WASHINGTON— Today, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson wrote an op-ed highlighting the importance of Community Project Funding and its role in providing critical support for Idaho’s Second Congressional District. One such priority is constructing a childcare center for law enforcement families in the Treasure Valley, Idaho.  

Backing the Blue and Their Families

By Rep. Mike Simpson  

The full op-ed is available below.   

Idaho’s law enforcement officers are some of the best in the nation.  They are selfless public servants who risk their lives each day to keep our communities safe, and they deserve our gratitude and support.  True support for our community law enforcement officers goes beyond lip service and means providing real, tangible solutions to the challenges officers face.  This is why I have used the Community Project Funding (CPF) program to direct funding within the existing federal budget to projects like the Treasure Valley Law Enforcement Childcare Center. 

Law enforcement in the Treasure Valley currently faces a crisis in recruiting and keeping police officers on the force. One of the main drivers is the lack of access to safe and secure childcare for law enforcement families.  While access to affordable, quality childcare is a problem throughout our workforce, it is especially challenging for law enforcement officers, who work long shifts at all hours, including weekends and holidays, and often need childcare for emergency call-outs.  When surveyed, 95 percent of officers polled said they would stay with their agency if they had a safe and secure childcare facility for their family.  Without childcare options that meet the demands of police work, many officers, especially women, have had no choice but to leave the force.   

This situation affects the entire force.  When recruitment and retention are in crisis, officers must work longer hours and take on more responsibilities, and officer stress and burnout also become an issue. These scenarios make it harder for them to serve the community effectively, especially in a rapidly growing area like the Treasure Valley.  We ask so much of our law enforcement families, and we need to provide them with the necessary resources to do their jobs.   

This is why I am pleased that I secured funding through the CPF program to construct a safe and secure childcare and education center that matches the needs of law enforcement families in the Treasure Valley.  The facility will provide the flexibility and support essential to meeting the unique needs of law enforcement officers, allowing them to fulfill their work responsibilities while knowing their children are safe and cared for.  This project will directly address significant pain points that cause the recruitment and retention crisis in the police force, and it has the full support of sheriffs in the Treasure Valley and throughout the state. 

I am unendingly grateful to Idaho’s police officers.  Their work makes our communities safer and provides the peace and security that allows Idaho and Idaho families to prosper.  They deserve our gratitude and willingness to put our money where our mouths are and provide the practical, tangible tools they need to continue doing the work on which we depend.    

While we often hear bad news about the federal budget, I believe this project is good news worth talking about.  This project has strong support from the community, and its impact will far exceed its cost.  I want you to know the truth about how your taxpayer dollars are being used and how I am bringing Idaho tax dollars back to Idaho to make a difference in Idaho communities.   

Failing to advocate for Idaho’s priorities within a responsible federal budget would not only be a failure of my responsibility to those who elected me to represent them, but it would not reduce the federal budget by a single penny.  At the end of the day, I will always fight for impactful, important projects like the Treasure Valley Law Enforcement Childcare Center.