College of Southern Idaho's (CSI's) Jerome Education and Training Center Project in the FY23 Omnibus package that was signed into law December 29, 2022. The project was included in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill at Congressman Simpson's request through   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on Feb. 14, 2023: Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today highlighted the inclusion of the McCammon Fire Station Project in the FY23 Omnibus package that was signed into law on December 29, 2022. The project was included in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill at Congressman Simpson's request through Community Project Funding (CPF). "Contrary   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: Continuing their push to deliver veterans the benefits they have earned, Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) reintroduced the Major Richard Star Act--bipartisan legislation to provide combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of military service their full benefits. Currently, only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and mo  more