Editorials
Idaho Youth Leadership
Helen Keller wrote in 1930, "It is not possible for civilization to flow backward while there is youth in this world." Meeting with Idaho delegates to the U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP) is a reminder of the great promise for the future of our state and nation found in Idaho's young leaders. The U.S. Senate established the USSYP 55 years ago to recognize the leadership potential of students elected to student body offices in high schools across the U.S. and encourage the deepening of their… Continue Reading
April 03, 2017
Judicial Duty To Follow The Law
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I met with Judge Neil Gorsuch, who President Donald Trump nominated to serve as Associate Justice. Judge Gorsuch's comments during our talk still resonate. He said, "My personal views are irrelevant as a judge." That is the ideal illustration of a judge steadfastly committed to our law and upholding the separation of powers defined in our Constitution. Through 20 hours of public testimony, he reaffirmed his commitment to the Oath of Office and J… Continue Reading
March 27, 2017
Federal Obligation To Idaho Counties Must Be Met
Secure Rural School payments are critical to ensure that counties across Idaho and the nation, accommodating tax-exempt, federally managed lands, have the resources necessary for local schools, roads, bridges, forest management projects and public safety priorities. The federal responsibility to meet this commitment remains. I recently joined fellow Idaho Senator Jim Risch and 78 of our congressional colleagues in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the Office of Management and Budget (O… Continue Reading
March 20, 2017
Clearing Out The Mess Of Overregulation
In a Presidential Executive Order issued February 24, 2017, President Trump called for an extensive review of existing federal regulations to determine whether they should be eliminated. This step to clear out regulations saddling Americans with unnecessary restrictions, paperwork and financial burden is a needed and sensible undertaking to help invigorate American investment and ingenuity. The order establishes task forces in every government agency charged with reducing regulation and lim… Continue Reading
March 13, 2017
Opportunities For America
In his recent speech before Congress, President Donald Trump outlined a message of optimism that resonated with many. He laid forth an ambitious agenda that, if we work together to implement, will strengthen America. The President offered an agenda rooted in personal liberty and economic freedom with three bold agenda priorities: to strengthen our national security; provide for our veterans; and unleash robust job creation. Many military families, including those at Idaho's own Moun… Continue Reading
March 07, 2017
Top Priority: Improving Veterans' Access To Care
Many Idahoans, especially those in eastern Idaho, are aware that there are extensive delays with reimbursement to health care providers through the Veterans Choice Program (Choice program). Some providers have had to stop serving veterans through Choice because they were not getting paid. These payment challenges have impacted the ability of Idaho veterans to use the program. I am committed to fixing this, along with the other problems with the Choice program, to ensure Idaho veterans are able… Continue Reading
February 27, 2017
Lessons Learned From Vietnam Veterans
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the majority of Idaho's veterans served during the Vietnam War. Veterans put their lives on the line and lost friends and family during their service to our country. They experienced great loss and personal sacrifice while being criticized for doing as they were told. They are among the first to step forward and help fellow veterans and others in our communities. Many lessons can be learned from these great Americans. As Americans, it is our duty to hono… Continue Reading
February 20, 2017
Bipartisan Majority Of Senate Urging Strengthening Of Medicare Advantage
In Idaho, one in three Medicare beneficiaries have chosen a private health plan through Medicare Advantage (MA), which allows beneficiaries to select a health plan that best suits their individual budget and health needs. Given the successes of Medicare Advantage for many in Idaho and across the nation, maintaining and strengthening it will ensure its long-term stability. I recently led a letter signed by fellow Idaho Senator Jim Risch and 63 of our Senate colleagues to Centers for Medicare &a… Continue Reading
February 13, 2017
Protecting Constitutional Rights
I recently reintroduced S. 202, the Social Security Beneficiary 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act, to protect Social Security beneficiaries from having their constitutional rights arbitrarily revoked. I also co-sponsored a similar Congressional Review Act resolution to halt a rule issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the waning days of the Obama Administration that would erode Americans' Second Amendment rights. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed similar legis… Continue Reading
February 06, 2017
Furthering Nuclear Innovation Benefits Idaho
For the past three years, the Research and Business Development Center and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have worked together to quantify INL's economic impact. The recent report on the lab's economic contributions in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 demonstrated the substantial benefits nuclear research brings to our great state. Removing roadblocks that prevent continued innovation in the nuclear sector so that our state can continue to benefit from INL's great work is important. This year's … Continue Reading
January 30, 2017
Warning About Tax Season Scams
"As the tax filing season approaches, it is critical that all taxpayers remember to be wary of unsolicited telephone calls and e-mails from individuals claiming to be IRS and Treasury employees," warns the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), J. Russell George. He further cautions that the callers are aggressive and relentless. "Once they have your attention, they will say anything to con you out of your hard-earned cash. We continue to actively pursue those perpetrating… Continue Reading
January 23, 2017
Priorities For The 115th Congress
The 115th Congress presents an opportunity to deliver real and lasting change for the American people. We must seize the moment to fundamentally change the course of our country to restore prosperity, stability and liberty. For far too long, we have let the enormous federal government curtail and hold back American ingenuity and opportunity through misguided central planning and political ideology. Replacing one-size-fits-all, top-down government controls should unleash the true entrepreneuri… Continue Reading
January 16, 2017
Time Is Wasting To Stop Medicare Bankruptcy
I recently wrote about the need to heed the Social Security Trustee's warnings and shore up Social Security. Like the requirements for the Social Security Trustees to annually assess the state of the trust funds that support the Social Security program, the Medicare Trustees are also required by law to report to Congress on the state of the Medicare trust funds. In June, the Medicare Trustees reported that Medicare's Part A Trust Fund is expected to be bankrupt in 2028, two years earlier than … Continue Reading
January 09, 2017
The Need To Shore Up Social Security Is Mounting
In its most recent report out in June, the Trustees of the Social Security trust fund provided another warning that Congress must act now to address the shortfalls of the Social Security trust fund. The trustees reported that the Social Security program will be "unable to pay scheduled benefits in full on a timely basis in 2034" and recommended that lawmakers address these shortfalls soon, so that "a broader range of solutions can be considered and more time will be available to phase in change… Continue Reading
January 02, 2017
From The Mailbag: The 21st Century Cures Act
As participants in the decisions made in Congress, Idahoans contact me with valuable input about the issues our country faces. Realizing that many may not have the chance to contact me, I post the top five issues of concern from Idahoans and my responses on my website. The following is my response regardingthe 21 st Century Cures Act: I voted in favor of this important legislation. The 21 stCentury Cures Act, H.R. 34, is a landmark health care innovation package that will accelerate the disc… Continue Reading
December 26, 2016
Sharing An Idaho Christmas
The magnificent Englemann Spruce from the Payette National Forest that stands at the U.S. Capitol this Christmas is a small portion of the natural beauty that we are fortunate to have in Idaho. Thank you to all the Idahoans who helped kick off the Christmas season by presenting the nation with the "People's Tree". Let this tree be a sign of good cheer and the holiday season and bring us together. Picking the right tree and making sure it made it to our nation's capital safely was no small tas… Continue Reading
December 19, 2016
Idahoans Leading In Volunteer Service
The quiet service and giving spirit of Idahoans are among the many blessings I am counting this holiday season. A recently released study from the Corporation for Community and National Service (CNCS) further confirmed the prevalent service in Idaho communities concluding that Idaho ranks fifth in the nation for volunteer service. In its annual Volunteering and Civic Life in Americareport, CNCS estimated382,200 volunteers in Idaho provide 53.42 million hours of volunteer service with an… Continue Reading
December 12, 2016
Native American Heritage
A Haskett point from the Snake River is one of the historical items from Idaho on display in the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The museum dates the point's creation to a remarkable 10,000-6,000 BC. The Native American tribes of Idaho-the Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai, Nez Perce, Shoshone-Bannock and Shoshone-Paiute-are undoubtedly a deep and central part of Idaho's history and development. Learning more about and celebrating this profound history can broaden our under… Continue Reading
December 05, 2016
No Veteran Should Face Homelessness
No veteran who has served our nation should return home to face homelessness, but yet it is happening. Based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports there were 49,933 homeless veterans on a single night in January 2014. While the VA finds that homelessness among veterans is declining, work remains to end the homelessness of those who have given so much for us. This fall, I had the opportunity to par… Continue Reading
November 23, 2016
Small Businesses: Heart of Communities
"America is small business . . . Too often, entrepreneurs are forgotten heroes. We rarely hear about them. But look into the heart of America, and you'll see them. They're the owners of that store down the street, the faithfuls who support our churches, schools, and communities, the brave people everywhere who produce our goods, feed a hungry world, and keep our homes and families warm while they invest in the future to build a better America." These words spoken by former President … Continue Reading
