The 2015 wildfire season has been brutal.  In mid-August the National Wildland Fire Preparedness Level was raised to the highest Level 5 and the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) mobilized active duty military personnel to fight wildfires for the first time in almost a decade.  Millions of acres are burning in the drought-plagued West—more than twice as many as last… Read more »

U.S. President Barack Obama today signed into law Congressman Mike Simpson’s legislation creating three new Wilderness areas in Idaho. The legislation, The Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act (H.R. 1138), was signed earlier today in a signing ceremony at the White House. “I am grateful to President Obama for his signature on this important… Read more »

“The passage of this bill is a huge victory for Idahoans who’ve worked for over 15 years to create a land management plan for the Boulder White Clouds,” said Simpson. “I am grateful for each and every person who participated in crafting this solution over the years and I am especially grateful to Senator Jim Risch who worked relentlessly to see this pass the U.S. Senate today.” Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson’s legislation H.R. 1138, the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act, today passed the U.S. House of Representatives without objection. “Today’s action by the U.S. House of Representatives is a great accomplishment for the thousands of Idahoans working to solve the Boulder White Clouds land management issue,” said Simpson.… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today praised the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee’s decision to preserve ARS research programs including those at the U.S. Sheep Experimental Station (USSES) in Dubois, Idaho.  Simpson, who requested the language in the FY16 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, is working with other western representatives to support the USSES. … Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today protected Idaho priorities in the House Interior and Environment Appropriations bill for FY16.  The bill, which sets out the budget for the Department of the Interior, the Forest Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was marked up by the full House Appropriations Committee.  Simpson, who sits on the subcommittee, defended a… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY16, which includes a provision delaying the listing of the greater sage-grouse as an endangered species. Simpson supported language included in NDAA that would prevent the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from listing the bird for ten years, giving adequate time for effective… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman, has led a successful effort to defeat an amendment that would have stripped a section of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill prohibiting any changes to federal jurisdiction under the Obama Administration’s “Waters of the United States" proposal. The proposed rule would expand the reach… Read more »

Last week, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson introduced H.R. 1719, the Geothermal Production Expansion Act of 2015. H.R. 1719 makes a small but important change to current law to facilitate the development of geothermal energy on public lands.      H.R. 1719 would allow for expansion of renewable geothermal energy, while at the same time protecting the national interests… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015.  It passed the House with strong support from both Republicans and Democrats by 392-37. The bill strengthens Medicare and ensures senior’s access to care by repealing the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) and replacing it with an updated system that will work better, and… Read more »