News Releases
Idaho Delegation to Host Office Hours in Burley on Wednesday, April 18
Burley, ID - Field representatives from the offices of Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressman Mike Simpson will host Traveling District Office meetings on April 18 at Burley City Hall from 9:00 to 11:00 AM, followed by office hours at the Golden Heritage Senior Center from 11:30 to 1:00 PM. Congressional field representatives will be on hand to answer questions from individuals with specific problems with federal agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, Veterans' Affairs and th… Continue Reading
April 04, 2012
Crapo Recognized for Pro-Taxpayer Voting Record
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, has earned the National Taxpayer Union's (NTU) "Taxpayers' Friend Award" for 2011 for his pro-taxpayer voting record. The NTU, a nonpartisan citizen group, awards members of congress who consistently vote to reduce and control the burden on American taxpayers. Because of his commitment to cut spending and balance the budget, Crapo was given one of the highest scores in the Senate at 90 percent. The NTU's a… Continue Reading
April 03, 2012
Crapo Calls for Action on Budget
Washington, D.C. - By law, the U.S. Senate is required to report a budget resolution out of committee each year on April 1 and adopt it by April 15. For the third consecutive year-three years of debt ceiling hikes, three years of record-setting deficits-the Senate has failed to do so, and Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, says this is unacceptable. Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget resolution that cuts government spending, maintain… Continue Reading
April 02, 2012
U.S. Now Number One in Highest Business Taxes
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the federal tax code, says Congress has another reason to prioritize tax reform now that the calendar has turned to April. Beginning this month, the United States now has the world's highest rate of combined corporate taxes. When Japan lowered its tax rate to 36.8 percent on April 1, the U.S. rate became the world's highest at 39.2 percent. "In the last decade, while v… Continue Reading
March 29, 2012
Hoeven, Blunt, Klobuchar, Crapo Introduce the Bipartisan Domestic Fuels Act of 2012
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) today introduced bipartisan legislation, the Domestic Fuels Act of 2012. The measure provides a market-based, no-cost approach to produce more energy, increase competition, foster greater sales of alternative fuels, provide more consumer choice and lower the cost of motor fuels at the pump. Currently, legal and infrastructure obstacles, such as cost of entry for retailers, inconsisten… Continue Reading
March 22, 2012
Senators Fight for Family Farms
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are working to stop federal regulatory overreach on Idaho family farms and ranches. The Preserving America's Family Farms Act, S.2221, recently introduced in the U.S. Senate, would prevent the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) from implementing a new labor regulation that would negatively impact existing agricultural and education programs and family farm structures. The DOL proposed a rule that will adversely affect the ability of farmer… Continue Reading
March 22, 2012
Senators Introduce Bipartisan Volcker Fix to Ease Market Confusion
Washington, D.C. - Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mark Warner (D-VA), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Tom Carper (D-DE) and Bob Corker (R-TN) today introduced bipartisan legislation that provides for the implementation of the Volcker rule after the agencies have issued their final rules, rather than two years after the date Dodd-Frank was signed into law. By linking the effective date to the regulators completing their work, Congress will not be arbitrarily extending the implementation of Dod… Continue Reading
March 21, 2012
Senators Encouraged by Recent EPA Supreme Court Ruling
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Supreme Court today unanimously ruled in favor of an Idaho couple who challenged an enforcement action levied against them by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In Sackett vs. EPA, the court ruled in favor of Mike and Chantell Sackett of Priest Lake, asserting that landowners may bring a civil lawsuit challenging a federal government order under the Clean Water Act. Senators Crapo and Risch issued the following statement regarding the case: "Unfortunat… Continue Reading
March 18, 2012
Crapo to Meet With North Idaho Chambers on Federal Spending Issues
Hayden - Congress and the White House must increase their efforts to reduce our nation's spending and growing deficit, according to Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, who will speak to a joint meeting of North Idaho Chamber of Commerce groups Monday. Crapo, who served on the President's Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, is now working with a bipartisan group of Senators to bring the commission's ideas before Congress. Crapo's Schedule for Monday, March 21: Noon … Continue Reading
March 16, 2012
Crapo and Risch Sign Letter Asking for H-2A Fix
Washington, DC - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch signed onto a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Department of Labor, requesting improvements to the H-2A visa program that allows for admission of guest workers for temporary or seasonal jobs. "We have heard from many in the Idaho agricultural community saying they are having great difficulty with the temporary visa application process. The lack of temporary workers severely impacts their ability to get their products to the market," said Se… Continue Reading
March 09, 2012
Delegation to Host Office Hours in Shoshone on Tuesday, March 20
Twin Falls, ID - Field representatives from the offices of Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressman Mike Simpson will host a Traveling District Office on March 20 at Shoshone City Hall from 9:00 to 11:00 AM and at the Shoshone Senior Center later that day from 11:30 to 1:00 PM. Congressional field representatives will be on hand to answer questions from individuals with specific problems with federal agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, Veterans' Affairs and the Social Securi… Continue Reading
March 08, 2012
Secure Rural Schools Extension Approved
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved an amendment today that extends federal payments to counties with large tracts of federal land in order to compensate for the loss in revenue from timber and local property taxes. The Secure Rural Schools (SRS) and Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) amendment to the highway bill was offered by Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana) and co-sponsored by Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch. The 82 to 16 vote to include county payments in the… Continue Reading
March 01, 2012
Crapo Among Most Conservative Members of Senate
Washington, D.C. - For over 30 years, the National Journal has rated members of Congress on their conservative records, and Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has been ranked third in the U.S. Senate for his voting scorecard in 2011. The respected publication determines ratings based on select roll-call votes from previous years to create an ideological scale for Congress, including votes regarding economic, foreign and social policy issues. The publication gave Crapo high marks for his leadership on … Continue Reading
February 28, 2012
Idaho Delegation Seeks Solutions to Federal Overreach
Washington, D.C. - Members of the U.S. Senate and House Western Caucuses came together today to discuss the impacts of federal overreach on individuals, communities and businesses. Idaho was well represented at the bicameral hearing: Senator Mike Crapo served as co-chair, Senator Jim Risch and Congressman Raùl Labrador provided remarks and questions, and special witnesses included Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter and Mike and Chantell Sackett of Priest Lake, Idaho. The hearing, entitled "Washington… Continue Reading
February 27, 2012
Senate Hearing Features Gov. Otter, Sacketts
Washington, D.C. - Members of the U.S. Senate will hear directly tomorrow from Westerners on federal policies that impact their livelihoods and their personal and property rights. The Western Caucus hearing is entitled "Washington Obstacles to Prosperity and Property Rights in the West." It will be chaired by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo. Idaho Senator Jim Risch will also provide remarks and questions. Special witnesses before the hearing will be Idaho Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter and Mike a… Continue Reading
February 22, 2012
Idaho Delegation Wary of School Milk Restrictions
Washington, D.C. - First, it was the Famous Idaho Potato and its cousins from other states. Now, Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Idaho Representatives Mike Simpson and Raúl Labrador are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to abstain from imposing additional restrictions on the availability of milk products in the nation's schools. In a letter today to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Idaho Congressional Delegation noted a national trend where many school-aged childre… Continue Reading
February 17, 2012
Crapo to Welcome Forest Service Chief, Discuss Domestic Violence Issues, Address Boise Chamber
Boise - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell will speak during a meeting of the Idaho Environmental Forum next week, highlighting a four-day visit to Boise during the President's Day state work period. Crapo will also update federal efforts to aid victims of domestic and teen dating violence during a news conference at the Idaho Statehouse and he will speak to the Idaho Legislature and the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce on fiscal issues facing Congress. … Continue Reading
February 15, 2012
Crapo, Forest Service Chief to Discuss Collaboration, Forest Rule
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will welcome U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell to Idaho on Monday to hear directly from Idahoans about collaborative land management decisions and to take input on the new forest planning rule. Crapo and Tidwell will address a noon luncheon of the Idaho Environmental Forum at the Crystal Ballroom in Boise before taking questions at the Idaho Statehouse. Crapo worked with Tidwell and the Forest Service to convene the Clearwater Basin Collabora… Continue Reading
February 13, 2012
Crapo, Risch Challenge Insurance Mandate
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch joined 41 of their colleagues in filing an amicus brief with the United States Supreme Court today challenging the presidents' health care law, an unprecedented and unconstitutional expansion of the federal government into the daily lives of Americans. "Instead of giving the government more power over health care, individual patients must be given more control, choice and information to make their health care decisions," Crapo and Risch… Continue Reading
February 13, 2012
Americans Deserve a Real Budget
Washington, D.C. - The President's newly-released budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 fails to address the most important issue our country faces, the $15 trillion-and growing-national debt. Instead, it raises taxes by nearly $2 trillion, accumulates $11 trillion in additional gross debt over the next ten years and pushes us much deeper into the debt crisis. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement: "This proposal is fiscally irrespo… Continue Reading
