My Priorities for Idaho as House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman “Over the past few years, we have been reminded again that being outside in nature is good for the human soul.  This is no secret to those of us privileged to live in Idaho, where we enjoy an abundance of mountains, forests, rivers, and other wild spaces where we can experience the beauty… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today applauded the House passage of H.R. 1625, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, which included monumental benefits for Idaho and Western States.  “This is a comprehensive and responsible package that contains so many important provisions for Idaho and Western States,” said Simpson. “It is the product of this past year’s worth of thoughtful… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson applauded inclusion of a fire borrowing fix and forestry reforms in the Omnibus Appropriations bill. Simpson has long championed a fix to fire borrowing having authored the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act which would treat wildfires like other natural disasters. The Omnibus includes the core principles of this bill by addressing the rising cost of fire… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson discussed the issue of fire borrowing during a House Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with Chief of the Forest Service, Tony Tooke this week. Specifically, Simpson emphasized the need to fund wildfires like other natural disasters. “Solving the issue of fire borrowing has been one of my top legislative… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson voted in favor of legislation that would advance effective forest management and address the issue of fire-borrowing. H.R. 2936, the Resilient Federal Forests Act would promote collaborative forest management, reduce frivolous litigation, and modernize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act. Included in the package is Congressman… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson and Oregon Congressman Kurt Schrader today reintroduced the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act (WDFA), legislation which would fix the current budgeting process for wildfires. In recent years, Congress has budgeted for wildfire suppression by appropriating money according to the average cost for wildfires over the past ten years, known as the “ten-year… Read more »

On Thursday, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson discussed important Idaho issues with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell during a hearing held by the House Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. The topics ranged from ongoing litigation that prevents the Forest Service from managing public lands, to treating wildfire… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today applauded the passage of H.R. 2029, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations bill that included many important provisions for Idaho and Western States. The House passed H.R. 2029 by a vote of 316-113, and it will be considered by the U.S. Senate today.  Links to the bill text and reports can be found here:… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson applauded the release of H.R. 2029, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations bill that included many important provisions for Idaho and Western States.  “I applaud Chairman Rogers and Speaker Ryan for their hard work in assembling this comprehensive and responsible package that will keep the government open through… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson has signed onto legislation to give federal land managers better tools to improve sage-grouse habitat.  H.R. 1793, the Sage-Grouse and Mule Deer Habitat Conservation and Restoration Act of 2015, would create a categorical exclusion from the NEPA process in order to remove pinyon-juniper from sage-grouse and mule deer habitat. “Some of the major threats… Read more »