Congressman Simpson today supported H.R. 890, the Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Programs Act of 2013. This bill would extend the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and reject “guidance” issued by the Obama Administration last year to allow states to waive work requirements for welfare recipients. The bill passed the House 246 to 181. The issue became embroiled in controversy last July when the Department of Health and Human Services announced it would grant waivers... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported a continuing resolution that extends government operations through the end of the fiscal year with a provision specifying that cuts under sequestration must be enacted for all non-security accounts as required by current law. Simpson, who chairs the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, was instrumental in ensuring that the CR included adequate funding for fire suppression shortfalls in FY13. “Idaho and the West faced an intens... Read more

Guest column submitted by U.S. Senator Mike Crapo and Congressman Mike Simpson Read more

Congressman Simpson: Actions Speak Louder than Words Read more

House passes ‘Require a PLAN Act’ in an attempt to get a responsible budget from the Administration Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson has cosponsored legislation introduced last week to ensure that Americans can continue to hunt, fish, and shoot using traditional ammunition and fishing tackle. H.R. 322, the Hunting, Fishing, and Recreational Shooting Protection Act, responds to efforts to ban traditional ammunition and fishing tackle containing lead parts and clarifies the EPA’s jurisdiction over certain sporting goods. “Hunting and fishing are integral to Idaho’s culture, and hunters and angler... Read more

Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressman Mike Simpson are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to recognize Greek yogurt under their MyPlate nutrition guidelines. In a letter to Secretary Vilsack, they point out that Greek yogurt has twice the protein and more calcium than regular yogurt, and is low in fat. Besides recognizing Greek yogurt in MyPlate nutrition guides, which is part of the USDA food guidance system, the group also requested a pilot program be set up wit... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson tonight voted in support of H.R. 8 – the American Taxpayer Relief Act. Among its provisions, H.R. 8 cuts taxes for nearly all taxpayers. The measure also permanently fixes the Alternative Minimum Tax and provides a $10 million per couple exemption from the estate tax. “While I remain a strong proponent of a more comprehensive approach to solving our nation’s long-term fiscal crisis, this bill is a critical piece of legislation that lowers taxes for nearly every ta... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson is pleased to announce the hiring of a new Regional Director for his Idaho Falls office, Ethan Huffman. Laurel Sayer, the former director, now resides in Boise and continues to be Congressman Simpson’s Natural Resources Director for the state. “Ethan’s experience and abilities will be a great asset to me and the people I represent in Eastern Idaho,” said Simpson. “The Idaho National Laboratory is extremely important to the area and Ethan’s vast understanding of th... Read more

Congressman Simpson and many members of the Congressional Go Big Coalition today met with Senator Alan Simpson, Erskine Bowles, and state and local leaders who are encouraging Congress to fix the debt. Read more