WASHINGTON, May 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12653) on May 7, 2024, by agricultural policy analyst Joel L. Greene: * * * Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Dairy Herds The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed a strain (H5N1) of highly pathogenic avian Influenza A virus (HPAI) in dairy herds in Texas and Kansas on March 25, 2  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, issued the following news release: Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) released the following statement applauding the passage of their bipartisan Mining Regulatory Clarity Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, and calling for the Senate to move quickly on the bill. "Everything from lithium-ion batteries to satellites relies on critical minerals, and we should be responsibly mining those right here in   more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined 24 Senate colleagues in introducing the No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act, to update existing funding prohibitions in law that would cause the United States to cut off assistance to entities that give additional rights and privileges to the Palestinian Authority. The legislation is led by Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committe  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senator Mike Crapo joined colleagues in the introduction of the No Higher education Assistance for Mobs of Antisemitic and terrorist Sympathizing Students (No HAMAS) Act. The legislation, led by Senator Thom Tillis ( R-North Carolina), is in direct response to the unlawful antisemitic, pro-Hamas encampments and riots that have taken place across the nation. Crapo and Tillis are joined in introducing the legislatio  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined collegeagues in introducing a Senate resolution that condemns any action by the Biden Administration to withhold or restrict weapons for Israel. The resolution is cosponsored by a total of 48 Republican senators. "It is more important than ever that the United States advocate for Israel's right to defend itself from existential threats by hostile parties," said Crapo. "I conde  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined a group of bipartisan, bicameral colleagues, to call on the U.S. Senate and House Armed Service Committees to reject a flawed proposal from the U.S. Air Force (USAF). The proposal would enable the transfer of U.S. National Guard units performing space missions to the U.S. Space Force and waive governor approval in the process, breaking precedent. "We write r  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, issued the following news release: Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), and John Thune (R-South Dakota) today introduced a Senate resolution that condemns any action by the Biden Admi  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Boise, ID--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and U.S. Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher (all R-Idaho), in coordination with the U.S. Department of State, announced seven "Passport Fairs" to be held throughout the state from May 29 to June 1, 2024. The fairs held in Sandpoint, Idaho Falls, Coeur d'Alene, Moscow, Pocatello, Twin Falls and Meridian will assist Idahoans with passport needs closer to h  more

MERIDIAN, Idaho, May 9 -- Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson and U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (all R-Idaho), in coordination with the U.S. Department of State, announced seven "Passport Fairs" to be held throughout the state from May 29 to June 1, 2024. The fairs held in Sandpoint, Idaho Falls, Coeur d'Alene, Moscow, Pocatello, Twin Falls, and Meridian will assist Idahoans with passport needs closer to home  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson cosponsored the bipartisan Not Just a Number Act, legislation to require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to take a more comprehensive look at the factors that best prevent veteran suicide. "Behind every veteran suicide lies a heartbreaking story, a silent struggle, and an irreplaceable loss," said Rep. Simpson. "Through expanding suicide prevention research and a thorough   more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senator Jim Risch, senior member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, announced the selection of Greyloch, LLC in Star as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for May 2024. Greyloch, LLC will be recognized for its contribution to Idaho in the Congressional record of the U.S. Senate. "Greyloch, LLC is testament to Idaho's entrepreneurial spirit. Shaun Fickes started  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the passage of their bipartisan Mining Regulatory Clarity Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, and called for the Senate to move quickly on the bill. "Domestic mineral production is an economic, energy, and national security imperative," said Risch. "With the House passage of our Mining Regulatory Clarity Act, we are one step closer   more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following column on May 6, 2024: * * * Weekly Column: When Will The IRS Stop Ballooning Its Budget Request? Short Answer: Not Anytime Soon In his fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget proposal, President Biden requested Congress provide an unprecedented $104 billion in additional funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on top of its $12.3 billion annual budget and the $80 billion the Biden Administration already enacted in the Inflation   more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-Louisiana) raised concerns that the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) December 2023 guidance could put U.S. taxpayers on the hook for the approximately $32.6 billion the State of California lost   more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power released the following testimony by Virginia Wright, a program manager at the Idaho National Laboratory, from a hearing dated April 10, 2024, entitled "To Examine the Federal and Non-Federal Role of Assessing Cyber Threats to and Vulnerabilities of Critical Water Infrastructure in our Energy Sector": * * * Chair Wyden, Ranking Member Risch, and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following remarks from a hearing dated April 16, 2024, entitled "The President's Fiscal Year 2025 IRS Budget and the IRS 2024 Filing Season": * * * "Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and welcome again Commissioner Werfel. "The IRS needs to be accountable for the choices it makes, become more efficient, rigorously plan, provide full transparency and timely solicit real feedback from informed stak  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following remarks from a hearing dated April 11, 2024, entitled "Bolstering Chronic Care Through Medicare Physician Payment": * * * "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. "Across the country, more than 60 million Americans rely on Medicare to meet their health care needs. Over the next decade, this population will grow by more than 20 percent. "Medicare's coverage and payment policies play a domina  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following remarks from a hearing dated April 17, 2024, entitled "The President's 2024 Trade Policy Agenda": * * * "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome Ambassador Tai. "I read the President's trade agenda carefully. If we measured wisdom by word count alone, President Biden's trade policy agenda would be wise. If we measured it in terms of creating meaningful opportunity for Americans, it i  more

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: on May 10, 2024 U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, yesterday joined Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fl  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- 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, today led 24 Senate colleagues in introducing the No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act, legislation to update existing funding prohibitions in law that would cause the United States to cut off assistance to entities that give additional rights and privileges to t  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on May 9, 2024: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today led Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) in sending a letter   more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on May 7, 2024: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today met with Jordanian King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein in the U.S. Capitol. "It is always an honor to host King Abdullah in the Capitol. Jordan remains a vital U.S. partner in a tough neighborhood. "The most immediate concern we discussed is Gaza.  more

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on May 10, 2024: * * * U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the Biden Administration's National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM-20) report on Israel: "In keeping with nearly four years of failed foreign policy, the Biden Administration is trying to have it both ways  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on May 7, 2024: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, yesterday sent a letter to President Biden urging him to reject a proposal to waive U.S. sanctions imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in ord  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- 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, Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) introduced the Coordinating AUKUS Engagement with Japan Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing the United States' cooperation with allies in order to combat the growing threat of China. Th  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on May 9, 2024: * * * U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the Biden Administration's decision to hold up certain arms sales to Israel: "President Biden's clear threat to Israel, made on network television, made it obvious that he and his administration are more  more

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on May 9, 2024: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today spoke at a Senate Republican press conference condemning the Biden Administration's blocking of arms sales for Israel. Risch gave the following remarks: "The non-partisan weapons sales process has kept domestic political squabbles out of this  more