News Releases
Bipartisan Biomass Heating Bill Introduced
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has joined three of his Senate colleagues to introduce the American Renewable Biomass Heating Act, bipartisan legislation that could aid Idaho's forest products industry while promoting renewable heating fuels. The legislation puts the use of woody renewable biomass on par with other renewable energy sources by offering substantial tax credits for the use of biomass from forests and private lands. It provides an investment tax credit (ITC) of 30 percen… Continue Reading
March 29, 2010
Idaho Delegation Reacts To Doe Cleanup Announcement
Washington, DC - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressman Mike Simpson issued the following statement today concerning DOE's selection of the CH2M Hill Newport News Nuclear, LLC Partnership to continue cleanup operations at the DOE's Idaho Site: "The Idaho Delegation welcomes today's announcement that the CH2M Hill Newport News Nuclear, LLC Partnership has been chosen for the next phase of the AMWTP Project. This announcement shows that the contractor issues for this project ha… Continue Reading
March 25, 2010
Crapo: Fight Will Continue Over Health Care
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo released the following statement regarding the reconciliation health care reform measure, which was approved on a vote of 56 to 43: "This legislation is a slap in the face to Americans who have spent months objecting to the health care reform being pushed and prodded ahead by the majority party in Congress. This bill contains higher taxes, higher premiums, higher costs, more government control, unacceptable gimmicks and loss of Medicare services for… Continue Reading
March 24, 2010
Crapo Wants Middle-Class Tax Increases Removed From Health Care Bill
Washington, D.C. - More than 73 million middle-income American households will see their taxes go up under the health care reform legislation (H.R. 3590) signed into law by President Obama. With the Senate now considering changes to the law, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has filed a motion to commit the reconciliation bill to the Senate Finance Committee with instructions to remove those tax increases. During remarks on the Senate floor, Crapo said his motion protects the middle class from hundred… Continue Reading
March 24, 2010
Crapo Bill Promotes Landowner Role In Species Recovery
Washington, D.C. - Recovery efforts for threatened and endangered species would be improved by voluntary contributions from private landowners under legislation introduced by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo. Crapo, the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife, won bipartisan support and cosponsors for his Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2010. The updated ESA-related bill follows Crapo's original 2007 legislation that won broad, bipartisan suppo… Continue Reading
March 23, 2010
Crapo: Health Care Reform Forced On Americans
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo released the following statement upon the signing of health care reform legislation (H.R. 3590) by President Obama: "While many are marking this as a historic day, I am disappointed over the outcome of the debate over health care reform. This legislation was forced through Congress, with buy-offs and backroom deals for votes. There were false attempts at bipartisanship, and now Americans will be faced with an enormous increase in federal bureaucracy, … Continue Reading
March 22, 2010
Boise TRACON Radar Language Passed By Senate
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch were victorious today in their efforts to have the Senate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act prevent the FAA from moving the TRACON radar control system out of the Boise Airport until the new Air Traffic Control Modernization Board reviews and evaluates the proposal. Recently, the FAA sent an Article 46 notification of the FAA's intent to move the Boise TRACON to Salt Lake City. The Senators, citing safety and … Continue Reading
March 17, 2010
Forest Fee Increase For Seniors Scrapped
Washington, DC - Idaho's congressional delegation says the decision by the U.S. Forest Service to scrap a proposal to cut discount pass rates available to senior citizens and disabled Americans is a good one. The Forest Service was reviewing a proposal to reduce discounts under the Interagency Pass Program and Golden Age and Golden Access Passports from 50% down to 10% for programs and services operated by Forest Service concessionaries. However, today, the delegation heard from the Forest Servi… Continue Reading
March 15, 2010
Delegation, Governor Note Sage Grouse Efforts
Washington, D.C. - Idaho's Congressional Delegation and Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter are calling on Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to stand firm on his department's justified "warranted but precluded" ruling regarding protections for sage grouse. In a letter to Salazar sent today, Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, Congressman Mike Simpson and Walt Minnick, and Governor Otter pointed to Idaho's wide-ranging, collaborative on-the-ground efforts that have improved habitat for the sage grouse … Continue Reading
March 12, 2010
Crapo Named To National Commission On Fiscal Responsibility And Reform
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has been appointed to be one of six U.S. Senators to serve on the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Crapo was selected by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to the Commission created by President Obama to "identify policies" to improve the federal government's fiscal situation. The Commission, co-chaired by Erskine Bowles, former White House Chief of Staff for President Bill Clinton, and former Senator Alan Simpson (R-Wyomi… Continue Reading
March 11, 2010
Wendy Olson Nominated As Idaho U.S. Attorney
Washington, D.C. - A member of Idaho's U.S. Attorney's Office is expected to become the next U.S. Attorney for Idaho. Members of the Idaho Congressional Delegation say they will work hard to see that Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson of Boise is quickly confirmed, following the announcement from President Obama that he has nominated her to become U.S. Attorney for Idaho. Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick appointed a panel that recommended Olson. Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch will now… Continue Reading
March 11, 2010
Senators Want U.S Beef Restrictions Lifted By Japan
Washington, D.C. - More than a dozen U.S. Senators, including Idaho's Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, say that Japan is not abiding by internationally recognized standards by restricting U.S. beef exports. They are calling on Japan to open its markets to more U.S. beef and say the Obama Administration should do more to ensure that American beef producers are being treated fairly by the Japanese. A Sense of the Senate Resolution introduced today notes that in 2003 Japan was the largest customer for … Continue Reading
March 11, 2010
Crapo, Risch Fight For Fair Trade Agreement For U.S. Dairy Farmers
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are leading a bipartisan effort calling on the Obama Administration to carefully consider the threat to U.S. dairy farmers and processors if one-sided dairy provisions are included in the Trans Pacific Partnership to be negotiated with Australia, Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and possibly additional countries. Negotiations on the agreement are to be held later this month. In a letter sent to United States Trade … Continue Reading
March 11, 2010
Senators Want Timeout On Monuments
Washington, D.C. - Locally-produced collaboration and consensus should drive decisions made about changes in federal land use, say Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch. Both Senators have written Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, asking him to discard a federal process of designating national monuments that too often utilizes a "one-size-fits-all" mentality that does not provide for local input. The letter comes as the Obama Administration contemplates plans to potentially designate as m… Continue Reading
March 10, 2010
Crapo, Risch Amendment Would Stop TRACON Move
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have filed an amendment to stop a proposed move of TRACON radar personnel and facilities from the Boise Airport to Salt Lake City. The amendment comes as the Senate begins debate on H.R. 1586, related to the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The amendment halts the consolidation of the Boise TRACON into the Salt Lake City TRACON until after the Air Traffic Control Modernization Oversight Board completes its re… Continue Reading
March 08, 2010
New Crapo Staff Helps Idahoans With Casework
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has added three constituent service experts to his state-based staff to expand casework assistance for Idahoans. The three positions are based in Crapo's Eastern Idaho-South Office in Pocatello, the South Central Office in Twin Falls and the North Central Office in Lewiston. Melyssa Nevarez joins the Twin Falls staff following an internship in Crapo's office. She is a Burley native and recent graduate of Idaho State University with a degree in polit… Continue Reading
March 04, 2010
Crapo, Risch Seek Help For Water Systems
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are co-sponsoring legislation that would ensure that smaller water systems have the resources necessary to deliver safe drinking water to consumers and comply with federal regulations. The Small System Drinking Water Act, S. 3038, is especially needed in smaller, less-populated states such as Idaho, the Senators said. Crapo, the Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Wildlife and Water, joined Risch, … Continue Reading
March 02, 2010
Interns Assist Idahoans At Crapo State Offices
Washington, D.C. - Idaho students are assisting their state's constituents and senior U.S. Senator by serving as interns in Senator Mike Crapo's state offices. Information about internships in Crapo's offices is available at http://crapo.senate.gov. Daryl Gonzales is an Anchorage, Alaska, native now attending Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa and is interning in Crapo's Idaho State Office in Boise. She is a senior majoring in political science and intends to attend law school following g… Continue Reading
February 25, 2010
Crapo: We Need To Develop A New Health Plan
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Finance Committee that worked extensively on health care proposals, issued this statement today following the President's Health Care Summit: "I'm very discouraged by the outcome of today's health care summit. The President's insistence that essentially the same bill we have been debating for the last year must be the template for any health care bill to be considered precludes genuine negotiations. There is real potential to… Continue Reading
February 25, 2010
Budget, Health Care On Agenda For Crapo Forum
Washington, DC - With budget deficit, tax and health care issues taking center stage before Congress, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is seeking the input of Idahoans during a statewide telephone town hall forum scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, March 10th. Participating is as easy as signing in on Crapo's official website and answering the telephone for the forum that begins at 7:00 p.m. Mountain/6:00 p.m. Pacific. To sign up for the iTownhall meeting, please go to Crapo's website, http://c… Continue Reading
