WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) supported a resolution reaffirming American support for Israel. Specifically, the resolution states Israel is not a racist state, Congress rejects all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia, and the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel. The resolution, of which Senator Crapo is an original co-sponsor, was introduced by Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkan  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) introduced the Motor Carrier Safety Selection Standard Act. The bill would improve highway safety by requiring the U.S. Department of Transportation to establish a Safety Fitness Determination test for shippers and brokers to ensure trucking companies are licensed, registered and insured. "The entire nation benefits when our interstates and highway  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), along with U.S. Representative Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), introduced the Grizzly Bear Review and Resource Restart (Grrr) Act to fully delist the grizzly bear in the lower 48 states from the endangered species list. "Idaho's wildlife is best managed at the local level through collaborative efforts among federal, state and tribal enti  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and a letter: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho), Jon Tester (D-Montana), Steve Daines (R-Montana), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), and U.S. Representatives Kelly Armstrong (R-North Dakota), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington), Ryan Zinke (R-Montana), and Matt Rosendale (R-Montana) introduced legislation requiring U.S. Customs and Border Prote  more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and letters: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) led a letter to major shipping companies regarding their policies discriminating against legal firearms and ammunition. Over the past year, several large freight and shipping companies have implemented policies that discriminate against the firearm and ammunition industries, ranging from prohibiting shipments containing certain firearm parts to total bans on firearms  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) championed an amendment included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to strengthen the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to compensate individuals exposed to radiation during the Cold War era while working in uranium mines or living downwind from atomic weapons tests. The Senate passed the amendment by a 61-37 bipartisan vote. "Far to  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senate Finance Committee Leaders Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), along with Senators Kyrsten Sinema (I-Arizona) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), introduced the Improving Social Security's Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act--bipartisan legislation making it easier for identity theft victims to resolve their cases by creating a single point of contact at the Social Security Administration for iden  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) voted in support of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), fulfilling Congress's constitutional duty to "provide for the common defense." The FY 2024 NDAA provides both servicemembers and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) civilian workforce with needed pay raises and increases authorized defense funding. Republican lawmakers   more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on July 24, 2023, and a letter: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Steve Daines (R-Montana) with U.S. Representatives Matt Rosendale (R-Montana), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), and Ryan Zinke (R-Montana) today wrote U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore urging the agency to analyze and release standing sawtimber levels in high priority firesheds. This data is important to motivate and focus collabora  more

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, recently introduced the Motor Carrier Safety Selection Standard Act. The bill would improve highway safety by requiring the U.S. Department of Transportation to establish a Safety Fitness Determination test for shippers and brokers to ensure trucking companies are licensed, registered, and insured. U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: H.R. 4141, the "Broadband for Americans through Responsible Streamlining Act" (BARS Act), passed out of the Committee on Natural Resources on Wednesday, July 26th, 2023. Congressman Fulcher also shepherded similar legislation through the Energy & Commerce Committee in May of this year through H.R. 3297, "Reducing Barriers for Broadband on Federal Lands Act." Chairman Westerman: "The Natural Resources Committe  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. John Hoeven, R-North Dakota, issued the following news release on July 27, 2023: Senator John Hoeven today joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) in introducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation requiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) hours of operations at northern border ports of entry to match or exceed pre-pandemic hours. The members of Congress are sponsoring the bill in response to CBP's recent announcement that  more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations issued the following testimony by Sam Chanoski, a technical relationship and program developer at Idaho National Laboratory, involving a hearing on July 18, 2023, entitled "Examining Emerging Threats to Electric Energy Infrastructure": * * * Introduction Chairman Griffith, Vice-Chair Lesko, Ranking Member Castor, and members of the Committee, I thank you for holding this hearing and inviting Idah  more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release and letters: U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) is among a group of lawmakers who are demanding several major shipping companies explain their policies that discriminate against the firearm and ammunition industries through prohibitions ranging from rejecting shipments containing certain firearm parts to total bans on firearms and ammunition. Led by U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), 15 Senators  more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following commentary on July 24, 2023: * * * Getting the Goods for Gooding Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson wrote an op-ed highlighting the importance of Community Project Funding and its role in providing critical support for Idaho's Second Congressional District. One such priority is replacing the existing rock walls that line the Little Wood River in Gooding, Idaho. * * * Getting the Goods for Gooding By Rep. Mike Simpson The  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following commentary on July 27, 2023: * * * Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson wrote an op-ed highlighting the importance of Community Project Funding and its role in providing critical support for Idaho's Second Congressional District. One such priority is constructing affordable housing for temporary and permanent employees and their families in Stanley, Idaho. * * * Standing up for Stanley If you've lived in Idaho for any amount   more

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following statement on July 25, 2023: * * * Last week, the House Committee on Appropriations voted to advance the Fiscal Year 2024 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson - Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee - authored language that pushes back against the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA). "I have been a strong advocate for EAJA reform  more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Last week, the House Committee on Appropriations voted to advance the Fiscal Year 2024 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson - Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee - secured funding for the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Reclamation program. "Idaho has thousands of abandoned mines, and most of these abandonments occurred   more

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and a letter: Last week, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson signed on to a letter led by Congressmen Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) and Chris Pappas (D-NH) urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider the disastrous ramifications of their new "Phase 3" Heavy Duty Truck Rule. "Executive agencies and radical environmentalists should not - and cannot - force their ideology on small business owners," said Rep.   more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on July 27, 2023: The United States House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson voted in favor of this legislation. This bill fully funds veterans' health care programs and benefits, supports national security, and exceeds the Department of Defense's Military Construction budget request. "Today's vote ma  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on July 27, 2023: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), along with Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and U.S. Representative Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) today introduced the Grizzly Bear Review and Resource Restart (Grrr) Act to fully delist the grizzly bear in the lower 48 states from the endangered species list. "It is clear grizzly populations have rebounded," said Risch. "Increasing grizzly   more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and U.S. Representative Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), with Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and U.S. Representatives Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), and Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) introduced legislation requiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection's   more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on July 24, 2023, and a letter: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) with U.S. Representatives Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), and Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) today wrote U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore urging the agency to analyze and release standing sawtimber levels in high priority firesheds. This data is important to motivate and focus collabora  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and a letter: U.S. Senator Jim Risch criticized the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's decision to maintain adjusted hours at northern U.S. ports, including Porthill Port of Entry in Idaho. Risch has long advocated for a return to pre-pandemic hours. Following CBP's decision, Risch announced he will introduce legislation requiring CBP's hours of operations at northern ports to match or exceed pre-pandemic hou  more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following column on July 24, 2023, and a letter: * * * INL Helps Meet Our Country's Challenges The 2022 National Defense Strategy identified access to efficient and clean-energy technologies as a growing need at bases and battlefields. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is, of course, at the cutting edge of meeting the challenge of providing mobile energy sources. Military operations in remote regions and battlefields have trouble wit  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, issued the following news release on July 27, 2023, and letters: Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley's (R-Mo.) legislation to compensate victims of government-caused nuclear contamination in the greater St. Louis area was adopted by the U.S. Senate. The legislation took the form of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. Senator Hawley's legislation was co-sponsored by Senators Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Mike  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on July 26, 2023: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) today lauded committee passage of the Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability Act (MEPA), which was reported out of committee 26-1. The legislation brings more transparency, accountability and competition to pharmacy benefit manager practices in the drug suppl  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on July 27, 2023: * * * Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) today released the following statement announcing that the committee will meet in September to mark up tax legislation strengthening our economic relationship with Taiwan: "Shortly after Congress returns from the upcoming state work period, the Finance Commi  more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, today released the Chairman's Mark of the Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability (MEPA) Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at updating federal prescription drug programs to address pharmacy benefit manager practices that have grown increasingly complex and opaque in recent years  more

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement related to events in Niger: "We join the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States in condemning the military coup in Niger, and call upon those who seized power to st  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on July 27, 2023: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement related to events in Niger: "We join the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States in condemning the military coup in Niger, and call upon those   more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, this week published an op-ed in Defense News highlighting the need for the United States to ease defense regulations for allies in order to ensure AUKUS is successful. On the potential of AUKUS: "Without a doubt, the United States and its allies have entered int  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on July 26, 2023: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee hearing on U.S. economic security: addressing economic coercion and increasing competitiveness. Witnesses included The Honorable Jose Fernandez, under secretary for economic growth, ener  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed their disappointment that Senate Democrats blocked their amendment to establish a lead inspector general (IG) for Ukrainian assistance during debate on the FY2024 Nationa  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Arizona, issued the following news release: Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Senate Finance Committee leaders Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) introduced the Improving Social Security's Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act - bipartisan legislation making it easier for identity theft victims to resolve their cases by creating a single point of contact at the Social Security Administra  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release on July 27, 2023: U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Jim Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today expressed their disappointment that Senate Democrats blocked their amendment to establish a Lead Inspector General for Ukrainian assistance during debate on the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act. The Wic  more