News Releases
Crapo Joins Group Of Senators To Protect Second Amendment
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has signed a letter, along with other Republican colleagues, to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) reaffirming his opposition to any legislation that would restrict American's Second Amendment rights. "The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the rights of law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms," Crapo said. "This right was put in place by the founders and has been consistently upheld in the U.S. Supreme Court. I… Continue Reading
March 23, 2013
Crapo: Budget Does Nothing To Address Debt Crisis
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, voted against the Senate version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Budget Resolution after he and other colleagues were unsuccessful at fixing the bill brought forward by the Majority party. The final product had few changes from the blueprint that Crapo voted against in the committee mark-up. Following the mandated 50 hours of debate and votes on over 100 amendments, the Senate approved the budget resolution… Continue Reading
March 22, 2013
Crapo, Risch, Heller Language Assures Collaboration in Sage Grouse Recovery
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch today joined Senator Dean Heller (R-Nevada) to introduce an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget that would mandate increased cooperation between federal agencies, states and local groups concerning the recovery of sage grouse populations. The U.S. Department of Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management, has indicated it will reduce existing grazing allotments related to sage grouse recovery. The Senators say such actions dis… Continue Reading
March 22, 2013
Crapo Attempts To Eliminate Obamacare Tax Increases On Middle Class
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo took to the Senate Floor today with an amendment to block tax increases on lower- and middle-income Americans contained in the Affordable Health Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Although his amendment failed on a party-line vote of 45-to-54, Crapo said he would continue to push for recognition of the tax increases that violate the President's earlier pledge that middle class Americans would see "not one dime" of increase in any of their taxes with t… Continue Reading
March 21, 2013
Delegation Encourages Lake Lowell Comments
Washington, D.C. - Members of the Idaho Congressional Delegation are calling on Idahoans to offer their comments before May 15regarding management changes at Lake Lowell and the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge south of Nampa. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service is in the final stages of creating a new comprehensive management plan for the refuge at a time when some users are concerned about restrictions on recreation at the lake, a popular recreation area in Southwest Idaho. "We thank th… Continue Reading
March 21, 2013
Senator Co-Sponsors Legislation To Repeal Health Insurance Tax
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a supporter of repealing Obamacare (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), joined several colleagues as an original co-sponsor of the Jobs and Premium Protection Act. This bill would eliminate the health insurance tax (HIT) included in the President's law that is causing insurance premiums to rise, proving costly to businesses and families. "When this law was passed, many in Congress and the Administration said it would lower costs and if … Continue Reading
March 20, 2013
Crapo Seeks Input On EPA Actions, Regulations
Washington, D.C. - With a nominated administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is seeking input from all impacted Idahoans, including farmers and ranchers, about their experience with EPA regulations affecting their daily lives and ability to do business. Crapo is a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which will vote on the nomination of Gina McCarthy to lead the EPA. "Many Idahoan… Continue Reading
March 19, 2013
Crapo & Johnson Reintroduce Bill To Address Shortfall of Veterinarians in Rural Areas
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo and U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) are continuing their efforts to end the shortfall of veterinarians in rural areas by reintroducing the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act (VMLRP). This bipartisan bill would help meet the growing demand for veterinarians nationwide by eliminating taxes on programs that encourage veterinarians to practice in underserved areas. This legislation would provide a federal income tax exemption for p… Continue Reading
March 16, 2013
Crapo Statement on Markup of SEC, CFPB Nominations
Washington, D.C. - At an Executive Session to markup the nominations of Mary Jo White to be Chairman of the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) and Richard Cordray to be Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, made the following remarks: Mr. Chairman, I believe that we had a very good hearing last week regarding the nominations. The hearing gave the Committee … Continue Reading
March 14, 2013
Crapo Offers Budget Amendment To Protect The Crime Victims Fund
Washington, D.C. - In the mark-up of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Budget, the U.S. Senate Budget Committee approved an amendment from Idaho Senator Mike Crapo to prevent the monies collected for the Crime Victims Fund from being used for purposes unrelated to assisting crime victims. "For more than two decades, the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) has been providing critical funding to victims' service organizations and direct compensation to victims of crime," Crapo said. "For too many years, it has… Continue Reading
March 13, 2013
Senators Introduce Bipartisan Hydropower Bill
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo joined Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today to introduce the Hydropower Improvement Act of 2013. Other co-sponsors of the bipartisan legislation include: Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), James Risch (R-Idaho), Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), Patty Murray (D-Washington) and Mark Begich (D-Alaska). The bill seeks to substantially increase the United States' hydropower capacity in an effort to expand clean-power generation and spur domestic job creation. … Continue Reading
March 13, 2013
Crapo: Trillions In Tax Hikes Are Not The Formula To Grow The Economy Or Balance The Budget
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued this statement today following the release of the budget outline proposed by the Chair of the Budget Committee, Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington), the first outline released in four years: "It has taken four years for the Senate's majority party to release a budget blueprint," Crapo said. "Unfortunately, this proposal fails to recognize the significant worsening of our economy and fiscal outlook sin… Continue Reading
March 08, 2013
Crapo Introduces DAIRY Savings Legislation
Washington, D.C. - Senators from the nation's leading dairy producing states have introduced bipartisan legislation to encourage dairy producers to invest in risk reducing farm savings accounts. The Dairy Augmentation for Increased Retail in Yogurt (DAIRY) Act, introduced by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Charles Schumer (D-New York), would give dairy producers a new tool to manage increasing demand while providing a safety net for volatile market downturns. Idaho and New York are the top … Continue Reading
March 07, 2013
Crapo, Lautenberg, Inhofe, Udall Introduce Bipartisan Brownfields Reauthorization Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced bipartisan legislation to modernize and improve key elements of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Brownfields Program. Since 2002, the successful program has funded the rehabilitation of abandoned and polluted properties to increase safety and attract new businesses to communities. All four Senators are members of the Environment and Public Works … Continue Reading
March 07, 2013
Bipartisan Legislation To Support Victims of Violence Signed Into Law
Washington, D.C. - The reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), signed into law today by President Barack Obama, will strengthen programs and policies meant to prevent domestic and sexual violence and protect victims, ensuring continued services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the bill's lead Senate authors, both attended a White House signing ceremony Thursday, and called the bill's long overdue … Continue Reading
March 05, 2013
Senators Seek to Level the Playing Field for Domestic Wood Products in USDA BioPreferred Program
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo joined U.S. Senators Mark Pryor (D-AR), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Angus King (I-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) today introduced the Forest Products Fairness Act, a bipartisan bill that provides new opportunities for American forestry producers by allowing their products to qualify for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's BioPreferred Program. The USDA BioPreferred Program was created to provide new markets for farm commo… Continue Reading
February 28, 2013
Crapo Hails Passage of VAWA
Washington, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 286-138 to pass the Senate's bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA), of which Idaho Senator Mike Crapo and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) are sponsors. The legislation, which passed the Senate 78-22, now goes to the White House for signature. Crapo took to the Senate Floor to laud passage of the bill: "I am honored to have worked on this bill with Senator Leahy, and my colleagues here in the Senate," Crapo … Continue Reading
February 18, 2013
Crapo Statement on the Retirement Announcement of Senator Mike Johanns
(Boise) Idaho Senator Mike Crapo released the following statement after Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns announced that he will retire in January of 2015: "Mike has made a major focus of his service in the Senate helping us craft a solution to our national debt crisis. Through our work in the bipartisan Gang of Eight, Mike showed real leadership in working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle in an effort to craft a plan to cut spending, reform the tax code and start getting the de… Continue Reading
February 14, 2013
Crapo Statement at Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Hearing on Wall Street Reform
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 Wall Street Reform and Oversight: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You and I have had a personal friendship and good working relationship over the years, and I look forward to building on that as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee. One of my objectives and hopes wou… Continue Reading
February 12, 2013
Crapo, Leahy Hail Senate Passage of Bipartisan VAWA Reauthorization
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) hailed Senate passage Tuesday of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA), a bipartisan bill cosponsored by a total of 62 Senators which won 78 votes on the Senate floor. The measure now goes to the House for consideration. "For nearly two decades, this legislation has served as the centerpiece of our nation's commitment to end domestic, dating and sexual violence," Crapo said. "This Act will… Continue Reading
