News Releases
Crapo, Risch Support Bill To Repeal Flawed SGR Formula, Extend County Payments
Washington, D.C.-Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 2, a bill to repeal the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate formula and provide a two-year extension to the Secure Rural Schools program: "For decades, Congress has struggled over two competing issues that are part of this legislation: repealing the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula, and meaningfully and fully addressing our national debt. The bill contains needed enti… Continue Reading
April 06, 2015
Idaho Leaders to Discuss Lake Lowell Agreement
Nampa. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, Idaho Congressman Raúl Labrador, the Canyon County Board of Commissioners, a contingent of Idaho state lawmakers led by Representative Christy Perry, Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge Manager Annette de Knijf, and local sporting and historical interests will discuss the status of boating and recreation on Lake Lowell during a news conference Wednesday. Members of the Idaho Congressional Delegation, Commissioners and Idaho legislators joined with Canyon Count… Continue Reading
April 06, 2015
Families of WWII Veterans to Receive Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Other Medals
Nampa - Family members of two Idaho World War II veterans will receive the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and other medals for meritorious service during a ceremony Wednesday, April 8 th at the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa. Frank Mattus and Manuel Aldecoa both served their nation with distinction during WWII. Mattus passed away in 1997; Aldecoa during the war. The families worked with Idaho Senator Mike Crapo's office to obtain the long-overdue honors posthumously. Both men and their families ar… Continue Reading
March 27, 2015
Crapo: Dodd-Frank, CFPB Rules Must Be Included in 10-Year Regulatory Review
Washington, D.C.-U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) introduced legislation this week that would ensure the federal financial regulators identify all unnecessary, outdated and unduly burdensome regulations. Unfortunately, included in the Federal Register for this 10-year review are two footnotes that suggest Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rules and new Dodd-Frank regulations that have recently gone into effect will not be evaluated. The bill, S. 881, would make the 10-year regulat… Continue Reading
March 27, 2015
Crapo, Wyden, Move Wildfire Funding Fix Forward
Washington, D.C.- Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., early this morning moved another step forward in providing a bipartisan wildfire funding solution that will ensure vital resources in the fight against catastrophic wildfires across the West. The senators attached a provision to the Senate budget that sets the stage for passing the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, which Wyden and Crapo reintroduced on Jan. 22. The bill ends the cycle of underfunding fire suppression, which cur… Continue Reading
March 27, 2015
Balanced Budget Passes Senate With Crapo's Support
Washington, D.C.-The balanced budget resolution passed by the U.S. Senate is a step in the right direction says Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a senior member of Senate Budget Committee. Crapo voted in favor of the measure late last night, which would balance the federal budget in a ten-year window with no tax hikes and would significantly improve economic growth. The budget was approved on a 52-46 vote. "Washington has lived outside its means for far too long," said Crapo. "Our $18 trillion and gr… Continue Reading
March 27, 2015
County Payments Included in Final Budget Framework
Washington, D.C. - A measure backed by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo to provide a critical lifeline to Idaho's rural communities has moved one step forward. A provision that would set the stage for renewal of the Secure Rural Schools program and fully fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program was included as a part of the Senate budget framework that cleared the U.S. Senate on a 52-46 vote early this morning. These programs provide for essential services such as law enforcement, schools and roads t… Continue Reading
March 26, 2015
Crapo Adds North Idaho Town Meetings
Coeur d'Alene - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is adding additional north Idaho town meetings to the visits announced earlier this week. Crapo will discuss work now underway on the federal budget, the existing federal debt and government overreach, in addition to taking questions, during the town meetings. The full schedule of 24 meetings includes the following locations: Crapo's schedule for March 30 through April 7 includes these town meeting locations: Monday, March 30: … Continue Reading
March 25, 2015
Crapo Co-Sponsors Permanent "Death Tax" Repeal
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo today co-sponsored legislation authored by Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) that would fully repeal the federal estate tax, also known as the "death tax". The measure is similar to legislation Crapo has supported in previous years. Crapo, a member of the Senate Finance Committee with jurisdiction over the tax code, noted the federal estate tax unfairly burdens family businesses who are forced to sell their farms or small businesses to pay the fede… Continue Reading
March 24, 2015
Crapo Sets North Idaho Town Meetings
Coeur dâ??Alene â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will visit north Idaho for a series of town meetings during the Easter state work period. The senator has been discussing federal debt, government overreach and privacy issues during the nearly fifty town meetings he has held in Idaho dating back to last fall.Crapoâ??s schedule for the beginning of the state work period begins in North Idaho before traveling south. The north Idaho town meetings are as follows:Crapoâ??s schedule for March 31 through Ap… Continue Reading
March 24, 2015
Crapo Pushes for Renewed County Payments In Senate Budget Proposal
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, voted in favor of an amendment to restore a critical lifeline to Idaho's rural communities. The measure, which was approved on a bipartisan, 18 to 4, vote, would remove procedural hurdles within the budget framework to facilitate renewal of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program and fully fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program. These programs provide for essential services such as law enforcement, schools an… Continue Reading
March 23, 2015
Crapo On the Five-Year Anniversary of Obamacare
Washington, D.C. -Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, today released the following statement on the five-year anniversary of the President signing Obamacare into law: "After five years, Obamacare has more than proven itself unworkable. Contrary to the many promises made about the law, Obamacare has pushed millions of Americans, including thousands of Idahoans, from their health insurance plans and preferred doctors, increased out-of-pocket expenses, cut M… Continue Reading
March 23, 2015
Crapo Office Travels to Council
Boise - To better assist Idahoans with questions and issues concerning federal agencies and policies, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo's office is increasing its presence in cities across southwestern Idaho. Crapo's staff will begin a new rotation of remote office hours on behalf of the Senator in the region with the first scheduled stop planned for Adams County. Crapo's Regional Director, Bryan Ricker, will travel to a number of southwest cities and counties on a rotating basis. On April 1, 2015, Ri… Continue Reading
March 20, 2015
Crapo Amendment to End DOJâ??s â??Operation Choke Pointâ?? Clears Committee
Washington, D.C. -Idaho Senator Mike Crapo's amendment to the Senate budget proposal to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to end the controversial U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) program known as Operation Choke Point was approved on a 13-9 vote at the Senate Budget Committee markup of the Senate's Fiscal Year 2016 budget blueprint. Crapo, a strong critic of the program, argued that the DOJ must not politicize its enforcement policies by allowing Operation Choke Point to become an end r… Continue Reading
March 19, 2015
Crapo: The Problem Is That Spending Is Too High, Not that Taxes are Too Low
Washington, D.C. - We can no longer afford to delay making the tough decisions when it comes to reining in federal spending was the message Idaho Senator Mike Crapo delivered at a Senate Budget Committee hearing late yesterday afternoon. Crapo, who sits on the Senate Budget Committee, will begin work with his colleagues this morning to markup the Senate's version of the budget blueprint for FY 2016 before it heads to the Senate Floor. "The biggest crisis our nation faces, and our na… Continue Reading
March 17, 2015
Crapo, Warner Lead Bipartisan Group of Senators To Stop G-Fee Budgetary Gimmick
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Mark Warner (D-Virginia) led a bipartisan group of their colleagues on the Senate Banking Committee today to introduce a budget point of order to prevent the Senate from using Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from financing unrelated spending. The bill, S. 752, is co-sponsored by Senators Richard Shelby (R-Alabama), Jon Tester (D-Montana), Bob Corker (R-Tennessee), Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota), David Vitter (R-Louisiana), Joe Donnelly (D-In… Continue Reading
March 17, 2015
Crapo: Ban on Firearm Possession on Corps Land A Clear Violation of the Second Amendment
Washington, D.C.-Legislation offered by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo to restore American's fundamental right to bear arms on lands managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is being included as a part of the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2015 and was the focus of a Senate Environment and Public Works hearing on Capitol Hill this morning. Crapo's bill, S. 263, would remedy the current patchwork of firearm laws imposed across public lands. Under current law, a person may carry a weapon in… Continue Reading
March 12, 2015
Crapo, Risch Back Bill To Prohibit Retroactive Tax Benefit Payments Under the President's Executive Action on Immigration
Washington, D.C. -Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch today joined Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to introduce legislation to prohibit recipients of deferred action under the President's recent executive immigration orders from claiming retroactive tax benefits through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) based on wages earned while working in the U.S. illegally. As many as five million individuals may be covered by the President's plan, allowing them to obtain work permits and Social Secur… Continue Reading
March 10, 2015
Crapo Statement At Hearing to Examine Role of Venture Exchanges
Washington, D.C.-U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Chairman of the Banking Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment, today delivered the following remarks during a subcommittee hearing to examine the role of venture exchanges in aiding capital formation and trading for small companies. Remarks as prepared for delivery: Today's hearing will provide insights into the challenges of trading stocks of small companies and whether a venture exchange can aid capital formation and se… Continue Reading
March 10, 2015
Crapo, Risch Note ATF To Drop Framework Limiting Sporting Ammo After 51 Senators Object
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch say they will maintain their vigilance over ammunition guidelines that officials with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms say they will shelve following withering criticism in the U.S. Senate. ATF today blamed a "publishing error" for the confusion over the status of the cartridges. Crapo and Risch joined with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley to lead a letter from 51 colleagues in expressing concer… Continue Reading
