Mike Simpson RSS Articles

Simpson Supports Bill to Drastically Reduce Mandatory Spending

Thu, 10 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported passage of H.R. 5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012. It passed in the House of Representatives 218 to 199. The House Budget Committee, of which Simpson is a member, considered and passed this legislation on Monday and sent it to the floor for a vote.

“It is important to remember that the sequester is not intended to be the solution to our debt problem, rather, it is the penalty if Congress fails to act,” said Simpson. “This legislation represents the House of Representatives’ priorities in cutting spending and reforming some of our most unsuccessful and unpopular mandatory programs, which make up two-thirds of the federal budget.”

The legislation is composed of the policy suggestions from six committees about where the size of government can be reduced, including cuts and reform to mandatory programs that are on auto-pilot. The bill:

Closes loopholes and reduces waste, fraud and abuse in the food stamp program, ensuring the program continues to serve those most in need of assistance.
Repeals costly and duplicative provisions in the health care law, reforms Medicaid, and institutes tort reform.
Reforms and fixes portions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act and ends unspent and unneeded remaining TARP funds.

The bill uses these savings and others to replace the planned sequester that is scheduled to come into effect next year.

“We have yet to see a proposal from the Senate or from President Obama on what they would like to do to avoid a painful sequester next January,” added Simpson. “I hope Senator Reid and President Obama will put forth their proposals so that both sides can immediately begin debating and agree to a plan to start dealing with the massive $15.6 trillion national debt facing us.”

The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

Simpson’s Water Diversions Bill Passes House

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Today the House of Representatives passed legislation authored by Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson to address water issues in existing Idaho wilderness areas. H.R. 2050, the Idaho Wilderness Water Resources Protection Act, authorizes and permits historical water diversions in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area and the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness area that existed before the wilderness designation.

“Like a lot of good legislation, H.R. 2050 arose from conversations with an Idahoan who needed help with an issue that was out of his control,” said Simpson. “The Acts that created the wilderness areas in Idaho overlooked these water diversions, which are primarily used to support irrigation and minor hydropower generation, leaving private landowners without the ability to maintain or fix them. I’m pleased that H.R. 2050 not only addresses this one specific diversion, but it provides the tools needed to authorize and repair all of these diversions in the future.”

H.R. 2050 would authorize the Forest Service to issue special use permits for all qualifying historic water systems in the wilderness areas. Such authority will ensure that existing water diversions can be properly maintained and repaired when necessary and preserve beneficial use for private property owners who hold water rights under state law.

“At some point in the future, all 25 of these existing diversions will need maintenance or repair work done to ensure their integrity,” said Simpson. “H.R. 2050 is intended as a simple, reasonable solution to a problem that I think we can all agree should be solved as quickly as possible.”

To view Congressman Simpson’s floor speech supporting the bill visit his YouTube website.

H.R. 2050 passed the House. It is now under consideration by the U.S. Senate.

National Park Week—Celebrate “America’s Best Idea”

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

“Our national parks have been called our nation’s crown jewels, a title I believe is well-deserved. We have a rich collection of parks across this nation, from Gettysburg Battlefield to the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone National Park, that capture the beauty, diversity, and history of our country. For 275 million Americans each year, our national parks provide the opportunity to get outdoors and learn about the places and people of our great country.

“Next week, April 21-29, is National Park Week, and we have the opportunity to celebrate our national parks—dubbed “America’s Best Idea”—with free admission to all 397 national parks. As our economy struggles to recover and gas prices have made it more cost prohibitive to travel overseas, opportunities like this give us a greater appreciation for what we have here at home. A new generation of Americans can discover the history, culture, and natural world that make up this great country, as those who grew up visiting and recreating in our national parks are now taking their own families there to make new memories together.

“I am a lifelong supporter of our national parks. As the Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees funding for the National Park Service, I recognize that there are a number of challenges facing our parks, not the least of which is that we have a tendency to love our parks to death. As we approach the centennial celebration of the National Park Service in 2016, we must set careful priorities and do more with limited resources to restore and maintain our beautiful parks so that future generations can enjoy them. Doing so will require the support and partnership of the Americans who visit them to experience our country and create lasting memories for their families.

“Idaho has a number of national park sites, including Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, City of Rocks, and the Minidoka National Historic Site, not to mention the gateway to Yellowstone, our nation’s first national park. Whether you pick a site close to home or travel to Mount Rushmore, Yosemite, or the National Mall in Washington, DC, I encourage you to take advantage of National Park Week to experience the wonder and diversity of our great land. It will undoubtedly be an experience that your family will cherish for years to come.

“To learn more about National Park Week, visit www.nps.gov/npweek.”

Simpson Supports Lower Taxes for Small Businesses

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed H.R. 9, the Small Business Tax Cut Act of 2012, which allows businesses with fewer than 500 employees to reduce their profit subject to taxation by 20% in the 2012 tax year. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson supported the measure, which passed with a final vote of 235-173.

Small businesses currently face up to an astounding 35% federal tax. Additionally, the individual tax rates that apply to small pass-through businesses are scheduled to increase significantly in 2013 under President Obama’s budget. This legislation lifts the burdensome federal government thumb off small businesses, which spend three times more per employee on tax compliance than larger businesses.

“I support a permanent overhaul of the tax code to promote economic growth while improving our ability to reduce the deficit,” Simpson said. “This bill immediately addresses the dire situation our nation’s small businesses face and reduces the burden they must overcome in their efforts to invest in our economy and create jobs.”

For over 17 years, small businesses have generated 65% of the new jobs created in our country. The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy reports that small businesses represent 99.9% of the 27.5 million businesses in America and employ about half of all private sector employees.

The Small Business Tax Cut Act will provide immediate relief by allowing small business to deduct 20% of their income from taxes irrespective of how they are organized for up to 50% of their W-2 wages.

To learn more about the Small Business Tax Cut and how it can help Idaho, visit http://www.majorityleader.gov/SmallBiz/DOCS/ID.pdf.

Simpson Votes to Protect Hunting and Fishing on Public Lands

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported legislation protecting Americans’ ability to hunt, fish, and shoot on public lands. H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012, would ensure that public land managers facilitate access for fishing, sport hunting, and recreational shooting on federal land managed by the BLM and Forest Service. Simpson, who chairs the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, has cosponsored a number of components of the bill.

“Access to hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreational activities is one of the reasons Idahoans love where they live,” said Simpson. “Hunters and anglers have a long heritage of enjoying these activities on public lands, and this bill ensures that they continue to have access to traditional recreational activities, even as land management plans change.”

In addition to facilitating access on federal lands for fishing, hunting, and shooting, H.R. 4089 would require the BLM to open national monument land under its jurisdiction for recreational shooting and would prevent EPA from banning the use of lead in ammunition and fishing tackle. The bill would also allow American hunters to bring into the United States polar bear trophies taken in Canada prior to the polar bear being listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

H.R. 4089 passed the House by a vote of 273-146.

Congressional Art Contest Winners to be Recognized at the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Participants of the Congressional Art Competition will be featured in an exhibit in the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho (300 S. Capitol Ave.) on Thursday, April 5, 2012. Congressman Mike Simpson invites all to attend a reception acknowledging participating students that will begin at 4:00 p.m. Simpson will recognize 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place winners in both categories of Photography, and Painting, Pastel & Pencil. Many students will be in attendance and this event is open to the media and public.

High School art students around the congressional district had the opportunity to create an artwork to enter in this year’s Congressional Art Competition. The winner will be sent to the Architect of the U.S. Capitol and will be on display at the Capitol for one year. Southwest Airlines will also fly the student and his or her parent to Washington, D.C to attend the National Ceremony in June.

“Each year I am impressed by the incredible pieces of art that our youth put forward for the Congressional Art Contest,” said Simpson. “There were some amazing entries that demonstrated a lot of talent and I’m glad all the participants artwork will be on display at the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho for the public to enjoy.”

The jurors focused on originality, technical skill, and how well the artist’s work reflected the theme of the show – Idaho, Window of the West. All entries will be on exhibit thru April 13.

Photography
1st place: Matt Armstrong, Timberline High School - “Placerville”
2nd Place: Christelle Gardner, Sugar-Salem High School- “Budd”
3rd Place: Cerise Barber, Timberline High School- “Swan Falls Dam”

Painting, Pastel & Pencil
1st place: Sarah Johnson, Idaho Falls High School - “Shoshone Dancer”
2nd Place: Taylor Allen, Hillcrest High School - “Truck and Barn”
3rd Place: Ashley Bevan, Snake River High School - “Girl Holding a Man Fly Fishing”

The Grand Prize winner that will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol is Sarah Johnson from Idaho Falls High School artwork titled “Shoshone Dancer” and her art teacher is Brett Schwieder.

The first place photography winner that will be displayed in Congressman Simpson’s office for one year is Matt Armstrong from Timberline High School artwork titled “Placerville” and his art teacher is Patricia Thorpe.

The Ides of March - Budgets, Debt, and Health Care

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

“This week the Supreme Court is considering the constitutionality of President Obama’s health care bill, and the decision will have consequences far beyond just the future direction of our health care system. If the individual mandate is struck down, it would be a major blow to the power of the federal government to use the Commerce Clause or the Necessary and Proper Clause to require Americans to act in certain ways. If it is upheld, it would be a significant victory for those who believe the federal government can do virtually anything apart from what is specifically constitutionally barred.

“While the Supreme Court deliberations grab the headlines, something else happened this month that will have major implications on health care and its impact on Americans and the ever-growing national debt. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an updated analysis of the cost of the health care law using the most current budget data, and the findings are disheartening. When the bill was signed into law in 2010, it was estimated that an increased burden on Medicaid and taxpayer-funded health insurance subsidies would cost taxpayers $938 billion over ten years. The new updated estimate this month finds the real cost to be nearly $1.8 trillion between now and 2022. This is a punch to the gut for Members of Congress working to reduce the debt. In short, it just got almost $1 trillion more difficult to tackle the debt, and the costs of the health care bill are only expected to rise.

“To put $1 trillion in perspective, let’s look at a widely supported government agency, NASA. NASA receives roughly $18 billion dollars of funding every year. To save a trillion dollars you would have to completely defund NASA… 56 times over.

“With this example, you can see why it is so hard to cut $1 trillion out of the discretionary budget. Given that most economists agree we need to find $4 to $6 trillion to really stabilize the debt and put us on a path to eventually erase it completely, even eliminating NASA 56 times doesn’t make a dent.

“The reality is eliminating the debt can’t be done immediately, and it can’t be done with only spending cuts. While cuts are an important part of it, we need to institute real, long term, structural reform of our mandatory spending programs that are on auto-pilot and growing by the day. The system is unsustainable – a couple turning 65 today probably paid over $109,000 into Medicare in their lives but will receive on average over $343,000 in benefits. Meanwhile, starting this year, 10,000 Americans will enroll in Medicare every day for the next 20 years. Our children and grandchildren have little hope of seeing any benefits themselves under our current system.

“Along with real reform of Medicare, Congress must find the courage to reform, not just patch, our outdated tax code. We need to simplify the code and streamline regulations while closing loop-holes, creating the economic growth necessary to reduce the deficit. With these reforms in place we can actually reduce tax rates for ALL individuals and businesses, and still have funds left over to reduce the debt. It is crucial that any savings from tax reform not be used to simply implement more spending. The tax code should be a simple system intended to raise the necessary revenue for appropriate government functions, not a complex system through which the government directs social behavior and forces certain outcomes.

“This week Congress is considering these issues and will vote on the House Republican Budget offered by Chairman Paul Ryan. It is a bold and tough reform proposal that deals with the issues of our auto-pilot programs head on. The Medicare reforms are tough but fair and offer anyone the option of keeping their current benefits if they so choose. Despite demagoguery from Democrats and the White House, the Ryan Plan has proved to be durable and is gaining support. While it won’t receive bipartisan backing this year, it signifies the intention of Republicans to fix our debt problem. I am proud of my colleagues for offering this plan despite “political experts” claims that it will hurt the party in an election year.

“The Simpson-Bowles approach is another proposal that I strongly support because it puts everything on the table, leaving no “sacred cows” untouched. And while the news that Obama’s health care bill will cost taxpayers an extra $1 trillion is discouraging, it should make Congress bolder in the fight to reduce the size of government, fix our outdated tax code, and reform our bloated mandatory programs. The public is way ahead of Congress on this, and Congress must catch up and begin making the same tough decisions and sacrifices that American families are making every day.”

Simpson Co-Sponsors Legislation to Stop Additional Harsh Regulations on Family Farms

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson cosponsored H.R. 4157, the Preserving America’s Family Farms Act. This legislation addresses the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed regulations for labor practices for youth working in agricultural operations. The proposed rule would limit the ability of farmers and ranchers to hire youth to work in agriculture.

“I grew up moving pipe and breaking ground for new crops,” said Simpson. “It is a time in my life that I consider very significant, and working on farms taught me the value of hard work and the importance of success and determination. I want to make sure today’s youth have the same opportunities that I had growing up, part of which is being able to work, save money, and go to college. Jobs in agriculture provide these opportunities and need to be preserved.”

The proposed rule would ban hiring youth younger than sixteen to do certain types of farm work and ban so-called “hazardous” work, including operating tractors or working with livestock. Furthermore, the “parental exemption” portion of the rule would prohibit youth from doing various farm activities on farms not solely owned by their parents—including farms owned by extended family or other farms on which the youth do not reside. With this rule, DOL has attempted to narrow the definition of the family farm so that chores could be considered illegal unless the farm on which the youth works is wholly owned by his or her parents.

“This proposal is a misguided idea that threatens the ability of America’s youth to contribute to work on their family’s farm and other agricultural operations,” said Simpson. “This proposed rule would also restrict families in their efforts to pass on the generational knowledge and the hands-on learning that is so critical to the survival of the agricultural industry.”

The Preserving America’s Family Farms Act would prohibit the DOL from finalizing the proposed regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act that relate to on-farm youth labor. H.R. 4157 is currently in the House Agriculture Committee.

Simpson Supports Tort Reform and IPAB Repeal Bill

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today voted for legislation to improve our nation’s healthcare delivery system and bring down the costs of healthcare. H.R. 5, the Protecting Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act of 2011, would implement needed medical liability reforms and repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), which was a part of President Obama’s 2010 healthcare bill. The legislation passed the House today by a vote of 223-181.

“Abuse of existing medical malpractice laws is one of the reasons healthcare in the United States is prohibitively expensive for many individuals,” said Simpson. “Members on both sides of the aisle recognize that medical liability reform would bring down healthcare costs for taxpayers and consumers, as well as improve access to care, and yet Democrats failed to even touch this issue in the partisan Affordable Care Act. I am pleased that H.R. 5 directly addresses the problems in our healthcare system by placing caps on non-economic damages and limiting attorney’s fees. It is estimated to save as much as $120 billion in wasteful spending by reducing unnecessary defensive medicine practices.”

In addition to liability reform provisions, H.R. 5 eliminates the IPAB, which was buried in the Affordable Care Act and is made up of a board of unelected bureaucrats tasked with deciding payment rates for Medicare. Included in the ACA is authority for IPAB to operate without public meetings or hearings, consider public input on proposals, or make its deliberations open to the public.

“This is a provision of the new healthcare law that I have long been concerned about,” said Simpson. “We all know that without effective reform, Medicare as we know it will not be there for our children and grandchildren. Any changes to Medicare must happen in public, with broad input, and with the best interests of the American people in mind. Unfortunately, the IPAB is authorized to act in the completely opposite manner—with the power to impact America’s Medicare benefits behind closed doors and with little public or congressional oversight.”

Congressman Simpson has long been a supporter of meaningful, effective healthcare reform and is a cosponsor of H.R. 5.

Simpson Examines NPS Budget Priorities

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson questioned the National Park Service about its budget request for FY2013. At the hearing of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which Simpson chairs, he asked NPS Director Jon Jarvis about the Park Service’s ability to address the maintenance backlog across the national park system, restoration efforts on the National Mall, and quagga mussels infestations on Park Service property, including Lake Mead.

Maintenance backlog and budget priorities:

“At the outset, I want to make an observation,” began Simpson. “Your budget request makes a sizeable reduction from last year in construction funding, which adds to the maintenance backlog—now in excess of $11 billion—that the Park Service is facing. The budget request also reduces funding for park operations, which may cause some park units to reduce visitor services and operating hours.

“At the same time, the budget request for federal land acquisition is increased by 4% and the request for LWCF stateside grant funding is increased by 34%. It seems to me that we ought to be addressing long-term maintenance and repair needs, as well as meeting the needs of the visiting public, before making additional land acquisitions that will only add to the historic funding backlog.”

Restoration of the National Mall

Chairman Simpson also asked about ongoing efforts to restore the National Mall, including repairs to the Washington Monument, which was damaged during the earthquake last summer. “I’ve said this before, but we are loving our National Mall to death. When Idahoans come out to Washington, DC, they are disappointed that the National Mall doesn’t look like the lush green place they’ve seen in pictures. What are we doing about that?”

Director Jarvis outlined current restoration efforts, including restoration of the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial, implementation of an irrigation system on the Mall’s grass panels, and efforts to mitigate the impact of large events on the Mall. Recently a private donor matched the $7.5 million appropriated in FY12 to address damage to the Washington Monument and its elevator, allowing repairs to move ahead so that the monument can reopen.

Aquatic Invasive Species

As he has done in previous hearings, Simpson raised the issue of aquatic invasive species, honing in on the Park Service’s efforts to prevent the quagga mussel infestation at Lake Mead from spreading to Idaho and other areas. “I want to make sure that the National Park Service recognizes the magnitude of this problem and is partnering with states and other federal agencies to prevent the spread of invasive species—not just focusing only on keeping quagga and zebra mussels out of the areas it manages.”

Today’s hearing was the tenth of 16 budget oversight hearings Simpson has scheduled for the subcommittee this spring.