WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release and letter: Senate Finance Committee Republicans, led by U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), are calling on the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to investigate recent allegations of unjust targeting and preferential treatment in high-profile cases by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The senators' request is grounded in two new  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following statement on May 9, 2023: * * * Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the following statement on recent efforts to undermine the Supreme Court and rule of law. "Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing at which Ranking Member Graham described a concentrated effort by the left to try to undermine the legitimacy of the United States Supreme Court. There were also letters written th  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) introduced legislation designating U.S. Highway 20, which runs from Oregon to Massachusetts, the "National Medal of Honor Highway." "Our nation's Medal of Honor recipients represent the bravest among us," said Crapo. "Their selflessness, sacrifice and sense of duty should be recognized and celebrated. I am proud to support the designatio  more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on May 11, 2023: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Mike (both R-Idaho) today voted to restore the 2020 definition of "habitat" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which provided needed clarity and transparency to landowners and businesses in Idaho and throughout the west. The Biden administration reversed of the 2020 definition of "habitat" in June 2022. Senators Crapo, Risch, Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyom  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) introduced legislation to protect multiple use policy on federal lands. The legislation blocks the Bureau of Land Management's proposed Public Lands Rule. "Idahoans are excellent stewards of public lands in our state," said Crapo. "If implemented, this rule will erode tenets of multiple-use from our public lands. This rule threatens   more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letters: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi) and James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) sent letters to seven major U.S. pharmacies outlining the companies' obligations under federal and state laws--including longstanding federal laws that criminalize the mailing and interstate shipment of abortion drugs--regarding the sale of abortion drugs. The letters to CVS, Walgreens  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho), John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen raising concerns with the Federal Insurance Office's (FIO's) efforts to force the Biden administration's unrealistic environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda onto the state-regulated insurance industry. This cou  more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following statement on May 10, 2023: * * * Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), House Ways & Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-Massachusetts) released the following statement on a bipartisan, bicameral effort to alleviate double taxation between the United States and Taiwan: "Addressing cross-border economic burdens currently faced   more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release on May 12, 2023: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) in introducing a bill to require the U.S. State Department to release a public, unclassified version of the July 13, 2021, internal dissent channel cable that reportedly warned of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the Taliban's ability to capture Kabul. The bill would also re  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release and letters: U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) led colleagues in letters to seven major U.S. pharmacies that warn them of their obligations under federal and state laws, including longstanding federal laws that criminalize the mailing and interstate shipment of abortion drugs. U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Roger Mars  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter: U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and U.S. Congressmen Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher (all R-Idaho) wrote the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tracy Stone-Manning regarding her department's efforts to change the multiple-use approach of federal land management and the Biden administration's failure to hold in-person public meetings in Idaho regarding this proposed rule. "Idaho has  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter: U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and U.S. Congressmen Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher (all R-Idaho) wrote the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tracy Stone-Manning regarding her department's efforts to change the multiple-use approach of federal land management and the Biden administration's failure to hold in-person public meetings in Idaho regarding this proposed rule. "Idaho has  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter on May 11, 2023: U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and U.S. Congressmen Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher (all R-Idaho) wrote the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tracy Stone-Manning regarding her department's efforts to change the multiple-use approach of federal land management and the Biden administration's failure to hold in-person public meetings in Idaho regarding this proposed ru  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter: U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and U.S. Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher (all R-Idaho) wrote the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tracy Stone-Manning regarding her department's efforts to change the multiple-use approach of federal land management and the Biden administration's failure to hold in-person public meetings in Idaho regarding this proposed rule. "Idaho h  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release on May 12, 2023: Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) introduced the Chase COVID Unemployment Fraud Act of 2023 to recover stolen COVID unemployment money and return it to taxpayers. The legislation encourages states to implement guardrails that would protect against future fraud. "The pandemic may be over, but the financial damage is still hurting honest Americans. The greatest theft of   more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release on May 11, 2023: Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) today in introducing a bill to require the U.S. State Department to release a public, unclassified version of the July 13, 2021, internal dissent channel cable that reportedly warned of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the Taliban's ability to capture Kabul. The bill would also   more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release on May 12, 2023: U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, joined U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mi  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following statement on May 9, 2023: * * * "There is a lot of concern and speculation about the possibility of exceeding the federal debt limit as early as next month, but I find it helpful to face these challenges by starting with the facts. Looking at the facts will allow us to address the immediate crisis and then determine how to put our nation on a more sustainable long-term path to financial stability. As we do so, we can ensure  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID-01) and Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Ranking Member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (DAMA) Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee (HVAC), have re-introduced the Bring Our Heroes Home Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would expedite and coordinate the process of collecting, declassifying, and making public records of Prisoners of War (P  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release on May 9, 2023: U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Brian Higgins, D-N.Y. along with U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, today introduced legislation in the House and Senate designating U.S. Route 20 between Newport, Ore. and New England as the "National Medal of Honor Highway." In the 16th Congressional District, U.S. Route 20 runs through Erie County. Rep. Kelly recently rec  more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter on May 11, 2023: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Tammy Baldwin (R-Wis.) led a bipartisan group of colleagues calling out the Biden administration's misguided draft guidance that allows non-dairy product imitators to use dairy names, like milk, when labeling their products. In February, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) contradicted their own regulations by releasing draft guidance that woul  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) and Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), and 31 other House and Senate members urged the Biden Administration to help U.S. potato growers finally get approval to sell fresh potatoes to customers in Japan. U.S. potato exports reached a record $2.1 billion in sales in 2022, with Japan being a top export market for U  more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on May 11, 2023: U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho) today voted to restore the 2020 definition of "habitat" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which provided needed clarity and transparency to landowners and businesses in Idaho and throughout the west. The Biden administration reversed of the 2020 definition of "habitat" in June 2022. Senators Risch, Crapo, Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and 15  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) along with Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), introduced legislation to protect multiple use policy on federal lands. The legislation blocks the Bureau of Land Management's proposed Public Lands Ru  more

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter on May 10, 2023: In advance of the expiration of Title 42 authorities, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and 13 additional colleagues sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas criticizing the administration's failure to secure the border despite receiving congressionally-appropriated funds to continue construction of the border wall. The g  more

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter on May 10, 2023: In advance of the expiration of Title 42 authorities, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and 13 additional colleagues sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas criticizing the administration's failure to secure the border despite receiving congressionally-appropriated funds to continue construction of the border wall. The grou  more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on May 11, 2023: U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho) joined Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and 26 colleagues to introduce the Back the Blue Act, which would increase the penalties for criminals who intentionally target law enforcement officers. "Our nation's law enforcement officers put their personal safety on the line every day to protect and serve our communities. Those who deliberately targe  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letters: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) sent letters to seven major U.S. pharmacies outlining the companies' obligations under federal and state laws--including longstanding federal laws that criminalize the mailing and interstate shipment of abortion drugs--regarding the sale of abortion drugs. The letters to CVS, Walgreens,   more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letter: U.S. Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Thune (R-S.D.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen raising concerns with the Federal Insurance Office's (FIO's) efforts to force the Biden administration's unrealistic environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda onto the state-regulated insurance industry. This could result in st  more

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on May 10, 2023: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced legislation designating U.S. Highway 20, which runs from Oregon to Massachusetts, the "National Medal of Honor Highway." "Americans can never fully repay the brave men and women who selflessly put their lives in danger to protect our freedoms and way of life, but we can honor and thank them. With the legislation  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following column on May 8, 2023: * * * Expanding Trade = Expanding Freedom Freedom has always informed my thinking on trade. Our country was founded on the promise of freedom, and history shows Americans excel when given more freedom. We can promote freedom around the world and for the American people by improving trade opportunities and enforcement. The Declaration of Independence attacked King George, among other reasons, for cuttin  more

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), House Ways & Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-Massachusetts) released the following statement on a bipartisan, bicameral effort to alleviate double taxation between the United States and Taiwan: "Addressing cross-border econo  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following opening remarks at a hearing on May 3, 2023, entitled "Barriers to Mental Health Care: Improving Provider Directory Accuracy to Reduce the Prevalence of Ghost Networks": * * * "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. "Last Congress, this Committee came together to enact dozens of bipartisan policies to expand access to mental health care services. These reforms will increase the number of pro  more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- 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 international tax policy. As prepared for delivery: "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. "Almost eight years ago--before the Republican-enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act--this Committee's bipartisan working group concluded: our international   more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on May 9, 2023: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the following statement on recent efforts to undermine the Supreme Court and rule of law: "Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing at which Ranking Member Graham described a concentrated effort by the left to try to undermine the legitimacy of the United States Supreme   more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) led Senate Republicans in reintroducing legislation to help recover funds lost to unemployment insurance (UI) fraud and provide incentives for states to recover fraudulent payments. The introduction of the legislation follows ongoing concerns that just a sliver of the funds lost to misspent unemployme  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on May 9, 2023: * * * U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement condemning the Arab League's decision to re-admit Syria: "We condemn the Arab League foreign ministers' decision to re-admit Syria, the latest in a troubling trend  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on May 9, 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 released the following statement condemning the Arab League's decision to re-admit Syria: "We condemn the Arab League foreign ministers' decision to re-admit Syria, the latest in a troubling trend of  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- 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, yesterday reintroduced the Accountability for Cryptocurrency in El Salvador (ACES) Act, legislation requiring a State Department report on El Salvador's adoption of Bitcoin and potential impacts on bilateral economic relation  more

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on May 10, 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 conflict in Sudan: options for an effective policy response. The witnesses included The Honorable Victoria Nuland, under secretary of State for political affairs, and Ms. Sarah   more

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee issued the following information for a hearing entitled "Artificial Intelligence in Government" at 10 a.m. on May 16, 2023, at 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building: Witnesses * RICHARD A. EPPINK Of Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho Foundation * TAKA ARIGA, Chief Data Scientist, U.S. Government Accountability Office * LYNNE E. PARKER, PH.D., Associate Vice Chancellor and Director, AI Tennessee I  more

WASHINGTON, May 4 -- 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, in addition to Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, today joined in unveiling the Tai  more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on May 11, 2023: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), today reintroduced a bill to require the U.S. State Department to release a public, unclassified version of the July 13, 2021, internal dissent channel cable that reportedly warned of the rapidly deterio  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on May 9, 2023: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., today led members of Congress to introduce legislation in the Senate and House designating U.S. Highway 20 between Newport, Ore. and New England as the "National Medal of Honor Highway." "I'm proud to have worked closely with veterans in Oregon and nationwide in the gras  more

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- Rep. Brian Higgins, D-New York, issued the following news release on May 10, 2023: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., today led members of Congress to introduce legislation in the Senate and House designating U.S. Highway 20 between Newport, Ore. and New England as the "National Medal of Honor Highway." "Stretching 372 miles, US Route 20 is New York State's longest highway, in ad  more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on May 11, 2023: Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today voted in favor of H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act after successful negotiations to protect American agriculture producers and ensure farmers have the time to obtain a legal and secure workforce before e-verify requirements are imposed on our agriculture communities. This legislation led by Speaker McCarthy strengthens border security and closes existing loo  more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release on May 11, 2023: U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today reintroduced a bill to require the U.S. State Department to release a public, unclassified version of the July 13, 2021, internal dissent channel cable that reportedly warned of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the Taliban's ability to captur  more

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana, issued the following news release on May 10, 2023: U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) introduced legislation designating U.S. Highway 20 as the "National Medal of Honor Highway." Indiana is home to 156 miles of Highway 20. The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest military award for valor, presented by the president in Congress' name. U.S. service members who distinguish themselves "through conspicu  more