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 field and this is where the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank plays an important role. The Ex-Im Bank is the official export credi... Read more

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 year—and the Forest Service anticipates that suppression costs will exceed the budget by nearly a half a billion dollars. The s... 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 legislation and humbled by the tireless work of countless Idahoans that led to its passage,” said Simpson. “The Boulder ... 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. “I am extremely optimistic that we will continue to move this legislation forward to become law.” H.R. 1138 wi... 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. “I was disappointed when USDA attempted to close USSES last year and failed to provide prior notice to Congress and the sheep indu... Read more

Today the U.S. House of Representatives voted on a Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill and it passed by a vote of 218-208. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson supports free trade and supported the legislation. TPA, known as “fast track,” is not a trade deal. TPA simply sets up a process for Congress to consider trade deals; in this case, Congress expects to consider the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), which is still being negotiated. The TPA bill that the House voted on today guarantees that Congre... 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 line with neighboring states and with Idaho’s state highway system, which already allows 129,000 pound trucks. “Last yea... 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 state management plans to be developed and put into effect. The bill passed 269-151. “Given the impact that a decis... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson supported passage of legislation to rein in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) attempts to take control of state waters last night. H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015, would require the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw the controversial proposed rule expanding the definition of “waters of the United States” and develop a new rule after consultation with state and local governments and interested parties. Simpson ... 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 of the Clean Water Act by replacing the term “navigable waters” with the term “waters of the United States.” Non-na... Read more