WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 6, 2024: Today, the United States House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson - Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee - released the following statement after the package passed the House. This bipartisan package of six annual spending bills will adhere to the Fiscal Responsibility Act discretionary spe  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 6, 2024: Today, the United States House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson - Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee - released the following statement after the package passed the House. This bipartisan package of six annual spending bills will adhere to the Fiscal Responsibility Act discretionary spe  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressman Russ Fulcher and Senator Jim Risch introduced the Waiving Arbitrary and Inconsistent Veteran Home Requirements (WAIVER) Act this week to require the U.S. Veterans Administration (VA) to provide already approved state home projects a waiver from certain requirements in the Build America, Buy America Act (BABBA). In 2019, the Idaho Division of Veterans Services was approved for a grant by the V  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 6, 2024: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) announced his guest for the 2024 State of the Union as Tona Henderson, of Emmett, Idaho, and head of the Idaho Downwinders. Tona has been a leading advocate for expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include Idaho victims of above-ground nuclear weapons testing fallout from the 1950s and 1960s. Tona's birthplace of Gem County, Idaho, rece  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) announced his guest for the 2024 State of the Union as Tona Henderson, of Emmett, Idaho, and head of the Idaho Downwinders. Tona has been a leading advocate for expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include Idaho victims of above-ground nuclear weapons testing fallout from the 1950s and 1960s. Tona's birthplace of Gem County, Idaho, received the third-hi  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and 15 additional colleagues in sending a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross requesting it reconsider the appointment of Mr. Pierre Krahenbuhl to serve as director general. "We write to request you reconsider the appointment of Mr. Pierre Krahenbuh  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following statement on March 7, 2024: * * * U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the following statement in response to President Joe Biden's 2024 State of the Union address: "President Biden once again touted an optimistic review of his performance from the last three years that ignores reality and the struggles Americans confront. On more than one occasion, his words lacked accountability, shirking responsibility onto others to  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 6, 2024: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) spoke Tuesday evening at a news conference to urge inclusion of the Major Richard Star Act in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. Crapo was joined at the news conference by U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana), U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-Florida) and Tonya Star, wife of the late Richard Star. Senators Crapo and Tester are  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) spoke Tuesday evening at a news conference to urge inclusion of the Major Richard Star Act in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. To view the entirety of the 18-minute news conference, click HERE or the image above. To view just Senator Crapo's remarks, click HERE. Crapo was joined at the news conference by U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana), U.  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senator Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and 15 additional colleagues to introduce the Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2024, which would revert the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) to the December 2023 rate through the end of the 2025 growing season. An increased AEWR went into effect on January 1, 2024. Nationally, the rate increased by 5.6 percent, and the rate in Idaho incr  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and others to introduce the Fighting Irrational Regulatory Enforcement to Avert Retailers' Misfortune (FIREARM) Act to protect lawful citizens from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' (ATF) "zero tolerance" policy. With the ATF's rule, lawful gun dealers could lose their license and their business for a  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 5, 2024: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan urging the agency to withdraw a proposed rule covering wastewater discharged by meat and poultry processors. ?"Given the technical complexity and high costs of wastewater treatment alterations, coupled with the massive expans  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: MADISONVILLE, La. - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La) today joined Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and 15 other colleagues in urging the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to reconsider hiring former United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner General Pierre Krahenbuhl as its director general. During Krahenbuhl's tenure at the UNRWA, the UNRWA included  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas) to introduce legislation to ensure Idaho's veterans' facilities can update their facilities as intended. The Waiving Arbitrary and Inconsistent Veteran home Eligibility Requirements (WAIVER) Act is a legislative fix to the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA). U.S. Representative Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) introduced  more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, issued the following statement on March 8, 2024: * * * Congressman Fulcher released the following statement on President Biden's State of the Union address: "The State of the Union that President Biden just described is not an accurate reality. The truth is, President Biden and his anti-American policies are responsible for our border crisis, not Congress. Almost a year ago, the House passed H.R. 2, the strongest border security bill this co  more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson applauded the passage of H.R. 3843 - the reauthorization of the Action for Dental Health Act. Originally passed and signed into law in 2018, this bipartisan bill will continue support to organizations that provide oral health care to underserved populations, especially seniors and children living in rural communities, through Fiscal Year 2028. The Action for Dental Health Act is   more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following statement on March 7, 2024: *** Today, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson released the following statement in response to President Biden's 2024 State of the Union address. "It is no surprise that President Biden's address tonight felt out of touch with everyday Americans," said Rep. Simpson. "President Biden touted 'results' and so-called wins that are far from most Americans' current reality. Under this administration, Amer  more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 8, 2024: This week, the United States House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson voted in favor of this legislation and secured critical funding for the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). This bipartisan package of six annual spending bills will adhere to the Fiscal Responsibility Act discretionary spending limits and January's topline spen  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on March 7, 2024: This week, the United States House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson voted in favor of this legislation. This package includes the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. This act fully funds veterans' health care programs and benefits, supports national security, and prioritizes mili  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kansas, issued the following news release: Reps. Ron Estes (R-Kansas), Celeste Maloy (R-Utah), Doug Lamborn (R-Colorado), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) and Andy Biggs (R-Arizona) have reintroduced the Water Rights Protection Act to prevent the federal government from seizing privately owned waters. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) introduced a companion piece of legislation in the Senate. "Kansas ranchers and fa  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Legislation requires VA Secretary to grant waivers for projects approved prior to Build America, Buy America enactment WASHINGTON -U.S. Senator Jim Risch introduced legislation to ensure Idaho's veterans' facilities can update their facilities as intended. The Waiving Arbitrary and Inconsistent Veteran home Eligibility Requirements (WAIVER) Act, introduced today, is a legislative fix to the Build America, Buy   more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following statement on March 7, 2024: * * * Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) released the following statement at the conclusion of tonight's State of the Union address: "In tonight's speech, President Biden doubled down on his open border policy and again tried to blame Congress. Congress did its job many years ago when it passed the law prohibiting anyone from entering America illegally. That remains the law today--we don't need more la  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON--Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) with several colleagues introduced the Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2024, which would revert the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) to the December 2023 rate through the end of the 2025 growing season. An increased AEWR went into effect on January 1, 2024. Nationally, the rate increased by 5.6 percent, and the   more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced the Fighting Irrational Regulatory Enforcement to Avert Retailers' Misfortune (FIREARM) Act to protect lawful citizens from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' (ATF) "zero tolerance" policy. With the ATF's rule, lawful gun dealers could lose their license and their business for a single, minor, clerical   more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON -U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) today sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan urging the agency to withdraw a proposed rule covering wastewater discharged by meat and poultry processors. "Given the technical complexity and high costs of wastewater treatment alterations, coupled with the massive expansio  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following column: * * * From The Mailbag--Addressing Suicide In Idaho And Across The United States As participants in the decisions made in Congress, Idahoans contact me regularly with valuable input about the issues our country faces. One of the issues Idahoans have periodically contacted me about is efforts to address the high rates of suicide. The following is my response: I agree we must do more to address the prevalence of suic  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on March 5, 2024: U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, led a press conference today to demand quick Congressional action on the Major Richard Star Act, his bipartisan bill to fix an injustice that prevents combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of military service from receiving their full military benefits. Tester was joined by veterans, Military and Veterans S  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: 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 global food security. Witnesses included Ms. Dina Esposito, assistant to the administrator at the Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security of the United States Agency for Internat  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on March 7, 2024: 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. Nominees included Margaret Taylor to be legal adviser of the State Department, Erik Woodhouse to be head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination, Robert Forden to be  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today led Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Mike Braun (Ind.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Steve Daine  more

BOISE, Idaho, March 5 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on March 4, 2024: * * * U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the Biden Administration's announcement of Global Magnitsky (GloMag) sanctions related to Zimbabwe: "Today's GloMag designation of 14 Zimbabwean individuals and entities is a significant shift in ap  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on March 7, 2024: * * * U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement in response to President Joe Biden's State of the Union address: "Today, thanks to three years of Biden's failed foreign policy, America's adversaries are emboldened and our homeland is less safe. From t  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news on March 6, 2024: U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, led a press conference today to demand quick Congressional action on the Major Richard Star Act, his bipartisan bill to fix an injustice that prevents combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of military service from receiving their full military benefits. Tester was  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, issued the following news release: Facing a dangerous, doomed pregnancy and unable to get desperately-needed abortion care in Idaho, Kayla Smith traveled to Washington state for lifesaving abortion care at UW Medical Center and now resides in Washington state More on Kayla's story from This American Life; Idaho Capital Sun; KTVB: 'I don't wish this on anyone:' Idaho couple travels out of state for abortion ICYMI: Murray Hosts Abortion Ri  more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release on March 7, 2024: Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivered remarks on the Senate floor urging his colleagues to pass bipartisan legislation to reauthorize and expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). This legislation, which Heinrich leads along with U.S. Senators Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), compensates indi  more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on March 7, 2024: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today praised the Senate passage of legislation they supported that would compensate people exposed to radiation during certain nuclear testing or uranium mining who then developed medical conditions, including cancers. The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act passed Thursday by the Senate would extend the time for eligibility under the act from 1971 to 1  more