Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today hailed passage of legislation to clarify federal regulation of pesticides by the House of Representatives.  H.R. 935, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act, would remove duplicative requirements that have added layers of paperwork on top of day-to-day operations for small businesses, farmers, and local governments by clarifying that pesticides which… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson has cosponsored two new bills to address widespread concerns with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new proposed rule expanding its jurisdiction over water throughout the U.S.  H.R. 5071, the Agriculture Conservation Flexibility Act, would address some of the most controversial provisions in the proposed rule, withdrawing the Interpretive Rule… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today defended western priorities in the House Interior and Environment Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2015.  Simpson, a member of the subcommittee, authored a number of provisions that were included in the bill, including language delaying the decision to list the sage-grouse as an endangered species by one year.  Simpson successfully fought… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported the House Interior and Environment Appropriations bill for FY15 during subcommittee consideration.  The bill takes significant steps to protect western interests and reflects Simpson’s influence as a member of the subcommittee.  Among Simpson’s priorities included in the bill is full funding for Payment in Lieu of Taxes, a vital… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined a majority of Congress in sending a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expressing concerns with and strong opposition to the proposed rule re-defining the power of the federal government under the Clean Water Act.  The letter raises a number of serious flaws with the rule and asks the agencies to… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson hosted leaders of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) in two hearings before the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee to discuss Fiscal Year 2015 budget issues.  Simpson, who chairs the subcommittee, oversees the budgets for the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation.  Testifying… Read more »

Idaho Congressman demands to know why EPA releases rule prior to receiving conclusion of scientific results – says agency just fired the first shot over the bow Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported legislation passed by the House of Representatives to protect water rights against overreach by the federal government.  Simpson is a cosponsor of H.R. 3189, the Water Rights Protection Act, which prohibits agencies from requiring the transfer of privately-held water rights to the federal government in order to obtain a permit to use… Read more »

 Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today cosponsored legislation to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from releasing personal data on livestock producers to the public.  The bill responds to an incident last year in which EPA released personal data, including names, telephone numbers, and email addresses, on a number of agricultural operations when responding to a… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported legislation to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations.  H.R. 3826, the Electricity Security and Affordability Act, would provide guidance to the EPA on its proposed GHG emissions regulations to ensure that any new regulations are reasonably achievable and economically… Read more »