News Releases
Crapo: NSA Program Is Vital Tool For Security
Washington, DC â?? During a news conference on Capitol Hill this afternoon, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo joined with several other Senators to set the record straight on the terrorist surveillance program authorized by the President. The National Security Agency (NSA) has come under fire for a program of surveillance targeted at al Qaeda and related groups.Crapo said, â??The NSA has been conducting a highly classified program that is an important tool in protecting Americans, but this program has be… Continue Reading
February 01, 2006
Idaho Interns Join Crapoâ??s DC Staff
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has welcomed three Idaho students to his Washington, D.C. for internships through the spring. "These students represent some of the best Idaho has to offer, and I expect they will learn a lot about the political process during their tenure in my office," Crapo said. "I encourage college students with an interest in government to submit an application for upcoming internship opportunities." The interns for spring include: Adam Becker g… Continue Reading
January 31, 2006
Crapo: Bush Addressed Tough, Issues, Offered Answers in State of the Union
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo released the following statement regarding the President's State of the Union Address this evening: "The President addressed some very tough issues tonight and I commend him for the courage to do so. He offered explanations for terrorist surveillance and reiterated the goals and progress our military is achieving in Iraq. He also clearly laid out the concerns that face the United States if we were to simply pull our troops out of the Middle East… Continue Reading
January 31, 2006
Crapo: Security, Economy, Energy Top State of the Union Issues
Washington, DC - Tonight's State of the Union Address from President George W. Bush may likely center on issues surrounding security, the War on Terror, and economic and energy issues, according to Idaho Senator Mike Crapo. Crapo, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, says with Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito now confirmed, the President may ask Congress to try and put politics aside in the coming year."It is my hope the President asks, and the Congress responds in the affirmative… Continue Reading
January 31, 2006
Crapo To Kick Off National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will join an Eagle High School teen, the U.S. Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, Education, the American Bar Association and multiple child advocacy and domestic violence organizations to kick-off National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week at Woodrow Wilson Senior High School in Washington, D.C., on Monday, February 6 at 10:15 a.m. Crapo has led a bipartisan effort in the Senate to bring national attention to teen dating … Continue Reading
January 31, 2006
Crapo Comments on Alito Vote
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo says today's vote of 58-42 to confirm Judge Samuel Alito's confirmation as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court is important for two reasons. Crapo says today's vote places a highly qualified justice on the Court to take the place of Sandra Day O'Connor. Plus, Crapo says the vote is also important because it ends a nomination process that became much too contentious given Alito's qualifications, including his favorable recommendation fr… Continue Reading
January 30, 2006
Almost Poetic: Plutonium to Pluto
On January 19, as NASA launched the "New Horizons" probe to Pluto, we felt very proud that Idahoans played such an important role in the mission. Nine years from now when we receive images and scientific information from the outermost planet in our solar system, the power that sends this information back to Earth will come from a plutonium-powered battery built by our own Idaho National Laboratory (INL). As was the case with the plutonium-powered Cassini mission to Saturn, in deep spac… Continue Reading
January 25, 2006
Crapo Congratulates Idahoans For Gulf Coast Hurricane Awards
Washington, DC - Idahoans who played a notable part in the recovery efforts in the hurricanes that swept the Gulf Coast region last year were recognized today by U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton in a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The four Idaho men honored were among a total of ten nationwide from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) division of the Bureau of Land Management. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo met them and congratulated them before the awards ceremony."Idahoans have always b… Continue Reading
January 25, 2006
Crapo Reacts To CEQ Chairman on Salmon
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo issued the following reaction to remarks on salmon recovery made today in Portland by James Connaughton, Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality."Jim Connaughton's speech presents ideas that are intriguing, and yet raise some items of concern. We all agree that wild anadromous fish recovery needs to be properly balanced among all the H's-habitat, hydropower, hatchery, and harvest."However, there are many uncoordinat… Continue Reading
January 25, 2006
Crapo: Idaho Progressing Under New Drug Plan
Washington, DC - In a Senate Finance Committee briefing this morning, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo noted that the state of Idaho is doing nation-leading work in managing the complexity and inevitable start-up problems associated with the new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Director/Administrator Mark McClellan addressed Crapo and other Finance Committee members regarding the program, which bega… Continue Reading
January 24, 2006
Crapo Supports Alito For Support Court
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo said Supreme Court Justice nominee Judge Samuel Alito's experience and distinguished record of fairness will make him an excellent member of the Court today after Alito's nomination was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee today. The confirmation now moves to the Senate floor."Judge Alito has proven with his decades of public service that he is extremely well qualified to serve on the Supreme Court to interpret and uphold the Constitut… Continue Reading
January 18, 2006
Crapo Seeks To Improve No Child Left Behind Act
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is seeking administrative improvements and potentially legislative changes to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to make it work better for students, teachers, and schools. Crapo wrote U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings seeking relief for state leaders who fear the federal guidelines are not flexible enough. "President Bush's sweeping education reforms included in the No Child Left Behind Act have had measurable positive effects on man… Continue Reading
January 11, 2006
Ground Squirrel Efforts Demonstrate Recovery Partnerships
Boise â?? The work of several Idaho citizens making an historic on-the-ground effort to save the Southern Idaho Ground Squirrel are being recognized by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo with his Spirit of Idaho Award. The squirrel, which has been designated as a candidate for future protection actions under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), will benefit by voluntary agreements signed by private landowners in Adams, Gem, Payette, and Washington Counties.The landowner groups were honored during a reception… Continue Reading
January 10, 2006
Crapo Commends Repeal of China Trade Tariff
Washington, DC â?? American paper producers can look forward to continued access to Chinaâ??s market after Chinaâ??s decision today to repeal an antidumping duty on U.S. exports of kraft linerboard, which is a product used to make corrugated boxes. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, Chairman of the Banking Subcommittee on International Trade and Finance and member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to the Chinese ambassador to the U.S. last year when China took steps to implement the tariff o… Continue Reading
January 06, 2006
Ground Squirrel Recovery Efforts Bring Spirit of Idaho Awards
Boise â?? The work of several Idaho citizens making an historic on-the-ground effort to save the Southern Idaho Ground Squirrel will be recognized next week by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo with his Spirit of Idaho Award. Several federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Idaho Fish and Game, and the Governorâ??s Office of Species Conservation, will join Crapo Wednesday, January 11th, to honor Idaho landowners who have formed conservation agreements aimed at boosting nu… Continue Reading
December 21, 2005
Senate Approves Budget-Saving Measure
Washington, DC â??Idaho Senator Mike Crapo voted today to approve a budget reconciliation package to reduce federal spending by more than $39 billion between 2006 and 2010. S. 1932, the Deficit Reduction Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 2005, is the first deficit-reduction bill to pass since 1997. The bill passed as expected on a vote of 51-50 with Vice President Cheney casting the tie-breaking vote. Crapo is member of both the Senate Budget and Finance Committees, which crafted many of the cost sa… Continue Reading
December 21, 2005
Crapo Demands Health Care Choices Remain For Surgery Options
Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has won assurances from the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to expand choices for outpatient surgical procedures (with some exceptions) for both Medicare beneficiaries and providers. Crapo fought to maintain the access through provisions in the Deficit Reduction Budget Reconciliation Conference Report, which narrowly passed the U.S. Senate Wednesday morning. HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt has agreed to support greater access to ambulatory s… Continue Reading
December 20, 2005
Crapo Details Idaho Farm Bill Meetings
Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo and his staff will host 21 meetings statewide next month to hear comments from Idahoans about the 2007 Farm Bill. This is the second consecutive time that Crapo, who chairs a Senate Agriculture subcommittee on rural issues, has held statewide meetings on federal programs in advance of Congress adopting a Farm Bill. The Idaho Farm Bureau is co-sponsoring the Farm Bill meetings, and representatives of federal and state farm agencies are also expected to … Continue Reading
December 19, 2005
Crapo Announces Farm Bill Meetings
Washington, DC â?? The makeup of the 2007 Farm Bill will be up for discussion as Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, who chairs a Senate Agriculture subcommittee on rural issues, opens a series of Farm Bill listening sessions around Idaho next month. Crapo, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Forestry, Conservation and Rural Revitalization, will host a number of the Idaho listening sessions. The meetings will cover all of the proposed titles in the Farm Bill including Conservation, Energy, … Continue Reading
December 16, 2005
Crapo Supports Patriot Act Reauthorization
Washington, DC â??Idaho Senator Mike Crapo voted today to invoke cloture on debate of the USA PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2005, which would allow the Senate to vote on extending expiring provisions in the law. The Act contains provisions that will expire Dec. 31 unless the Senate approves an extension. Cloture is a Senate procedure requiring 60 votes that allows the Senate to end debate on an issue and move to a vote on the actual bill. Because the cloture vote failed… Continue Reading