News Releases
Crapo to Discuss the Federal Debt and Deficit
Washington, DC - With critical votes on the federal debt and deficit crisis approaching in the Senate, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will discuss the federal budget, deficit spending and related issues with Idahoans during a telephone town hall event. Crapo invites interested constituents to make arrangements to participate in his iTownhall meeting, which begins at 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time/6:00 p.m. Pacific on Wednesday, July 13. To sign up for the iTownhall meeting, please visit Senator Crapo's we… Continue Reading
June 29, 2011
Crapo, Risch Support Balanced Budget Amendment
Washington, D.C. - The time to balance the federal budget by reducing spending is now, and Congress has no leeway left to deal with the issue. That's the message sent today by 47 members of the U.S. Senate, including Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, who support a new Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. A procedure was put into effect today by the Senate that will force a vote on the Balanced Budget Amendment, at a time when Congress debates ways to avoid a budget and … Continue Reading
June 20, 2011
Senators: Agency Holding Up Renewable Energy
Washington, D.C. - A bipartisan group of 21 U.S. Senators say that the Department of the Interior (DOI) is curtailing renewable energy development and job creation by adding unnecessary obstacles to the permitting process. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo and Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley authored the letter, which was signed by Idaho Senator Jim Risch and 18 additional senators from both parties and from across the country. The letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar claims that DOI ignored the profe… Continue Reading
June 16, 2011
Crapo, Shelby Concerned by IG Reports on Dodd-Frank Implementation
On May 4, 2011, the ten Republican Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs sent a letter to the Inspectors General of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Federal Reserve Board (Fed), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC, Treasury), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) asking each of them to conduct a review of the economic analysis performed by the regulatory agency un… Continue Reading
June 14, 2011
Senators Introduce Legislation to Reduce Onerous Government Regulations on Job Creators
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), with Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Jim Risch (R-ID), and Pat Toomey (R-PA),today introduced a bill to reduce excessive unfunded government mandates on job creators, giving them greater freedom to invest in their companies and hire new workers. "At a time when American employers are struggling to expand and grow jobs, the federal government should not be imposing unnecessary costs on the … Continue Reading
June 09, 2011
Clearwater Basin Collaborative Projects Funded
Washington, D.C. - Members of the Clearwater Basin Collaborative (CBC) and Idaho Senator Mike Crapo say forest health, habitat, recreation and the economy will all benefit from the collaborative process that has led to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Servicecontributing $3.4 million for on-the-ground projects in Idaho recommended by the Collaborative. The Forest Service, which contributed $1 million last year, has indicated it will continue and increase funding under the Collabora… Continue Reading
June 08, 2011
N.W. Senators Support Geothermal Changes
Washington, D.C . - With one of the biggest barriers to geothermal energy production being the risky and inefficient process of searching for "hot spots" capable of producing recoverable energy, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators has introduced legislation to make it easier for developers to lease federal land adjacent to proven geothermal "hot spots." Geothermal energy is a sustainable energy resource that captures natural heat from the Earth to create electricity. Sponsored by U.S. Se… Continue Reading
June 01, 2011
Crapo Welcomes Summer Interns
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is welcoming Idaho college students to serve internships in his Washington, D.C. office and state offices this summer. In order to learn more about government and politics, the students will be assisting with constituent correspondence, legislative duties, office administrative tasks and other responsibilities. Four Idaho students are now serving in Crapo's Washington, D.C. office: Samantha Storms, born and raised in Idaho Falls, is a junior at the U… Continue Reading
May 31, 2011
Crapo Office Taking Public Comment in Nampa, Glenns Ferry, Horseshoe Bend
Boise - To hear public comment relating to proposed changes at Lake Lowell and the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge and other issues, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo's office is holding remote office hours this week in Southwestern Idaho cities. Crapo's staff has begun a regular rotation of remote office hours across the southwest part of the state. Crapo's Regional Director Bryan Ricker will travel to a number of southwest cities and counties on a rotating basis each month. This month, Ricker wi… Continue Reading
May 27, 2011
Delegation Welcomes INL Cleanup Announcement
Washington, D.C. Members of Idaho's Congressional Delegation said today they appreciate the announcement by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that today named the Idaho Treatment Group (ITG) as the recipient of a $417 million contract to process and dispose of approximately 26,500 cubic meters of transuranic and mixed low-level waste that is stored in Idaho and will be bound forstorage in New Mexico. The contract runs through 2015 and will likely continue employment for 800 workers in Sou… Continue Reading
May 27, 2011
Crapo on Lake Lowell: If It Isn't Broken, Don't Fix It
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today issued preliminary recommendations for changes at southwest Idaho's Lake Lowell and Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge. Under the agency review process, a public comment period will now open regarding the agency's preferred alternative plan for the lake, which is to restrict public access and boating. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo issued the following statement following an initial review of the agency's recommendations: "Lake Lowell… Continue Reading
May 26, 2011
Senators Support Lands, Grazing Legislation
Washington, D.C. - Rural interests contending with federal government red tape and environmental litigation would receive much-needed flexibility and assistance under two separate bills being co-sponsored by Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch. Crapo and Risch are joining other western senators in introducing the Grazing Improvement Act of 2011, which seeks to provide stability to ranchers and other public land user groups by offering flexibility on grazingpermit renewals. Currently, pe… Continue Reading
May 20, 2011
Crapo Announces Staff Changes in Idaho and Washington
Washington, DC -Idaho Senator Mike Crapo's Washington, D.C., office is undergoing several personnel changes, with four current staff members being promoted following the retirement of his D.C. Chief of Staff Peter Fischer. All of the promotions are effective June 1, 2011. Susan Wheeler, who has worked for Senator Crapo in various capacities since 1992 predating his congressional service, will take Fischer's place as Chief of Staff in the Washington, D.C., office; she is presently his Communica… Continue Reading
May 17, 2011
Killebrew Honored in Resolution, Congressional Statement
Washington, D.C. - Idaho native and baseball Hall of Fame great Harmon Killebrew was honored today before the U.S. Senate in both a Senate Resolution and a Congressional Record Statement authored by the U.S. Senators from Idaho and Minnesota. Killebrew succumbed to esophageal cancer today. The native of Payette, and founder of the Danny Thompson Memorial Golf Tournament in Sun Valley, was 74 years old. Along with joining his Idaho colleague Senator Jim Risch and Minnesota Senators Amy Klob… Continue Reading
May 17, 2011
Crapo: Taxpayers Have A Right To Know About Bailouts
Washington, D.C. -Idaho Senator Mike Crapo attempted to bring transparency to taxpayers by requiring that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac be included in calculations of the national debt as long as either institution is under conservatorship or receivership. Crapo filed an amendment to S. 3217, the Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010. In addition to pointing out the debt increases, the Crapo Amendment would have reestablished the $200 billion bailout cap per entity. Last Christmas … Continue Reading
May 13, 2011
Senators Seek Help for Small Water Systems
Washington, DC - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are reintroducing legislation that would ensure that small drinking water systems have the resources necessary to deliver safe drinking water to consumers while complying with multiple federal regulations. The senators say that smaller municipalities-such as a vast majority of those in Idaho-are facing increased obstacles in complying with federal regulations mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies. "Many… Continue Reading
May 09, 2011
Senators: Are The Costs of Dodd-Frank Being Counted?
Washington, D.C. - With economic questions ranging from obtaining credit to job creation, Republican members of the Senate Banking Committee are seeking Inspectors General (IG) reviews of the economic analyses performed by the regulatory agency charged with implementing the Dodd-Frank Act. The Senators note the rules adopted under the Dodd-Frank Act will have a long-term effect on economic growth; they will affect how consumers and businesses obtain credit, allocate capital, and manage risk. … Continue Reading
May 04, 2011
Delegation Praises Department of Interiorâ??s Move to Delist Wolves
Washington, D.C. - The Idaho Congressional Delegation today praised the actions of the U.S. Department of the Interior to delist the recovered gray wolf in the Northern Rocky Mountains. The decision came after Congressman Mike Simpson, Chairman of the House Appropriations Interior Subcommittee, inserted language in the recent continuing resolution to return the gray wolf to state management. "No one can rationally argue that the Rocky Mountain gray wolf is still endangered. Wolf populations i… Continue Reading
May 02, 2011
Crapo Statement on Bin Laden Death
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo released the following statement regarding the death of Osama bin Laden: "Over the last few hours, as I have reviewed the information regarding the death of Osama bin Laden, I share the relief that Americans have expressed. The military action that resulted in his death was impressive and carried out with precision, and we owe eternal gratitude to those who conducted that operation as well as to all those who have served in the war on terrorism for … Continue Reading
April 29, 2011
Crapo Bill Improves Firearms Regulations
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) have introduced bipartisan legislation to modernize and improve operations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE). The BATFE Reform and Modernization Act (S. 835) will roll back unnecessary restrictions, correct errors and codify longstanding congressional policies dealing with firearms, clarifying regulations for those who own and sell firearms. The BATFE Reform and Modernization Act li… Continue Reading
