News Releases
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
June 04, 2013
Ranking Member Crapo Statement at Banking Committee Hearing on Iran Sanctions
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 "Iran Sanctions: Ensuring Robust Enforcement, and Assessing Next Steps": Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ten days from now, Iranians will vote in an election stage-managed by the ruling Guardian Council for a president who, once selected, is destined to continue the longstanding policies of the A… Continue Reading
May 30, 2013
Crapo Submits North Idaho Testimony in IRS Probe
Post Falls - As part of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee's investigation into alleged Internal Revenue Service (IRS) harassment of Tea Party and other conservative organizations, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has submitted documents and testimony from a Coeur d'Alene-area couple. Crapo will meet Friday with Phil and Leslie Damiano, of Hayden Lake, who submitted the documents, during a special meeting of the Panhandle Pachyderm Club in Post Falls. The meeting at Templin's Red Lion Inn is free and o… Continue Reading
May 29, 2013
Crapo, Otter to Honor WWII Veterans, Wyakin Warriors
Boise - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will join Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter to honor two Idaho veterans, aged 91 and 88, who served during World War II.. George Koyama was wounded by a grenade while manning a foxhole and received the Purple Heart. On Thursday, he will receive the Bronze Star and the Commemorative Congressional Gold Medal, in this case the Nisei Soldiers of World War II Bronze Medal. Koyama's brother, Joe, served stateside at Fort Snelling in Minnesota. He will also receive the N… Continue Reading
May 28, 2013
Crapo Joins Instagram
Pocatello - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo kicked off the Memorial Day state work week with the announcement that he has joined Instagram, the online photo-sharing service that allows users to take pictures, apply digital filters and share them across multiple social networks. Crapo's account will highlight his work in the U.S. Senate and throughout Idaho. "Staying connected to my constituents is a top priority and with today's technology, there are so many avenues to do that." said Crapo. "Like ot… Continue Reading
May 27, 2013
Crapo Offers Keynote Remarks at Veterans Event
Pocatello - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will offer remarks tonight during the closing ceremonies for the Idaho Field of Heroes event in Pocatello. The Field of Heroes honors service members and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. Crapo is also attending the POW*MIA Thunder Run Tribute. Both events are at Century High School in Pocatello. On Tuesday, Crapo will offer opening remarks… Continue Reading
May 24, 2013
Crapo, Chobani to Announce Expanded Market for Greek Yogurt
Twin Falls - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will join with Jim McConeghy, Chief Financial Officer for Chobani, and Halil Ulukaya, Chief Operations Officer for Chobani, for a discussion on the future of the Greek Yogurt industry in Idaho and across the country.-and milestone progress to bring access to Greek Yogurt to more consumers. Chobani currently employs more than 600 people at its one million-square-foot Twin Falls plant, the largest yogurt production facility in the world. Honored with Foo… Continue Reading
May 23, 2013
Crapo Commends Nomination of Chief Economist Mike Piwowar to SEC
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on the nomination of Republican Chief Economist Mike Piwowar to serve as a Republican commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): "Mike's in-depth expertise of capital markets and background as a chief economist make him exceptionally well-qualified for this position as the SEC moves forward on critical issues. As the … Continue Reading
May 23, 2013
Idaho Brain Injury Summit Reaches Out to Veterans, Parents
Pocatello - Many Idahoans may be suffering from undiagnosed traumatic brain injuries resulting from battlefield conflicts, high school sports injuries, automobile accidents and even incidents where seniors have fallen down. Given the growing magnitude of these injuries, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is joining with the Idaho Doctors Hospital, the Aegis Research Institute at Bingham Memorial Hospital, the Institute of Rural Health at Idaho State University and many Idaho physicians to launch the Idah… Continue Reading
May 22, 2013
Crapo, Risch, Benishek Work To Protect Farmers With SCRAP Act
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to prevent potentially devastating regulatory burdens from being placed on U.S. farmers, Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Congressman Dr. Dan Benishek (R-Michigan) today introduced the SCRAP Act, or Stopping Costly Regulations Against Produce, in the U.S. House and Senate. This legislation would defund the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) proposed fresh produce rule that will negatively impact farmers throughout the country. "The FD… Continue Reading
May 22, 2013
Crapo Votes To Protect U.S. Sugar Program
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo made the following statement regarding his vote against an amendment to the Farm Bill offered by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) that would negatively impact Idaho's sugar industry. The amendment sought to dismantle the sugar program by partially repealing provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill that protect U.S. beet and sugar cane producers by combating the trade-distorting subsidies that other nations implement for otherwise uncompetitive sugar in… Continue Reading
May 22, 2013
Senators Reach Groundbreaking Agreement To Reform Nationâ??s Chemical Laws
Washington, D.C. - Today, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, along with Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-New Jersey) and David Vitter (R-Louisana) announced a groundbreaking, bipartisan agreement to modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and ensure the safety of everyday consumer products to better protect American families. Their legislation would significantly update and improve TSCA, which has proven ineffective and is criticized by both the public health community and industry. The Lautenb… Continue Reading
May 21, 2013
Ranking Member Crapo's Statement at FSOC Annual Report Hearing
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 in which Treasury Secretary Jack Lew testified regarding the Financial Stability Oversight Council's Annual Report to Congress: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today, Secretary Lew comes before the Committee to testify in his first hearing as Treasury Secretary. The Secretary wears many hats. He is resp… Continue Reading
May 16, 2013
Crapo Seeks Answers on Legality of CFPB Big Data Collection
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, today sent a letter to Mr. Richard Cordray, the President's nominee to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), requesting prompt answers to legal concerns surrounding the massive data collection effort undertaken by the agency on consumer spending habits. Following Mr. Cordray's nomination hearing in March, Crapo requested more information regarding CFPB's… Continue Reading
