“Unfortunately, my fears about this summit were realized: rather than a substantive discussion about health care reform, the President’s summit was just for show,” said Congressman Mike Simpson. “It seems the Democrats were more interested in selling the American people the bills they have supported in the House and Senate rather than working together to accomplish health care reform that we can all agree on.” Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today shared an Idaho perspective when Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell testified at the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee regarding the FY2011 Forest Service Budget request. Simpson is Ranking Member of the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds the Forest Service. Read more »

“One thing I heard time and time again when I was home was the dramatic impact EPA is having on Idaho communities,” said Simpson.  “Mayors throughout our state are at their wit’s end trying to meet EPA’s standards under the Clean Water Act and are forced to make difficult and even impossible budget decisions to do so.  Some cities are so frustrated that they are prepared to hand EPA the keys to the city.  No agency should have this kind of control over local governments.” Read more »

"EPA’s public response to the so-called ‘Climate-gate’ issue is unsatisfactory at best," said Simpson. "Idahoans are frustrated that we are basing major, far-reaching policy changes and significant funding increases on scientific data that has been called into question, but their concerns are being summarily dismissed by the EPA, which simply claims that ‘the science is sound.’" Read more »

I strongly believe that there are a number of measures that all of us, regardless of party affiliation, support that will bring down costs and improve access to care for all Americans. These are not new ideas—they are, however, ideas that are critical to implementing real, affordable and effective health reform. Read more »

“The EPA’s recent decision was a shot across Congress’s bow, telling us that if we don’t act quickly to pass sweeping, controversial climate change legislation, the EPA is going to do it for us,” Simpson said. “Unelected bureaucrats at EPA should not be allowed to circumvent the legislative process or override the will of the American people. It’s clear that we need to take action through H.R. 4572 to prevent them from doing so.” Read more »

“If anybody wants to understand what the problem is in Washington, D.C., all they need to do is listen to the debate that’s gone on here, pointing fingers and trying to decide who’s to blame. The reality is the American people don’t care who’s to blame, they just want the problem solved.” Simpson continued, “This budget is not fiscally responsible over the long term, and what the American people are saying is we need to quit spending money, it’s that simple.” Read more »

“Getting our out-of-control budget deficit under control must be our top priority, and it will require all Americans to participate. Rather than criticizes the President’s proposal to freeze discretionary spending, I consider it an initial offer to Congress in what I hope will be a bipartisan dialogue that leads to real action. I fully expect the counter offer made by House Republicans to bring more robust ideas to the table as well, and I hope these include freezing discretionary spending across the board at fiscal year 2009 levels and doing away with the irresponsible spending increases in the current year’s budget. We should commit to staying on budget, just like any American family has to do, by doing away with off-budget, so-called ‘emergency’ measures and taking an up-or-down vote in the next two months on a constitutional amendment that requires Congress to balance the budget each year." Read more »

While the Massachusetts Senate race is a clear rejection of the policies put forward by President Obama and Congressional Democrats, Republicans must not lose sight of the fact that their own policies were rejected with equal fervor just three short years ago. The voters sent a clear message in Massachusetts, but I am worried politicians on both sides of the aisle will misinterpret that message and fail to give the American people the leadership they want and deserve. Read more »

“Like all Idahoans, my deepest sympathies go out to the victims of this catastrophe,” said Simpson. “Tragedy tends to bring out the best in Americans, and it is clear that this situation is no different, as Haiti has been flooded with vital assistance from individual citizens in the past week. I am hopeful that this legislation will provide an incentive for Americans to continue to give to rescue and recovery efforts in Haiti.” Read more »