WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release and letter: U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) led 7 of her colleagues in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas requesting that the Department withdraw a proposal that would raise fees for farmers and small businesses who sponsor foreign national workers. The proposal would also add a $600 fee to pay for President Biden's broken asylum program. Blackburn w  more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) recently joined with a bipartisan group of colleagues to reintroduce the Major Richard Star Act- legislation led by U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)--to provide combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of military service their full benefits. "Our veterans in West Virginia put sacrifice before self in their service   more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: At a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing on President Biden's FY2024 budget, Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said that after two years of economic mismanagement that contributed to record-high inflation and excessive deficit spending, the Biden Administration is doubling down with more of the same in its budget. Noting that Americans want Congress to exercise fiscal restraint, Crapo urged Treasury Secreta  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined legislation that would blacklist China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from investing in, purchasing or otherwise acquiring land or businesses involved in agriculture. "Idaho's agriculture industry is a precious resource that should be protected from foreign adversaries," Crapo said. "Our Idaho farmers and ranchers need to know their concerns regarding national security a  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: At a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing on President Biden's Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget, Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) questioned U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on elements of the true cause of this week's Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) failure, noting issues with inflation and reports that Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) board members slow-walked decisions that would have better protec  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following remarks on March 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 on the President's fiscal year 2024 budget with the U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. The text of Ranking Member Crapo's remarks, as prepared, is below. "Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and welcome to today's hearing, Secretary Yellen. "I appreciate you   more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined with more than 40 Republican senators to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to prevent the Biden Administration's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from enforcing an anti-Second Amendment pistol brace rule. The rule, titled Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached Stabilizing Braces, would reclassify pistols  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas requesting that the Department withdraw a proposal that would raise fees  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined 33 of their Senate Republican colleagues to stop the U.S. Department of Defense's (DOD) travel abortion policy. Last year, President Biden's DOD announced it would pay for servicemembers' and their dependents' travel expenses to receive an abortion. "Americans work far too hard to watch their tax dollars be used on questionabl  more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) introduced the Traveler's Gun Rights Act. This legislation would update federal law to account for various residency-related issues facing full-time Recreational Vehicle (RV) travelers, individuals with multiple physical residences, active duty military personnel and military spouses. "No law-abiding American should be denie  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 15, 2023: In an interview with Larry Kudlow on Fox Business, U.S. Senate Banking Committee Member and former Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) talked about the failed economic policies that contributed to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank over the weekend, noting that any attempt to blame the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act is merely blame-shifting. "This  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 16, 2023: Congressman Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) introduced the Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act to fully extend eligibility for the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) program for federal forest restoration and management projects to Tribes and counties as well as increase opportunities for cross-boundary r  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies issued the following testimony by Fort Hall Business Council Vice Chair Donna Thompson involving a hearing on March 8, 2023, entitled "American Indian and Alaska Native Public Witness Day 1": * * * My name is Donna Thompson, and I serve as the Vice Chair of the Fort Hall Business Council, the governing body of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes (Tribes) located in southeast Idaho. The Tribes a  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressmen Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher with Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) yesterday cosponsored the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2023. The legislation was introduced in both chambers of Congress and would create a Clean Water Act exemption for federal, state, local, and tribal firefighting agenci  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher (all R-Idaho), with Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) and Representative Doug LaMalfa (R-California), introduced the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2023. The legislation was introduced in both chambers of Congress and would create a Clean Water Act exemption for federal, state, local and tribal fi  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 15, 2023: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressmen Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher with Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) yesterday cosponsored the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2023. The legislation was introduced in both chambers of Congress and would create a Clean Water Act exemption for federal, state, local, and tribal   more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 15, 2023: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressmen Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher with Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) yesterday cosponsored the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2023. The legislation was introduced in both chambers of Congress and would create a Clean Water Act exemption for federal, state, local, and tribal   more

BOISE, Idaho, March 15 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 14, 2023: Last week, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) sat down with Idaho Governor Brad Little, Governor Butch Otter, and Governor Dirk Kempthorne on Idaho Public Television to remember their friend, mentor, and former Idaho Governor Phil Batt. "Phil Batt was above all a fun guy. A fun guy to hang out with . . . Phil's first love was his family. There's no question about it . . . "And he loved corn  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), senior member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, led 19 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen condemning the Biden administration's latest a  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter: U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas requesting that the Department withdraw a proposal that would raise fee  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined 33 of their Senate Republican colleagues to stop the DoD's travel abortion policy. Last year, President Biden's Department of Defense (DoD) announced it would pay for service members' and their dependents' travel expenses to receive an abortion. "No taxpayer dollars should be used for any portion of the abortion process. Even  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and John Kennedy (R-La.), with more than 40 Republican senators introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to prevent the Biden administration's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from enforcing an anti-Second Amendment pistol brace rule. The rule, titled Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached Stabilizing Braces, wou  more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced the Traveler's Gun Rights Act. This legislation would update federal law to account for various residency-related issues facing full-time Recreational Vehicle (RV) travelers, individuals with multiple physical residences, active duty military personnel and military spouses. "An individual's decision not to hold a traditi  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 17, 2023: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), a senior member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, introduced the International Nuclear Energy Act (INEA). This bipartisan legislation aims to support the U.S. domestic nuclear energy industry's leadership and offset China and Russia's growing influen  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: After two years of policies that have led to record-high inflation and excessive deficit spending, the Administration is doubling down with more of the same 'cutting room floor' tax-and-spend proposals that fail to deliver what Americans want or need, and have been rejected by both political parties. "The President's budget calls for nearly $5 trillion in new and increased taxes," said Senate Finance Committee  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following column on March 13, 2023: * * * Weekly Column: Message To IRS--Uphold Hardworking Idaho Taxpayers' Rights * * * The Internal Revenue Code requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner, and all IRS employees, to 'act in accord' with codified taxpayer rights, including: the right to be informed; the right to quality service; the right to challenge the position of the IRS and be heard; the right to privacy; and th  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- 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 President Biden's FY2024 budget, Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said that after two years of economic mismanagement that contributed to record-high inflation and excessive deficit spending, the Biden Administration is doubling down with more of the same in its budget. Noting that Americans want Congress to exercis  more

WASHINGTON, March 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 on the President's fiscal year 2024 budget with the U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. The text of Ranking Member Crapo's remarks, as prepared, is below. "Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and welcome to today's hearing,   more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: After two years of policies that have led to record-high inflation and excessive deficit spending, the Administration is doubling down with more of the same 'cutting room floor' tax-and-spend proposals that fail to deliver what Americans want or need, and have been rejected by both political parties. "The President's budget calls for nearly $5 trillion in new an  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter: Senate Finance Committee Republicans, led by Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), urged government health officials to take steps to prevent adverse outcomes for patients who rely on Medicare Advantage (MA) following a February 2023 proposal from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The proposal includes changes to the diagnostic system for some chronic conditions, including diabetes and  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release and letter: Senate Finance Committee Republicans, led by Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), urged government health officials to take steps to prevent adverse outcomes for patients who rely on Medicare Advantage (MA) following a February 2023 proposal from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The proposal includes changes to the diagnostic system for  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on March 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 led 38 colleagues in introducing a resolution condemning Beijing's destruction of Hong Kong's democracy and rule of law in addition to its political persecution of Jimmy Lai and other pro-democracy a  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on March 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 the future of U.S.-Brazil relations. The witnesses included The Honorable Brian Nichols, assistant secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs, and Mr. Richard Duke, d  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on March 15, 2023: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today met with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi: Risch and Menendez with IAEA Director General Grossi "I was glad to once again welcome IAEA Director General Grossi to the Capitol today to discuss the mo  more

WASHINGTON, March 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 Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, reintroduced the International Nuclear Energy Act (INEA). Initially introduced in the 117th Congress, this bipartisan legislation promotes engagement with ally and partner   more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on March 13, 2023: * * * U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the joint announcement from the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom regarding Pillar One of AUKUS: "The Indo-Pacific faces a direct threat from China, and there is nothing more importan  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) in introducing a resolution condemning Beijing's destruction of Hong Kong's democracy and rule of law in addition to its political persecution of Jimmy Lai and other pro-democracy advocates. This resolution: * Condemns the Chinese government's "Hong Kong national security law" and related human rights   more