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 today voted to support H.R. 1314, the Bipartisan Budget Agreement of 2015.  In addition to preventing a catastrophic national default, this agreement achieves long-term savings through entitlement reform, delivers predictability and certainty to the appropriations process and the funding of our national defense, and repeals an onerous mandate put in… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson supported H.R. 3762, the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act today. The legislation repeals the most onerous Obamacare provisions through a mechanism known as reconciliation, which is a budgeting process that allows Congress to align the priorities outlined in the current year’s budget resolution with existing law. “Even though… Read more »

Idaho’s economy, both urban and rural, is inextricably tied to our ability to export the products and commodities we produce.  Whether it be by our high tech industry, which is the largest Idaho export to the world, or our agricultural products, which help support thousands of jobs.  I strongly believe that Idaho’s farmers and businesses can compete and win on a level playing… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson supported final passage of the Fiscal Year 2016 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, which passed the House 216 -210 late last night.  The bill includes Simpson’s language increasing truck weights on Idaho Interstate Highways to 129,000 pounds. The increase, above the current allowance of 105,500 pounds, puts Idaho in… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported S.1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act. The bill approves the Keystone XL Pipeline putting an end to years of bureaucratic delays and allowing construction of the Keystone XL pipeline project.  The Keystone XL pipeline would transport crude oil from the oil sands region of Alberta, Canada, to refineries in the United States. Canadian… Read more »

“The national debt just isn’t cool anymore. “It barely got a passing mention in the State of the Union, rarely is discussed in the halls of Congress, and seems to be nearly forgotten by the Idahoans who contact my office. I’ve heard from seven Idahoans this year on debt – compared to the nearly one thousand who have contacted me about immigration in the last few months. “It wasn’t long… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Simpson today supported H.R. 5682, a bill to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline, which would put an end to years of bureaucratic delays and allow construction of the Keystone XL pipeline project.  The Keystone XL pipeline would transport crude oil from the oil sands region of Alberta, Canada, to refineries in the United States. Because the pipeline would connect the… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported passage of H.R. 3522, the Employee Health Care Protection Act.  This bill would allow employees to keep their work sponsored health plans by ensuring that existing group health plans can continue to be sold through 2019.  It passed the House 247 to 167. Last year, millions of plans in the individual insurance market were cancelled… Read more »