WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on May 21: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today held a committee business meeting during which members approved four bills, 11 resolutions, and one nominee. "I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for coming together to pass a number of significant pieces of legislation and one nomination this morni  more

WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor about the need for a comprehensive, bipartisan approach to developing protocols for viruses such as COVID-19. The chairman's remarks were in response to Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who made an effort to call up a partisan resolution regarding vaccine   more

WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) was joined by the entire Democratic bench of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in sending a pair of letters to Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho) to reinforce their opposition to his plans to convene a committee business meeting without any major legislation related to fighting COVID-19, against multipl  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, issued the following statement regarding the vote on the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800): "Tomorrow, the House is voting on Speaker Nancy Pelosi's 1,800+ page 'HEROES' Act that we received two days ago, despite calls from both democrats and republicans to delay this vote. Aside from the lack of time to review the bill, I have three significant concerns with this legislation. First, the 'HEROES' Act is reported to cost $3 trillion. To put this in perspec  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Starting on Tuesday, May 26th, eligible farmers and ranchers can begin submitting applications for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) administered by USDA. The program is the result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was supported by the entire Idaho Delegation, and includes $16 billion to provide immediate relief through direct payments to farmers and ranchers.  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release: Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), along with Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford  more

WASHINGTON, May 20 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, issued the following remarks on May 19 at a hearing entitled "The Quarterly CARES Act Report to Congress": "We are all becoming more familiar with remote hearings, but let me offer a few videoconferencing reminders: "Once you start speaking, there will be a slight delay before you are displayed on screen. "To minimize background noise, please click the mute button until it is y  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Starting on Tuesday, May 26, eligible farmers and ranchers can begin submitting applications for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program is the result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was supported by the entire Idaho Delegation, and includes $16 billion to provide immediate relief through direct   more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following column: Even in these uncertain times, as the pandemic has torn across our world taking lives and livelihoods, Idahoans are moving forward. I have been proud to work closely with Governor Brad Little and fellow members of Idaho's Congressional Delegation, Senator Jim Risch and Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, to support Idahoans throughout the state's response to the pandemic. From the beginning, the Idaho Congr  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: A bipartisan group of senators led by Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced legislation to boost oversight of trillions in taxpayer funded pandemic relief by helping the special watchdog quickly onboard critical oversight staff. The Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery Expedited Hiring Authority Act allows the office to bypass the lengthy government hiring process to so it can quickly ramp up over  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, issued the following news release: A bipartisan group of senators led by Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced legislation to boost oversight of trillions in taxpayer funded pandemic relief by helping the special watchdog quickly onboard critical oversight staff. The Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery Expedited Hiring Authority Act allows the office to bypass the lengthy government hiring process to so it can quickly ramp up o  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), Mitc  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on May 21: Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) tonight is releasing a video of the entire Senate Foreign Relations Committee business meeting that took place earlier today. The footage, which was taken by Menendez's team, comes after Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho) unilaterally prevented the press and public from viewing the contro  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on May 21: Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) tonight is releasing a video of the entire Senate Foreign Relations Committee business meeting that took place earlier. The footage, which was taken by Menendez's team, comes after Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho) unilaterally prevented the press and public from viewing the controversial meeting by refusing to allow an official Senate live-stream vide  more

WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) was joined by the entire Democratic bench of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in sending a pair of letters today to Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho) to reinforce their opposition to his plans to convene a committee business meeting without any major legislation related to fighting COVID-19, against multiple objections from committee members, and while limiting pres  more

BOISE, Idaho, May 15 -- Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on Burundi's general elections: "In January, reports that President Nkurunziza would not stand for a fourth term raised the possibility that Burundians could have an opportunity to reclaim their democracy in the upcoming May 20th general elections. "Unfortunately, it becomes more apparent every day that the upcoming polls will not afford the people of Burundi the   more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty: "I support the president's decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty. The Russian Federation's documented and continuing lack of compliance with this treaty follows Russia's material breach of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, its violations of the Chemical We  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) joined Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and 25 of his Republican colleagues in sending a letter to Attorney General Bill Barr urging the Department of Justice to investigate whether dozens of Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country applied for and received loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) despite knowing they were ineligible to apply. Under the statuary text   more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Starting on Tuesday, May 26th, eligible farmers and ranchers can begin submitting applications for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) administered by USDA. The program is the result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was supported by the entire Idaho Delegation, and includes $16 billion to provide immediate relief through direct payments to farmers and ranchers.   more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Delaware, issued the following news release on May 21: Bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) to prevent the Small Business Administration's (SBA) flagship loan program from shutting down passed the Senate yesterday by unanimous consent. Sen. Coons' Small Business Lending Continuity Act of 2020, which was co-led by U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL) and fellow commit  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Last week, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) joined Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) and 25 of their Republican colleagues in urging leadership to provide businesses with regulatory relief in the wake of the economic crisis caused by the global pandemic. "In contrast to unsustainable increases in federal spending, the easing of regulatory burdens - estimated to cost businesses as m  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators for Idaho Jim Risch and Mike Crapo joined Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and 25 of their Republican colleagues in urging leadership to provide businesses with regulatory relief in the wake of the economic crisis caused by the global pandemic. "In contrast to unsustainable increases in federal spending, the easing of regulatory burdens - estimated to cost businesses as much as $1.9 trillion - w  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: The Senate unanimously passed the Small Business Lending Continuity Act of 2020. This bipartisan legislation, led by U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), will make a technical correction to the CARES Act and prevent the Small Business Administration's (SBA) flagship 7(a) Loan Guarantee Program from shutting down when the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) reaches its authorization cap o  more

BOISE, Idaho, May 15 -- Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on Georgia President Salome Zurabishvili's announcement on the pardon and release of two opposition leaders: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in support of main  more

BOISE, Idaho, May 23 -- Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following statement after the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, pursuant to an executive order (No. 13851), designated two senior members of the Nicaraguan regime: "We welcome the designation of Julio Cesar Aviles Castillo, the commander-in-chief of the Nicaraguan Army, and Ivan Adolfo Acosta Montalvan, the Ortega regime's ministe  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following joint statement with Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, and Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, regarding reports that the National People's Congress will introduce legislation to implement Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law and other concerns about the steps by the Chinese Communist Party to undermine Hong Kong's autonomy: "Reports that the CCP will introduce legislation implementing Art  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on May 21: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today led the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in approving a bipartisan resolution to commend the State Department professionals for their dedication repatriating United States citizens and legal  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on May 21: U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today led the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in approving a bipartisan resolution commending State Department professionals for their dedication repatriating United States citizens and legal permanent residents during t  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on May 21: U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in approving a bipartisan resolution to commend the State Department professionals for their dedication repatriating United States citizens and legal permanent residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Resolution now mo  more