News Releases
Crapo Comments On Administrationâ??s Decision To Delay Key Obamacare Provision
Washington, D.C. - Today, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement after the Obama Administration announced its decision to delay, by one year, the health care law mandate that forces employers to provide insurance or face a penalty. "Since this law was rammed through Congress, we have seen the problems and costs continue to grow," said Crapo. "While this delay is certainly welcome news, it only magnifies the concerns busi… Continue Reading
July 02, 2013
Crapo Requests GAO Investigation Into CFPB Data Collection
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the "big data" collection effort being undertaken by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on consumer spending habits. After discovering the CFPB was spending millions of dollars to collect information on millions of Americans' personal credit card, banking, mortgage and student lo… Continue Reading
June 27, 2013
Crapo, Risch Oppose Closing Debate on Immigration Reform Bill
Washington, D.C. -The U.S. Senate has been debating and amending S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, or the Immigration Reform bill. Today, the U.S. Senate held a Cloture vote to close off debate and move the bill toward final passage. Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch opposed closing debate. "Comprehensive immigration reform is not something that the Senate should rush through," Crapo said. "We need to reform our immigration policies,… Continue Reading
June 27, 2013
Crapo: America Deserves Better On Immigration Reform
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo voted against final passage of S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, or the Immigration Reform bill. The Senate has been considering the legislation for approximately three weeks after the bill was reported out of the Judiciary Committee. "Throughout the history of the United States, our immigration laws have been periodically altered and adapted to meet our changing needs and circumstances, Crapo said… Continue Reading
June 27, 2013
Crapo Commends Baucus And Hatch For Moving Forward On Tax Reform
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, who served on the bipartisan "Bowles-Simpson Commission", expressed optimism that the tax-oversight committee has announced the next stage for the tax reform process. "I commend the work of Senators Max Baucus (D-Montana) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) on getting us to this point," said Crapo. "For years, many of my colleagues and I have worked to enact comprehensive tax reform to simplify our overly-… Continue Reading
June 27, 2013
Crapo Statement at Banking Committee Hearing on Nominations
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, today delivered the following remarks during a Banking Committee hearing to consider the following nominees: Representative Mel Watt, of North Carolina, to be Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency; Dr. Jason Furman, of New York, to be a Member and Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers; Ms. Kara M. Stein, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Securities and Ex… Continue Reading
June 25, 2013
Crapo Statement at Banking Committee Hearing on Private Student Loans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, today delivered the following remarks during a Banking Committee hearing on private student loans focusing on regulatory challenges and a path forward: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing today. Student loans play a vital role in the lives of many students and their families across our country. The loans help maintain a strong and educated workforce by en… Continue Reading
June 24, 2013
Crapo Statement on the Passing of Velma Morrison
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo issued this statement on the passing of Idaho icon Velma Morrison this past week at the age of 92: "One cannot travel in Idaho, especially in Boise, without noting the numerous additions Velma Morrison brought to our great state. I join with many Idahoans today in mourning her passing while celebrating the gifts of art, philanthropy, education and leadership she bestowed on us during her long and wonderful life. "I appreciate the opportunitie… Continue Reading
June 24, 2013
Crapo: E-Verify Cannot Become A Privacy Concern
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is continuing his efforts to improve S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, commonly referred to as the "Immigration Reform bill" currently being debated on the Senate floor. Crapo has joined his colleague from Montana, Senator Jon Tester, to offer an amendment to provide a "use restriction" to clarify when E-Verify photographs can and cannot be used. This amendment is in response to concerns that the fede… Continue Reading
June 20, 2013
Idaho Delegation Responds to Bergdahl News
Washington, D.C. - Idaho's Congressional delegation responded to news reports today that the Afghanistan Taliban are once again attempting to raise the possibility of a prisoner swap for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl of Hailey, Idaho, who has been held captive for four years. Idaho's Congressional delegation issued this joint statement: "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Bowe Bergdahl and his family. His safe return has always been of the utmost importance to us, and his well-being is somethi… Continue Reading
June 19, 2013
Crapo, Murray Introduce Bipartisan Amendment to Protect Pregnant Women From Shackling
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Patty Murray (D-Washington) introduced an amendment to the comprehensive immigration reform legislation under consideration in the Senate that would protect pregnant women detained by immigration officials from shackling and unnecessary restraint. The amendment extends an existing Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) ban on shackling pregnant women to include all pregnant women in detention or held under detainer. "The United St… Continue Reading
June 19, 2013
Border Enforcement Should Be Done First
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is co-sponsoring an amendment to the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. The RESULTS amendment, or Requiring Enforcement, Security and safety, & Upgrading Legitimate Trade and travel Simultaneously, introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), would require the government to meet border enforcement goals before granting legal status to the nation's immigrants in the country illegally. "Rarely does an issue i… Continue Reading
June 18, 2013
Bipartisan Amendment On Tribal Representation Adopted
Washington, D.C. - Today, an amendment offered by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo and Montana Senator Jon Tester to the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, or the Immigration reform package, was agreed to on a vote of 94 to 0. This amendment will add four tribal representatives-two from the northern region and two from the southern region-to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Border Oversight Task Force. This amendment was prompted by a recent U.S. Governme… Continue Reading
June 17, 2013
Idaho Senators Object To Cuts To PILT Payments
Washington, D.C. - The Obama Administration announced the annual Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments for local governments across the country, including those in Idaho. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch oppose the administration's decision to cut these payments to meet sequester benchmarks. "Local communities in Idaho are going to feel a significant impact with a cut to their PILT payments," Crapo said. "PILT was enacted to provide payments to offset the impact of the presence of federa… Continue Reading
June 14, 2013
Administration Should Not Play Politics With National Monuments
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has joined nine other Republican Senators in a letter to President Obama expressing alarm at reports that the president is considering politically motivated monument designations and urging against unilaterally designating any areas as national monuments. Consistently, the purpose of designating land as a national monument has been to protect important historical areas. "Recently, repor… Continue Reading
June 13, 2013
Opening Statement at Banking Committee Hearing Examining the Financial Crisis' Effect on Community Banks
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, today delivered the following remarks during a Banking Committee hearing entitled "Lessons Learned from the Financial Crisis Regarding Community Banks": Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today, the Committee will hear about lessons learned from the financial crisis regarding community banks. Thank you to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the U.S. Government A… Continue Reading
June 13, 2013
Crapo Says Tribes Need Input On Border Security
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has joined an amendment, introduced by Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana), which would add tribal representation to the Border Oversight Task Force. This task force, established under the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, will make recommendations regarding immigration and border enforcement policies, procedures, strategies and programs. "Our nation's Indian tribes have as much at stake in immigration reform as ot… Continue Reading
June 11, 2013
Crapo Welcomes Summer Interns To His Washington, D.C. And Idaho Offices
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo welcomes nine new interns to his Washington, D.C., and Idaho regional offices for the summer semester to learn more about Congress and the legislative process. Having served an internship himself, Crapo says he knows firsthand the value of a Congressional internship. "The hands-on learning experiences about the political process that these internships provide are invaluable," Crapo noted. I learned a great deal during my internship, and am glad I hav… Continue Reading
June 05, 2013
Crapo And Klobuchar Get Swift Action From EPA
Washington, D.C. - After U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) urged swift action to implement their formaldehyde legislation, the EPA has moved forward with rules to protect consumers from dangerous chemicals in wood products. The newly proposed rules, which are required by the Senators' legislation, create a formaldehyde emission standard for manufactured and imported wood products and also establish a third-party certification process to ensure these standards ar… Continue Reading
June 04, 2013
Senators Want White Potatoes Eligible For Purchase Under WIC
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have joined Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Mark Udall (D-Colorado) to introduce an amendment to the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013, more commonly known as the Farm Bill, that would reinstate fresh white potatoes as eligible for purchase under the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. "The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to ignore the nutritional guidance that encourages an intake of fi… Continue Reading
