News Releases
Crapo to CBO Director: Can We Continue to Spend Ourselves Into Prosperity on Borrowed Money?
Washington, D.C.-Under questioning from Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, the head of the U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed that our nation's$18 trillion national debt remains a drag on the economy and job growth, and continued increased federal spending used as a short-term strategy to boost the economy will have serious negative long-term effects on the country's economic future. Crapo, a senior member of the Senate Budget Committee, participated in a hearing this morning to examine CBO… Continue Reading
January 28, 2015
Crapo Office Travels to Emmett and Mountain Home
Boise - To better assist Idahoans with questions and issues concerning federal agencies and policies, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo's office is continuing remote office hours in southwest Idaho. Crapo's Regional Director Bryan Ricker will travel to Gem and Elmore counties, and can assist Idahoans with any questions or problems related to federal agencies or with problems regarding federal programs. Crapo Remote Office Hours schedule: Monday, February 9: Em… Continue Reading
January 27, 2015
Crapo Introduces Bill to Strengthen Idahoans' Second Amendment Rights
Washington, D.C.-Idaho Senator Mike Crapo today introduced legislation to reaffirm the Second Amendment rights of Idahoans. S. 263 seeks to make firearm regulations consistent across federal lands by allowing law-abiding citizens to carry firearms on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) property. Under current law, a person may carry a concealed weapon in a National Park or Refuge as long as individuals comply with the firearm laws of the park's home state. However, the same rights are not ex… Continue Reading
January 26, 2015
Crapo Backs Balanced Budget Legislation, Biennial Budget Process
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a long-time proponent of a balanced federal budget, has signed onto several bills in this session of Congress that call for balancing the federal budget and controlling spending by moving to a biennial budget process at the federal level. Released today, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) annual Budget and Economic Outlook report shows that, absent action, the United States continues to remain on an unsustainable fiscal path with the natio… Continue Reading
January 23, 2015
Crapo, Risch Announce Delegates for Senate Youth Program
Washington, D.C.- Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch today announced delegates to the 53 rd annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) that will be held March 7-14, 2015, in Washington, D.C. Caitlin Lackey of Pocatello and Amanda Soloman of Kimberly were chosen from students across Idaho to be part of the 104 student delegation who will attend the program's annual Washington Week. Caitlin Lackey currently serves as Student Body President at Pocatello High school. In addition, ser… Continue Reading
January 22, 2015
Crapo, Wyden: Reforming Wildfire Funding Needs Immediate Action to Protect Rural America
Washington, D.C.- Today Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, introduced their bipartisan bill to overhaul federal wildfire policy to boost funding for fire prevention and treat the largest wildfires as natural disasters. "Catastrophic wildfires threaten homes and lives across Oregon and the West year after year, and the money to fight those fires falls short nearly every time," Wyden said. "The federal government needs to make sure it can invest in fire prevention AND fig… Continue Reading
January 22, 2015
Crapo Bill to Provide Check on Presidential Power in National Monument Designation Process
Washington, D.C. -Idaho Senator Mike Crapo introduced legislation today limit Presidential power related to the designation of national monuments. Crapo's bill comes in advance of new designations likely to be made by the Obama Administration over the course of the next two years, potentially including the Boulder-White Clouds in Idaho. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and David Vitter (R-Louisiana) joined Crapo in introducing S. 228,the National Monument Designation Transparency and Accountabili… Continue Reading
January 22, 2015
Crapo Pushes to Cut Red Tape in Federal Rulemaking Process
Washington, D.C.-Idaho Senator Mike Crapo today backed legislation to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. Crapo is a co-sponsor of Senator Rand Paul's (R-Kentucky) Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act. S. 226 would require proposed rules and regulations put forth by federal agencies with an estimated economic effect of at least $100 million to be subject to congressional approval before taking effect. Under current law, the Congressional Review A… Continue Reading
January 20, 2015
Crapo: President Must Work With Congress To Address Debt Crisis, Failing Health Care Law
Washington, D.C. -Comprehensive fiscal reforms and economic growth should top the list of priorities for the President and Congress over the next two years, said Idaho Senator Mike Crapo following tonight's State of the Union Address. Crapo, a senior member of the Senate Financeand Banking committees, says that the debt crisis is the most pressing issue currently facing the nation, and the next two years present an opportunity for the President to work with Congress to implement much-needed fis… Continue Reading
January 09, 2015
Crapo Seeks to Stop Federal Education Mandates
Washington, D.C. - School districts would not have to fear losing federal funding because of local curriculum decisions if legislation introduced today by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo becomes law. Crapo introduced the Local Leadership in Education Act, which amends the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to forbid "any officer or employee of the Federal Government from being able to mandate, direct or control a State, local education agency, or school's academic standards, curric… Continue Reading
January 08, 2015
Crapo Manages New Senate's First Bill
Washington, D.C. - The first legislation to pass the U.S. Senate during the 114 th Congress was managed on the Senate floor today by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo. The Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, or TRIA, was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate on a 93-to-4 vote. The final bill approved today also passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 416-to-5. The TRIA legislation requires private insurance companies to absorb and cover the losses for all put the largest acts… Continue Reading
January 06, 2015
Crapo Named Chief Deputy Whip
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will again serve a primary legislative messaging role among his peers in the new 114 th Congress, but this time it will be in a majority role. Senate Republican Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) announced today that Crapo will head the whip team he has appointed for the 114 th Congress. Crapo was Chief Deputy Whip during the 113 th Congress. "I appreciate the opportunity to work with Senator Cornyn, new Majority Leader McConnell and all of our… Continue Reading
January 05, 2015
Crapo Announces Military Academy Nominations
Washington, D.C.-Idaho Senator Mike Crapo today announced his nomination of 44 Idaho students for continuing education and service as a part of the nation's military academies. The students' applications are now being considered by four of the U.S. service academies, where final selections will be made. "These outstanding young people represent some of the best and brightest in our state, and it is an honor to nominate them to our nation's service academies," said Crapo. "We in Idaho have much… Continue Reading
December 17, 2014
Crapo Demands Answers from IRS on Civil Forfeitures
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is asking the U.S. Department of Treasury for information on IRS seizure and forfeiture activities of legitimate small business accounts. The IRS cites a law under the Bank Secrecy Act used to identify drug traffickers, racketeers and terrorists by tracking cash deposits under $10,000, a practice known as "structuring," but sometimes the IRS captures efforts at legitimate, cash-only operating small businesses. Recent news reports have detailed instan… Continue Reading
December 16, 2014
Crapo Announces Committee Posts for 114th Congress
Washington, D.C. - After wrapping up work with incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) on the Senate Republican Committee on Committees, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo today announced his committee assignments for the 114 th Congress. Crapo will retain his committee posts from the previous Congress, serving on the following committees: Senate Finance Committee, Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Senate Budget Committee, Senate Environment and Public Works Com… Continue Reading
December 11, 2014
Crapo, Risch Say Energy Costs Could Soar Under EPA Power Plan
Washington, D.C.-Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch joined Senator Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) and 20 of their Republican colleagues to express deep concern about the impact the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed power plan would have on electricity prices and power grid reliability. In a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, the senators call for the rule's withdrawal, citing unrealistic interim targets, a severely constrained timeline for implementation and complications … Continue Reading
December 01, 2014
Crapo, Udall Lead Bipartisan Coalition on PILT, SRS Funding for Critical Local Government Services
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Tom Udall (D-New Mexico) led a bipartisan coalition urging Senate leaders to fully fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program and Secure Rural Schools (SRS) in any end-of-year legislation. PILT provides federal payments to local governments to help offset losses in property taxes because of nontaxable federal land within their boundaries, and these resources are critical to rural counties across the country, which use the fundi… Continue Reading
November 20, 2014
Crapo Statement On President Obamaâ??s Executive Order on Immigration
Washington, D.C. -Idaho Senator Mike Crapo issued the following statement on President Obama's decision to issue an executive order on immigration that could apply to as many as five million illegal immigrants: "Rather than listening to the American people and respecting their voices in the last election, the President will instead impose his deliberately divisive action on the important issue of illegal immigration," said Crapo. "This unfortunate choice by the President will, most importantly… Continue Reading
November 20, 2014
GAO Report Says FSOC Lacks Transparency, Accountability
Washington, D.C. - Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released the results of a comprehensive study requested by Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) analyzing the Financial Stability Oversight Council's (FSOC) process to designate systemically important non-bank financial companies (non-bank SIFIs) for additional regulation by the Federal Reserve. The FSOC is a council created by the Dodd-Frank Act to, among other things, designate a financial firm as sys… Continue Reading
November 18, 2014
Crapo Introduces Legislation To Reduce Onerous Government Regulations On Job Creators
Washington, D.C. -Joined by U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Idaho Senator Mike Crapo todayintroduced a bill to reduce excessive unfunded government mandates on job creators, giving them greater freedom to invest in their companies and hire new workers. "Businesses across the nation continue to struggle under the heavy weight of the federal government," said Crapo. "Removing the tremendous burdens placed on job creators and strengthening policies that encourage, not stifle, innovation is key… Continue Reading
