News Releases
CRAPO: GRANT COULD MEAN 3,000 JOBS TO MAGIC VALLEY
Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo joined with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) today to announce a $2.7 million federal grant to assist development east of the City of Jerome and north of Twin Falls. Crapo says the EDA grant will be used to spur new jobs and economic development among three commercial and industrial parks.â??This grant will greatly expand the use of technology between Jerome, the Jerome Butte development, and the College of Southern Idaho. Jerome and … Continue Reading
June 22, 2005
CRAPO WANTS TO LOCK UP SOCIAL SECURITY SURPLUS
Washington, DC â?? As the Senate Finance Committee continues work on preserving and protecting Social Security, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has joined with several colleagues on legislation that would prevent Social Security surpluses from being used for anything except Social Security. The bill, â??Stop the Raid on Social Security Act of 2005,â?? will be introduced on Thursday by South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint along with Senators Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania), Lindsay Graham (R-South Carolina)… Continue Reading
June 21, 2005
CRAPO SETS JULY 1ST DEADLINE FOR REGULATORY RELIEF
Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has given federal banking regulators until July 1st to voice any safety and soundness objections to a comprehensive list of banking reform proposals that he has collected. Crapo is working to draft legislation that would reduce the regulatory burden on banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. At the request of Senate Banking Chairman Richard Shelby, Crapo chaired a hearing which explored a number of the reform proposals and included witne… Continue Reading
June 21, 2005
CRAPO: VOCA FUNDS REMAIN INTACT FOR CRIME VICTIMS
CRAPO: VOCA FUNDS REMAIN INTACT FOR CRIME VICTIMSMarch letter helps prevent diversion of funds for other purposes Washington, DC â?? A Senate subcommittee today protected the special designation of a crime victims fund by rejecting an Administration proposal to place the dedicated funding into general revenue. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo applauded the decision today by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science to retain the Crime Victims Fund. In March, Crapo and Patri… Continue Reading
June 20, 2005
CRAPO, CRAIG CO-SPONSOR PESTICIDE LEGISLATION
Washington, DC â??Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Larry Craig co-sponsored legislation introduced today to protect the proper use of pesticides by codifying in law that additional permitting is not needed for pesticides use in compliance with their Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved label. Recent court decisions have contradicted long-standing federal policy that the application of agricultural and other pesticides in compliance with labeling requirements do not require National Pollut… Continue Reading
June 20, 2005
CRAPO WELCOMES SUMMER INTERNS TO D.C.
Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has welcomed four interns for the summer in his Washington, D.C., office. The interns, who have arrived in D.C. at different times, began work earlier this month and will assist in office operations and legislative duties through August 2005. Christina Davis, Idaho Falls, graduated from Gonzaga University in Washington state in May with a B.A. in Public Relations. Davis has served as the captain of Gonzagaâ??s womenâ??s volleyball team for the last two… Continue Reading
June 20, 2005
CRAPO APPLAUDS USDAâ??S HALT OF HOP MARKETING ORDER PROCEEDINGS
Washington, DC â??Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, commended Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns for the U.S. Department of Agricultureâ??s (USDA) announcement today to terminate the proceedings to establish a marketing order for hops grown in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California. â??This proposed marketing order would have had a significant impact on Idaho hop producers,â?? said Crapo. â??Throughout the course of these proceedings, I have appreciated th… Continue Reading
June 17, 2005
IDAHO LEADERS DEFEND MT. HOME, GOWEN FIELD
PORTLAND, Ore. â?? Idahoâ??s U.S. Senators and Governor testified today before the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission regarding Mountain Home Air Force Base (MHAFB) and Gowen Field. The team took a divide-and-conquer approach to the presentation. Idaho Senator Larry Craig led off the 40-minute discussion by addressing military value, current and future growth, and the absence of environmental issues and encroachment at MHAFB. Craig stated, â??Without question, our pilots benefit from… Continue Reading
June 16, 2005
CRAPO SECURES TAX CREDIT TO EXPAND RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION
Washington, DC â??Idaho Senator Mike Crapo won key priorities for consumers and producers of renewable energy resources today by securing tax credits to expand nuclear power production as a member of the Senate Finance Committee. The Committee outlined tax provisions for the newly-drafted energy bill, which included a tax credit championed by Crapo to increase nuclear production incentives. The credits will result in long-term benefits to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the nationâ??s leade… Continue Reading
June 15, 2005
CRAPO PUSHES FOR MEDICAID REFORM
Washington, DC â??Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, pressed for action in reforming Medicaid during the Committeeâ??s hearing today calling for more sensible policy to better deliver healthcare. Crapo also thanked Governor Mark Warner of Virginia and Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the National Governors Association, respectively, for bringing a well-constructed Medicaid reform proposal before the Committee on behalf of the nati… Continue Reading
June 15, 2005
CRAPO COMMITS TO KEEP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FUNDS
Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo told participants at a national domestic violence prevention forum in Washington, DC, today that he is committed to preserving a federal trust fund dedicated to victims of crime related to domestic violence. During the speech to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Crapo also called on men to take a larger role in preventing domestic violence by mentoring and serving as examples for other men.Crapo has also signed on to co-sponsor the reautho… Continue Reading
June 14, 2005
IDAHO RECOGNIZED FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH
Washington, DC â??Nuclear energy and supply research was recognized as a priority by Senate appropriators today, awarding the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) funding for several projects advocated by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo. The bill also included funding for water projects including aquatic ecosystems restoration and local water projects throughout Idaho.â??It is vital that we diversify our energy portfolio; nuclear energy and research has tremendous potential, and these projects bring that re… Continue Reading
June 14, 2005
CRAPO CALLS FOR CHANGES TO CAFTA
Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is calling for changes to the Central America - Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, commonly known as CAFTA. Crapo says unfair provisions in the agreement concerning sugar imports that would harm Idahoâ??s sugar industry and economy must be amended or deleted. Crapo voted against the draft legislation to implement CAFTA when it was passed by the Senate Finance Committee today by a vote of 11 to 9. Crapo has said that he cannot support CAFTA as wri… Continue Reading
June 13, 2005
CRAPO COMMENDS BRAVERY OF ST. ANTHONY MARINE
Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo today sent his condolences to the parents of a St. Anthony native serving with the Marines in Iraq. Lance Cpl. Dustin V. Birch died Friday when the Humvee he was riding in hit a land mine. "My thoughts and prayers go out to Corporal Birchâ??s family in St. Anthony over this tragic loss and I commend Dustin for his service to our country in Iraq. His story is particularly tragic as I understand he and his fellow Marines were on patrol in a tank nea… Continue Reading
June 09, 2005
DEPUTY COMMISSIONER TO DISCUSS SOCIAL SECURITY ON CRAPOâ??S â??CAPITOL WATCHâ??
Washington, DC â?? Social Security Deputy Commissioner James Lockhart will join Idaho Senator Mike Crapo to discuss the Social Security program next week during a live statewide television call-in program. Crapoâ??s â??Capitol Watchâ?? airs the second Tuesday of each month on most cable access stations in Idaho. The program comes as Crapo and fellow members of the Senate Finance Committee are considering proposals to maintain the solvency of Social Security. â??Doing nothing means a 25% cut in S… Continue Reading
June 07, 2005
CRAPO: DEATH OF SPEC. FRENCH HARD TO TAKE
Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, who recently returned from visiting soldiers in Baghdad and Fallujah, Iraq, said the news of the death of 19-year old Specialist Carrie French of Caldwell is especially tough to take because she was just beginning her adult life. French, an ammunitions specialist with the 116th Brigade Combat Team, died Sunday when her vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb. Crapo sent his sympathies to Frenchâ??s family and friends in Idaho. He issued the following state… Continue Reading
June 07, 2005
NOXIOUS WEEDS FUNDING APPROVED
Washington, DC â??Protecting Idahoâ??s vital lands by renewed conservation efforts are being recognized with the passage of an Interior Appropriations bill containing funding to fight noxious weeds in Idaho. The bill approved by the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee includes $1.125 million for the Idaho Department of Agriculture for the Managing Noxious Weeds project. Funding for this program will help manage harmful weeds that threaten and infest private, state, and federal lands. Ida… Continue Reading
June 06, 2005
MEDIA ADVISORY: INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND HEARING TO ADDRESS ROLE IN FINANCIAL WORLD
Washington, DC â??Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, Chairman of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs International Trade and Finance Subcommittee, will chair an oversight hearing on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday. The witnesses will discuss the progress on reforming the IMF, Argentinaâ??s debt repayment agreement with the IMF, Chinaâ??s ten-year fixed exchange rate between the dollar and the yuan, and a potential IMF gold sale as a means of financing debt reduction for poorer nations… Continue Reading
June 03, 2005
CRAPO VISITS SOLDIERS, NOTES PROGRESS IN IRAQ
Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo visited with Idaho soldiers in Fallujah, Iraq, as he completed a tour of the Middle East, Russia and the Baltic States this week. He says that the most remarkable observation about his stay in Iraq is the progress that U.S. soldiers and advisers are making in successfully turning over many military and security functions to Iraqi soldiers and police. â??We were using mostly U.S. and multi-national troops just a year ago,â?? Crapo said via telephone fro… Continue Reading
June 03, 2005
CRAPO COMMENDS CASEâ??S SERVICE
Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, returning to the U.S, from a visit with Idaho soldiers in Baghdad and Fallujah, today commended the service of Mountain Home Sergeant Virgil Case. Case, 37, died this week while serving in Iraq. He had been part of the 116th Brigade Combat team serving in Kirkuk.Crapo sent his sympathies to Caseâ??s wife and children in Mountain Home. He issued the following statement regarding Caseâ??s death:"I send my deepest sympathies to the family and friend… Continue Reading