News Releases
Crapo, Risch Laud Committeeâ??s Inclusion of Potato Nutrition Language
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch commended the U.S. Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee today for adopting an amendment to end the unnecessary exclusion of the nutrient-packed fresh white potato in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. The WIC program makes qualifying foods available for low-income and nutritionally at-risk pregnant women and their infants and children through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Under current law, the USDA … Continue Reading
May 21, 2014
Crapoâ??s Blackfoot River Land Settlement Act Moves Forward
Washington, D.C. - Legislation authored by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo to settle local land disputes in southeastern Idaho was reported favorably out of the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee today by a unanimous voice vote. S. 2040, the Blackfoot River Land Settlement Act, seeks to clear up issues related to the ownership of land and water rights dating back to the 1960s when federal flood control projects were undertaken along the Blackfoot River. As a consequence of the project's channel rea… Continue Reading
May 16, 2014
Crapo, Risch Introduce Youth Careers in Logging Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have introduced the Youth Careers in Logging Act, S. 2336, which would extend benefits enjoyed by others in the agriculture industry by allowing family members to learn the trade of logging from a younger age so that they may carry on the family business. "This legislation offers tomorrow's leaders the family training to become the future of the industry and assist in the restoration of our national forests," said Crapo. "In the loggi… Continue Reading
May 15, 2014
Senate Banking Committee Passes Bipartisan Housing Finance Reform Legislation
Washington, D.C. - Today, the Senate Banking Committee approved S. 1217, the Housing Finance Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2013, by a bipartisan vote of 13-9. The legislation included a bipartisan agreement drafted by Chairman Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and is designed to stabilize the housing finance market and strengthen the American economy. It will create greater competition in the housing finance system and reduce risk to the taxpayer whi… Continue Reading
May 15, 2014
Crapo Named â??Hero of Main Streetâ??
Washington, D.C. - A national group representing the U.S. retail industry today named Idaho Senator Mike Crapo a "Hero of Main Street" for his legislative priorities and voting record. The National Retail Federation (NRF) notes retail jobs make up the nation's largest private sector of employment. The NRF's 2013 Annual Report noted Idaho had 148,029 direct retail jobs last year and an employment impact of 206,741 jobs. The Idaho statistics and awards are listed on the Federation's website: … Continue Reading
May 14, 2014
Crapo Seeks Answers From HHS Nominee On Medicare Advantage Reductions
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, sought answers from Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Sylvia Mathews Burwell today on how she intends, if confirmed, to fix the many failures that are inherent within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. During the exchange, Crapo focused on recent reductions to the popular and successful Medicare Advantage (MA) program and the practical implicatio… Continue Reading
May 09, 2014
Crapo To Host Tele-Townhall
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will host his second statewide tele-townhall meeting of 2014 and is encouraging Idahoans to participate. Crapo will take questions from Idahoans on a variety of topics currently being debated in Congress, including new Environmental Protection Agency regulations, the Keystone XL pipeline,the state of the economy and our nation's broken housing finance system during the hour-long call. The teleforum will take place on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, at 7:00… Continue Reading
May 07, 2014
Crapo, Risch Support Commission to Study Military Changes and Effect on Local Guard Units
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are part of a bipartisan group of Senators calling for an independent commission to study proposed changesin the U.S. Army. The Idaho senators say our nation's budget challenges have forced the Army and other branches of the U.S. military to make force structure changes, some of which could affect National Guard units, including the Idaho Army National Guard. Nineteen senators have sponsored the legislation to create a National Com… Continue Reading
May 07, 2014
Crapoâ??s Work To End Land Disputes In Southeastern Idaho Takes Spotlight At Committee Hearing
Washington, D.C. - Legislation authored by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo to settle long-standing land ownership claims and water rights issues in southeastern Idaho was the focus of a U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing today. The committee, of which Crapo is a member, began consideration of S. 2040, the Blackfoot River Land Settlement Act and S. 2041, the 1918 Repeal Act, both recently introduced by the senator. In his opening remarks, Crapo noted that the passage of the Blackfoot River L… Continue Reading
April 29, 2014
Crapo Website Named Top Senate Republican Site
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo's official website, https://www.crapo.senate.gov., has been named the top Republican website in the U.S. Senate by the independent Congressional Management Foundation (CMF). Crapo's site was issued the Silver Mouse Award for the 113 th Congress, the only Senate Republican to be awarded an honor in the Gold and Silver categories. A total of 70 personal office and committee websites in Congress received a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Award. The Cong… Continue Reading
April 29, 2014
Idaho High School Student To Serve As U.S. Senate Page
Washington, D.C. - An Idaho student will have the opportunity to spend an interesting monthworking on the floor of the United States Senate. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo aided high school student Camdon Kay with his application for the U.S. Senate Page Program, which provides high school students the opportunity to learn more about Congress and the legislative process firsthand. Students in the program assist senators on the floor with day-to-day operations. Camdon Kay is a native of Kuna and wil… Continue Reading
April 11, 2014
Top Air Force Officer to Visit Mountain Home, Boise
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, along with Representatives Mike Simpson and Raul Labrador, will welcome General Mark A. Welsh III, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, to Mountain Home Air Force Base in early May. This trip is a unique opportunity for the nation's senior uniformed Air Force officer to see first-hand some of the Air Force's most impressive assets and capabilities. "Earlier this year, we invited General Welsh to Idaho to tour our world-class facili… Continue Reading
April 09, 2014
Crapo: Administrationâ??s New Effort to Wield Authority Over Water Unacceptable
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is objecting to a proposed rule recently issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to drastically expand the definition of waters regulated under the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). The "Waters of the United States" rule would outline a significant expansion of federal authority, permitting the government to exert more control over private landowners by deeming portions of their land as "jurisdictional… Continue Reading
April 08, 2014
Crapo Calls On The IRS To Stop Stifling Free Speech
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo joined his Republican colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee to call on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner John Koskinen to put an end to the proposed regulation designed to stifle the free speech of groups that have criticized the Administration. In the letter, the Senators said Commissioner Koskinen has the unilateral authority to prevent the proposed regulation from becoming final and urged him to not sign the proposed rule should it r… Continue Reading
April 04, 2014
EPW Committee Moves Successful Brownfields Program Legislation Forward
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo commended the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for unanimously passing S. 491, the Brownfields Utilization, Investment and Local Development Act, out of committee. The successful program has a proven track record of helping Idaho communities rehabilitate abandoned and polluted properties throughout the state, increasing safety, attracting new business and creating jobs. Crapo, Ranking Member on the Superfund, Toxics and Environmenta… Continue Reading
April 03, 2014
Crapo, Cardin Bill To Protect Fish Habitats And Related Jobs Clears Committee Hurdle
Washington, D.C. - Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) Chairman of the Senate Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, lauded the voice vote approval today in the Environment and Public Works Committee of The National Fish Habitat Conservation Act (NFHCA) that authorizes $7.2 million annually for fish habitat restoration and protection projects that are supported by regional Fish Habitat Partnerships. The bill leverages public-private partnerships and engage stakeholde… Continue Reading
April 02, 2014
Crapo, Markey Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Prevent Alzheimerâ??s Disease
Washington, D.C. - Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts) pushed for renewed focus on cost-saving, preventive health care research today by introducing S. 2192, The Alzheimer's Accountability Act. The legislation would require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to submit an annual budget to meet the goal of preventing and treating Alzheimer's disease by the year 2025. The budget would be submitted directly to the President for review and trans… Continue Reading
March 27, 2014
Delegation Says BEA Extension at INL Well-Deserved
Washington, D.C. - Members of Idaho's Congressional Delegation say today's announcement by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to extend the operations contract of the Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA) at the Idaho National Laboratory is well-deserved and good for the continuation of employment and expertise at the Lab. "The workers and leadership of the Battelle Energy Alliance have earned this recognition by the Department of Energy," said Idaho Senator Mike Crapo. "This announcement is just… Continue Reading
March 26, 2014
Crapo Questions EPAâ??s Budgetary Priorities
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, participated in an oversight hearing of the Environmental Protection Agency's fiscal year 2015 budget. The hearing comes one day after the EPA announced, and Crapo strongly objected to, an expanded definition of waters regulated under the federal Clean Water Act (CWA)-a decision that, if implemented, would further restrict the private property rights of Americans. "In reviewing the … Continue Reading
March 25, 2014
Crapo: Latest Actions Show EPA Out of Control
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee with jurisdiction over the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), says today's announcement by the agency to significantly expand the definition of waters regulated under the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) for streams and wetlands infringes both on state water rights and the property rights of private landowners. Making things worse, Crapo noted the EPA is, at the same time, seeki… Continue Reading
