Idaho Congressman Simpson praised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers proposed rule to repeal the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) definition that was submitted by the previous Administration. Today’s proposed rule withdraws WOTUS and allows for a rewrite of the definition, which will provide regulatory certainty for farmers, ranchers, local… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported the House Interior and Environment Appropriations bill for FY17 during the House Appropriations Committee consideration. Included in the legislation are policies important to western states and critical funding for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), a vital program in the west that ensures communities are adequately compensated for the lack of… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined a bipartisan group of Members of Congress in sending a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) top official expressing extreme concerns with the use of federal funding for advocacy and lobbying efforts.  EPA funds were recently linked to an advocacy project in Washington State. “As an Idahoan I fully expect to have differences… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today announced that the Fiscal Year 2017 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill reverses proposed cuts to Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, and cleanup activities in Idaho. Simpson is Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, which passed the bill through… Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined 253 Members of Congress in passing S.J.Res. 22, a resolution intended to stop the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from implementing the Obama Administration’s controversial Clean Water Rule.  The rule, which was implemented in June 2015 in spite of widespread opposition among the public and in Congress,… 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 cosponsored a resolution intended to stop the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from implementing the Obama Administration’s controversial Clean Water Rule.  In spite of widespread opposition in Congress and among the public, in June the Administration implemented a new rule broadly expanding its jurisdiction under… 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 issued the following statement following the EPA’s announcement finalizing the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.  “I find it extremely disappointing, though not surprising, that the EPA has moved forward on this controversial rule in spite of widespread opposition from Members of Congress, the states, and the American public,” said… Read more »