News Releases
Crapo Receives Small Business Award
Washington, DC - Legislative action and voting to support small business in Idaho and across the country has earned Idaho Senator Mike Crapo the Guardian of Small Business Award from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The national small business group presented the award to Crapo today in Washington. Crapo has received the Guardian of Small Business Award each Congress since he was elected in 1993. "Small business remains the backbone of our national economy," Crapo said.… Continue Reading
September 24, 2008
Crapo iTownhall Meeting Time Change
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has delayed the start time of his quarterly iTownHall meeting to avoid conflicting with the President's address to the nation this evening. The hour-long call will begin at 7:30 p.m. Mountain/6:30 p.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, September 24.… Continue Reading
September 23, 2008
Crapo Praises Passage Of County Payments, PILT
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo applauded the Senate's passage today of tax extender legislation that includes the extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, commonly called county payments, and the full funding of Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT). The legislation extends the county payments program until 2011 and provides funding for PILT through 2012. The loss of the county payments has posed the threat of county budget cuts and layoffs, espec… Continue Reading
September 23, 2008
Crapo: Financial Crisis Requires Prompt, But Careful Action
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo expressed his concerns about the Administration's $700 billion proposal to ease the credit crisis in the financial industry at a hearing on Capitol Hill today. Crapo and other members of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee questioned Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and Securities & Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox at length over the proposal. Crapo focused his remarks and questio… Continue Reading
September 19, 2008
Crapo Plans iTownhall Meeting Wednesday
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo announces he will hold a statewide iTownhall meeting this coming Wednesday evening, September 24th. The technology behind the iTownhall meeting allows Idahoans to join via telephone from any location in Idaho. Participation is totally voluntary, and listeners can ask the Senator about topics regarding federal policies or legislation. Transcripts of past iTownhall meetings are available on Crapo's website. "Many Idahoans are letting me know that they w… Continue Reading
September 19, 2008
Crapo, Senate Raise Awareness Of Prostate Cancer
Washington, DC - The United States Senate continued its effort Thursday to fight prostate cancer by passing a resolution recognizing September as "National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month." Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a two-time survivor of prostate cancer, was an original co-sponsor of the resolution-which was passed by Unanimous Consent. S. Res. 667 notes that prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer behind skin cancer and is the second-leading cause of death in men havin… Continue Reading
September 18, 2008
Idaho Delegation Introduces Transportation Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Idaho Senators Larry Craig and Mike Crapo and Congressmen Mike Simpson and Bill Sali today introduced the Idaho Efficient Vehicle Demonstration Act of 2008, legislation that calls for portions of Idaho's interstate roadways to be included in an existing freight transport pilot project in the State. The State pilot project, created in 2003 by the Idaho State Legislature, allows vehicle combinations weighing up to 129,000 pounds to operate on designated routes within the Stat… Continue Reading
September 18, 2008
Crapo Seeks To Honor Firefighters, Responders
Washington, DC - Firefighters, medical personnel and other law enforcement workers would receive a day of national recognition under legislation co-sponsored by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo. Crapo is joining a bipartisan group of Senators seeking to designate September 25th of this year as "National First Responder Appreciation Day." "Our firefighters have gone above and beyond the call in Idaho, as recent events have demonstrated," Crapo said. "The response to the Oregon Trail fire in southeast … Continue Reading
September 18, 2008
Inhofe, Craig, Crapo Offer Amendment To Restore $50M Cut In Defense Contribution For Yucca Mountain Repository Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.) Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, together with Senators Larry Craig (R-ID) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) have filed an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill that would restore $50M cut in Defense Contribution for Yucca Mountain Repository Program. The Administration requested $247.4 million, the House included $247.4 in its bill, and the Senate should fully fund this request as well. Sen. Inhofe: "The Uni… Continue Reading
September 18, 2008
Bingaman, Crapo Introduce Legislation To Aid States, Counties And CitiesBy Strengthening Municipal Bond Market
Washington, DC - Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced legislation today aimed at helping localities build essential infrastructure at a lower cost to taxpayers. State, county, and local governments have long relied on bonds to pay up-front for essential infrastructure enhancements - to schools, hospitals, public utilities, roads, and public housing - that they pay back through future revenues. But the credit crunch has severely curtailed demand for municipal bonds, f… Continue Reading
September 17, 2008
Crapo Calls For Senate Vote On Gun Ban Repeal
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is joining with several Senate colleagues in asking Majority Leader Harry Reid to schedule a Senate vote on Second Amendment-related legislation to repeal the Washington, DC gun ban. Legislation to repeal the ban was approved today by the U.S. House of Representatives but has not yet been scheduled for a vote in the Senate. The DC gun ban was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. The House today approved the National Capitol Security and S… Continue Reading
September 17, 2008
Crapo, Finance Committee Unveil Tax Relief Plan
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is joining with fellow members of the Senate Finance Committee to back a bipartisan plan offering new tax relief to families and businesses. The tax extender legislation includes individual tax relief from the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT); extends tax credits for renewable energy production, including wind, solar and geothermal power; and extends important tax relief for college tuition, state and local sales taxes and research and development for Ameri… Continue Reading
September 12, 2008
Northwest Delegates Press For Amtrak's Return
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is organizing a new Northwest Congressional Delegation effort to return Amtrak passenger rail service to Idaho and neighboring states. Crapo collected signatures on bipartisan letters to the chairmen of the Senate and House committees with jurisdiction over transportation issues, asking them to support provisions to evaluate the return of Amtrak rail service to the western states of Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. "The number of people ri… Continue Reading
September 12, 2008
Idaho Delegation To Host Academy Day
Washington, DC - The Idaho Congressional Delegation is pleased to host the Eighth Annual Service Academy Day in Idaho on October 4th. Events will be held simultaneously in Boise and Coeur d'Alene. The purpose of these gatherings is to share information with students, parents, and counselors about the Congressional nomination process for the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO and the U.S. Me… Continue Reading
September 11, 2008
Crapo Effort On Guns And Parks Gains Momentum
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo calls a vote by a Senate Committee today relating to the right to transport and carry firearms in national parks and fish and wildlife refuges a positive development in his ongoing effort to free gun owners from conflicting regulations regarding firearms on public lands. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today voted to send to the full Senate legislation that clears the way for firearms to be legally transported and carried across federal… Continue Reading
September 11, 2008
Auger Falls Legislation Passes Committee
Washington, DC - The City of Twin Falls will make important gains in recreation and water access along with a wastewater project under legislation sponsored by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo and approved today by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The legislation, which affects the Auger Falls area of the Snake River Canyon, would transfer to the City of Twin Falls four parcels of land now managed by the Bureau of Land Management. "Final approval of the Auger Falls legislation will … Continue Reading
September 11, 2008
Crapo Remembers Idaho Victims On 9/11 Anniversary
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, who participated in Congressional commemorative events today, issued this statement on the anniversary of the attack on the U.S. on September 11, 2001: "Today is the seventh anniversary of the attack on September 11, 2001. Those events heightened our national awareness of the external threats that our nation and our democratic values face. In an increasingly inter-connected world, we have to be vigilant, and boldly meet this new challenge on every fr… Continue Reading
September 10, 2008
Senate Passes Highway Fund Fix
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Finance and Banking Committees who has worked to improve Idaho's share of highway funding, noted the Senate tonight passed a measure to keep the Federal Highway Trust Fund solvent. The fund was being depleted, a move which could have stopped projects in Idaho and other states. The Senate passed H.R. 6532 by voice vote. The measure authorizes an $8 billion transfer of funds from the General Fund to the Highway Trust Fund to repa… Continue Reading
September 10, 2008
Adoption, Rights Of Elderly Protected By Senate Committee Vote
Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, applauded today's passage of three bills by the Finance Committee improving adoption incentives, taking steps to reduce elder abuse and protecting patients in long-term care facilities. The committee passed the bills unanimously. The Improved Adoption Incentives and Relative Guardianship Support Act of 2008, S. 3038, extends the current adoption incentives program, provides federal assistance for legal relative … Continue Reading
September 08, 2008
Crapo: Yucca Mountain News Is Welcome
Washington, DC - Today's announcement by the Department of Energy that it has docketed the license application for Yucca Mountain is welcomed by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, co-chair of the Nuclear Cleanup Caucus, who issued the following statement: "It is time to put politics aside and let the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) do its evaluations of the Yucca Mountain site," Crapo said. "This storage site has been in preparatory work since 1987, more than 20 years, and it should have been open… Continue Reading