News Releases
Crapo, Wyden, Risch, and Merkley: Spending Bill Boosts Wildfire Funds, But Much More Work to Do
Washington, D.C. -A bipartisan group of Oregon and Idaho senators praised congressional leaders for boosting wildfire funding in a year-end spending bill, and vowed to continue pushing for a long-term solution. Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, joined with Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and James Risch to renew their call for a long-term solution to wildfire funding. The bill directly funds firefighting at 100 percent of the 10-year average of firefighting costs. Additionally, it contains nearl… Continue Reading
December 02, 2015
Crapo: By Any Objective Measure, President's Health Care Plan Is A Disaster
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Idaho Senator Mike Crapo today highlighted the negative effects of Obamacare on Idaho residents. In remarks delivered from the Senate floor, Crapo spoke about how Obamacare is raising insurance plan premiums and highlighted stories from residents in Boise, Melba, and Meridian. Excerpts of Crapo's remarks follow. Video of Crapo's remarks may be viewed here. On rising insurance premiums in Idaho: "In Idaho, which operates a state exchange, the average pr… Continue Reading
November 23, 2015
Crapo, Risch Join Bipartisan Effort to Increase Flexibility for Dairy Sector
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch today joined a bipartisan group of senators calling for increased weight limit flexibility in the transportation and delivery of milk as part of a final Surface Transportation Bill. In a letter to Senate negotiators, Crapo and Risch request the final bill include a provision recognizing food safety and time-sensitive considerations for trucks hauling milk. Negotiators are working to merge individual House and Senate measures into one … Continue Reading
November 20, 2015
Crapo, Bennet Lead Bipartisan Letter on County Payments
Washington, D.C.- U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) today led a bipartisan coalition urging Senate leaders to fully fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program in any end-of-year legislation. Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) provide federal payments to nearly 1,900 local governments across 49 states to help offset losses in property taxes because of nontaxable federal land within state boundaries. PILT payments are critical to rural counties across the country and … Continue Reading
November 18, 2015
Crapo, Risch Support Keystone XL Pipeline
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch voted with the minority today to support construction of the long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline. The Senate vote of 59 to 41 to reject approval of the pipeline carrying Canadian oil to the southern U.S. The Senate vote followed a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to approve the project. "If eventually approved, the Keystone project will provide a significant economic boost to our country, creating thousands of jobs and prov… Continue Reading
November 16, 2015
Idaho Delegation Wants Syrian Refugee Program Put on Hold
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, and Idaho Representatives Mike Simpson and Raul Labrador, called for suspending bringing Syrian refugees to Idaho through the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program until better assurances of security can be obtained. "The attack on France demonstrates in stark horror the risks that not all who enter our country have peaceful intentions. It has become evident at least one of the terrorists who carried out this plot entered the country u… Continue Reading
November 11, 2015
Idaho Veterans See Nearly One Million Dollars in Benefits from Casework, Survey Efforts
Boise - Idaho veterans received nearly $1 million in benefits related to successful casework in partnering with Idaho Senator Mike Crapo's office over the past year. Crapo thanked veterans for participating in his recently-completed Idaho Veterans Survey, and said that participation was a factor regarding increased requests for casework help that benefitted veterans. "About a thousand new requests for casework assistance came in last year, much of it from awareness created by our dialog wit… Continue Reading
November 10, 2015
Crapo Announces Spirit of Freedom Award Recipients
Washington, D.C.-Idaho Senator Mike Crapo today announced the names of twenty-one Idahoans-twelve veterans and nine volunteers-who will be honored with his Spirit of Freedom Award at ceremonies to be held throughout Idaho on Veterans Day, November 11. The Spirit of Freedom Award was created by Crapo thirteen years ago to recognize the outstanding service of Idaho veterans as well as the many Idahoans who dedicate extensive volunteer time and service supporting those who have served our country.… Continue Reading
November 09, 2015
Crapo to Discuss Veterans Survey, Spirit of Freedom Awards Wednesday
Boise - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will hold a news conference Wednesday, Veterans Day, to discuss results of his recently-completed survey of almost a thousand Idaho veterans and their families, plus preview his Spirit of Freedom ceremony at the Idaho State Veterans Home in Boise and highlight Second Amendment concerns stemming from initiatives from the Veterans Administration and the Internal Revenue Service against veterans. Crapo will meet with local veteran Karl Johnston to present him t… Continue Reading
November 09, 2015
Idaho Falls Veteran to Receive Service Medals Tomorrow
Ammon - Idaho Falls veteran Larry Watson will receive long-awaited medals for his military service tomorrow during a special ceremony in Ammon. Watson will receive the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal during the ceremony at Hillcrest High School's Performing Arts Center. Captain Robert Skinner, USN Retired, will present the medals. Medal Ceremony for Larry Watson: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 6:30 PM … Continue Reading
November 06, 2015
Crapo Calls Administrationâ??s Disapproval of Keystone XL Pipeline Project Unacceptable
"It is unacceptable for the President to walk away from a commonsense project that would provide energy from a stable, allied trading partner while also creating much-need jobs domestically," said Crapo. "It should come as no surprise that after seven years of unnecessary delays, the President has again failed to exercise true leadership. During that time, five environmental impact studies were completed that all found no significant impact on the environment would result from the Keystone prop… Continue Reading
November 04, 2015
Crapo: Water War Will Continue
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo voted today to stop a federal rule seizing control over water, known as the "Waters of the U.S." rule. Crapo voted with the majority as the Senate utilized the Congressional Review Act to pass a resolution stopping the water rule issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The effort needed just a simple majority and was passed on a vote of 53 to 44 That vote against the WOTUS rule came after a similar measure fell just short of the 60 votes… Continue Reading
October 29, 2015
Crapo Opposes Debt Ceiling Deal
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will vote against a measure currently being considered by the Senate that will raise federal spending caps, as well as the debt ceiling. Final passage of the measure is expected in the early morning hours Friday. "This bill does almost nothing to establish long-term fiscal restraints necessary to balance the nation's budget," said Crapo. "Instead, this measure will enable continued, irresponsible government spending for the next two years, remove budg… Continue Reading
October 22, 2015
Crapo Says President's Veto of the National Defense Authorization Act Will Weaken National Defense
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo said today that President Obama's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) will weaken America's defense and deny the military the certainty it needs to prepare for, and respond to, unfolding events around the world. "The President's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act is a disservice to the men and women who honorably serve at Idaho's Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho's National Guard, and around the world," said Crapo. "Th… Continue Reading
October 05, 2015
Idaho Delegation Backs Kotek Nomination to Lead DOE Nuclear Initiatives
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, along with Idaho Representatives Mike Simpson and Raul Labrador, issued the following statement on President Obama's nomination of John Kotek of Idaho to be Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). "We congratulate John on his nomination to be the permanent Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, a position he has been holding on an interim basis for several months," the delegation said in a joint … Continue Reading
September 23, 2015
Calling All Idaho Students: Senator Crapoâ??s Office Seeking Interns
Washington, D.C.-The deadline is rapidly approaching for Idaho's students to apply for upcoming internship opportunities in U.S. Senator Mike Crapo's Washington, D.C., office, or one of his six regional offices throughout Idaho. Students have until October 15 to submit an application to be considered for an internship position for the spring semester. The internship experience provides Idaho students a unique opportunity to learn about Congress and the legislative process firsthand. Interns… Continue Reading
September 22, 2015
Crapo Calls on VA to Improve New Veterans Choice Program
Washington, D.C. -After hearing from hundreds of Idaho's veterans about their experiences with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is seeking to drive meaningful change within the agency. In a letter to the head of the VA, Crapo calls upon the Secretary to pay special attention to Idahoans as the VA works to improve the beleaguered Veterans Choice Program (VCP). He is calling on the agency to report to Congress on how it plans to streamline the program and im… Continue Reading
September 22, 2015
Crapo, Risch Skeptical of Sage-Grouse Decision
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch issued comments reacting to news that the Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell, has announced that placing the greater sage-grouse on the Endangered Species List is "not warranted". The Record of Decision for the Land Use Plan Amendments has already been signed. "While a 'not warranted' decision is better than a listing determination under the Endangered Species Act, the Department of Interior's reliance on heavy-handed land-use manag… Continue Reading
September 17, 2015
Crapo: President's Iran Deal Bad for America and Idaho
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted for a second time to consider a resolution rejecting President Obama's nuclear deal with Iran: "The President's executive nuclear agreement legitimizes Iran's nuclear weapons program and directly threatens our national security and regional allies. This agreement releases billions of dollars to Tehran, a portion of which even the administration acknowledges will wind up in the hands of… Continue Reading
September 16, 2015
Crapo Blasts Weak Iran Deal on Senate Floor
Washington, D.C. -Idaho Senator Mike Crapo took to the Senate Floor this afternoon to outline his strong opposition to the President's nuclear agreement with Iran. Crapo says the deal does not stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and will all but guarantee Iran is able to continue its aggression in the middle east and beyond. The Senator also made note during his remarks of the Administration's failure to secure the release of Boise Pastor Saeed Abedini and other Americans being held pri… Continue Reading
