“After seeing that House Republicans and Chairman Paul Ryan are responding to the call of the American people to get spending under control, President Obama has come late to the game and put forth a proposal that still doesn’t pass muster.  Unlike Chairman Ryan’s plan, which reduces the deficit by $4.4 trillion and reduces taxes, President Obama proposes to raise taxes on job… Read more »

“Most farmers and ranchers I talk to are scared to death about the possibility that the Environmental Protection Agency would be able to regulate their irrigation ditches, drainage ponds, and even groundwater, and I understand why,” said Simpson. “In the West, water is critical to our way of life. Allowing the federal government to claim jurisdiction over state waters would have a devastating impact on rural communities throughout our state and the food supply throughout our nation. For that reason and others, I have moved to insert language in the House Continuing Resolution that will prevent any attempt by the EPA to claim additional jurisdiction over state waters and increase its already excessive authority over Western farmers, families, and businesses.” Read more »

“It makes no sense to call wolves in Idaho and Montana an endangered species. Not only do wolf populations far exceed recovery goals, but without proper management those populations have grown to the point where they are adversely impacting other wildlife populations in the region and wreaking havoc for ranchers, hunters, and public land users in Idaho. The Fish and Wildlife Service made a sound and science-backed decision to delist wolves and have praised the management plan that was developed and successfully implemented by Governor Otter and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The Service and the state have successfully recovered the species to the point that it can be properly managed, and the law should reflect that.” Read more »

“It has become clear to me in talking to the job creators in this country that allowing these regulations to go into effect would prevent job creation and inhibit economic growth at a time when our economy is still struggling. It should be up to Congress, not the Administration, to determine whether and how to regulate greenhouse gases, and in attempting to do so without congressional authority, I’m concerned that EPA has overreached. It’s been an honor to collaborate on this language with House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Upton and Subcommittee Chairman Whitfield. Including this provision in the CR will give their committee time to craft thoughtful, effective legislation to clarify EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act and provide certainty for job creators.” Read more »

“I have a long list of concerns about the Department of Interior’s ‘Wild Lands’ initiative, not the least of which is the fact that it was rolled out without giving the public an opportunity to comment on it and without the opportunity for congressional oversight. I’m concerned that this initiative will make it more difficult to make good land management decisions and result in increased litigation. The responsibility for making land management designations belongs to Congress, not the agency, and by including language in the CR to defund this initiative, I hope to force the Department to work with Congress on this issue.” Read more »

Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), who leads the Appropriations Committee subpanel that crafts Interior’s budget, said lawmakers could include language that prevents federal funding from being used to implement the program. Read more »

“I strongly believe Obama’s health care law is the wrong direction for our nation and is unconstitutional,” said Congressman Mike Simpson. “I am pleased to see this court ruling, and I believe the House acted appropriately earlier this month by repealing the bill in its entirety so we can start over by passing smaller bills that enjoy bipartisan support and focus on bringing down costs for American healthcare consumers.” Read more »

I am writing to respond to the comments of former Governor Cecil Andrus and the Idaho Statesman’s editorial board regarding the recent agreement between the State of Idaho and the Department of Energy (DOE) over future shipments of very small quantities of spent nuclear fuel for research purposes.   While I have a great deal of respect for the former Governor, I am disappointed in his… Read more »

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic attack on Congresswoman Giffords, her staff, and the citizens attending her Town Hall. Gabrielle is a dedicated public servant to the people of her district and Arizona. Kathy and my thoughts and prayers are with the family of all who were harmed in this violent attack.” Read more »

As the end of the 2010 tax year gets nearer, we are rapidly approaching a traffic jam of expiring tax provisions, uncertainty about the AMT, and a sluggish economy.  Congress has a lot of work to do in the coming months, as I believe that the hard work of balancing our budget will require us to do the hard work of fundamental tax reform.  In the meantime, however, Congress must act… Read more »