Simpson, House Republicans Demand Vote on USMCA

Washington, D.C. – While most of the world was watching the theatrical impeachment hearing in the House, Republicans were at work. On Monday, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined 159 Republicans sending Speaker Nancy Pelosi a letter urging her to immediately consider and pass the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The letter expands on the importance of the trade deal to the agriculture industry which notably supports Idaho industries like dairy, potatoes, grain, and cattle.

“It is long past time to pass USMCA. President Trump struck this deal 375 days ago and our farmers and ranchers in Idaho need truly free and fair trade,” said Simpson. “That is what this deal delivers, and I look forward to supporting it if Speaker Pelosi will allow a vote on this important trade agreement that will help Idaho.”

The text of the letter follows:

Dear Speaker Pelosi:

The undersigned Republican Members strongly urge you to ensure that the House of Representatives takes up and passes the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement this year.

With just two weeks remaining, the House has so far squandered the first session of the 116th Congress.

Rather than working together to pass bipartisan measures that could be signed into law, House Democrats have instead obsessed over a partisan impeachment process of which the sole purpose is to overturn the decision of voters in the 2016 election.  The little remaining time has largely been consumed by passing partisan messaging bills that have no chance of enactment, even in the case where common ground could easily have been found.

Thankfully, it is not too late for House Democrats to do the right thing.  For starters, the House should finally stop dithering on USMCA and pass this critically important trade agreement.

Nearly every agriculture group in America has called on Congress to pass USMCA, which significantly improves trade relations with our two largest trading partners that together purchase about one-third of all U.S. agricultural exports.  Under USMCA, U.S. agricultural exports alone are expected to increase by more than $2 billion annually, helping to build on the 325,000 American jobs that are already reliant on our nation’s exports to Mexico and Canada.

Significant new market access for U.S. dairy, chicken, eggs, and turkey producers is expected under the agreement while strides are also made in favor of our wheat farmers.  These and other improvements will greatly benefit U.S. farmers and ranchers who are struggling under the weight of a recession that began in late 2014.

Expanding U.S. agriculture exports through truly free and fair trade agreements will help put American agriculture back on its feet.

Mexico is already our corn growers’ number one customer, while Canada and Mexico buy close to half of our pork products.  And beef sales to our immediate neighbors are estimated to add about $70 per head to the bottom line of U.S. cattlemen.  Under USMCA, the United States has a real opportunity to expand on these successes at a time when U.S. farmers and ranchers and rural America need help the most.

USMCA already contains the strongest labor provisions of any trade agreement considered by the U.S. to date, and the Trump Administration has worked diligently and in good faith to address these issues because the President is absolutely focused on ensuring a level playing field for all U.S. workers.

Passing USMCA is a chance for the House to chalk up one critically important victory for the American people, and we urge you to seize this opportunity.

Help support the Farm Workforce Modernization Act

By REP. BRITT RAYBOULD |

Just two short months ago, Idaho’s farmers pushed through a difficult harvest that left some crops in the ground. Today, despite cold temperatures, snow and ice, ranchers and dairymen make their regular rounds to care for stock. No matter the time of year, the work needs to be done. But even with the amazing technology we have, agriculture still requires a hands-on approach.

Over the years, I’ve seen this work get harder as one generation of agricultural labor retired and the next generation moved on to new industries. Idaho doesn’t have enough people interested in agriculture to do all the work that needs doing, and the current H2-A program for temporary agriculture workers isn’t getting the job done.

The bureaucratic red tape only increased in recent years as more agricultural employers turned to H2-A to fill the gap. Some folks are just out of luck, like our dairymen, because year-round agricultural labor isn’t available under the existing system. Knowing that agriculture represents a cornerstone of our state’s economy, Rep. Mike Simpson has worked for years to update the H2-A program.

This week, those efforts will be put to the test as his bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act heads to the House floor for a vote. The bill isn’t perfect. It does address flaws in the current system and improves the reliability of the H2-A program for seasonal workers while creating a new, capped program for year-round agricultural labor. The latter will be critical for Idaho’s dairies. It also addresses security concerns with mandatory background checks and implements a merit-based system.

FWMA is the opposite of amnesty. It doesn’t include special treatment or a pathway to citizenship. It does include actual fixes that will stabilize our agricultural workforce and help put food on your table in the years to come.

Even as Idaho continues to innovate and lead in new industries, we’ve stayed close to our agricultural roots. A reliable workforce ensures that our farms, ranches and dairies will continue to deliver billions to our state economy. We are a leader in the nation and the world with almost 25,000 Idaho farms and ranches producing 185+ commodities. We want to see that continue.

As of today, half of Idaho’s wheat is exported, with most of it traveling to Asia. One out of every six rows of Idaho’s famous potatoes gets shipped to other countries. Of the $2.5 billion Idaho dairies produced in 2017, exports alone accounted for $356.2 million. All told, in 2017, Idaho exported almost $2 billion in produce, grains, meats, dairy and seeds.

As we pursue fair trade deals to improve market access, like the just approved bilateral agreement between the U.S. and Japan and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, more opportunities for Idaho agriculture will appear. With the improvements found in FWMA, our farmers, ranchers and dairymen will be better prepared to meet that demand and contribute to Idaho’s future success. I hope you’ll join me in supporting Rep. Simpson’s efforts to find a path forward on this difficult issue.


                  

Simpson co-founds 'Save Minor League Baseball Task Force'

By: Nathan Brown, nbrown@postregister.com, Dec 6, 2019

Eastern Idaho’s congressman has joined three of his colleagues in forming a task force to keep minor league baseball in small markets such as Idaho Falls.

Reps. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho; Lori Trahan, D-Mass.; David McKinley, R-W.V.; and Max Rose, D-N.Y., announced the formation of the Save Minor League Baseball Task Force on Tuesday. At the group’s first meeting, lawmakers heard from Minor League Baseball President Pat O’Conner and several Minor League team owners and discussed a strategy to keep working on the issue.

Major League Baseball is considering cutting ties with 42 minor league teams, or a quarter of the total number of teams, after the 2020 season. The Idaho Falls Chukars and every other team in the Intermountain West’s Pioneer League are among those MLB is looking to cut ties with.

“Baseball is America’s pastime and that pastime should not be exclusive to a select number of cities,” Simpson said in a statement. “Minor league baseball is at the heart of many small and rural cities in our country. To deprive those communities of baseball would not only deny them access to our national heritage, but it would also harm local economies that depend on minor league baseball organizations. I am proud to join my colleagues in starting this task force to ensure baseball stays vibrant in communities like Idaho Falls and Boise.”

The task force’s formation comes after a letter signed by more than 100 members of Congress and written by Trahan and McKinley urging Major League Baseball to reconsider. The four lawmakers plan to advocate for the communities that could be impacted by losing minor league teams, monitor the ongoing negotiations between the major and minor leagues and, discuss potential legislation “if and when such a remedy becomes necessary.”

“Major League Baseball can look at all the ‘sabermetrics’ it wants, but what they don’t understand is the serious impact that losing these baseball teams will have on our communities,” Rose said. “You won’t see it in any formula, but my colleagues and I have all seen the impact teams like the Staten Island Yankees can have on the faces of the children who show up at the ballpark every year. I’m proud to join this effort to urge the MLB to reconsider.”

Minor League Baseball thanked the lawmakers in a statement.

“While it is our hope to negotiate a fair agreement with MLB, the overwhelming support from elected officials on both sides of the aisle, at all levels of government, has been tremendous and shows that baseball helps to unite our nation,” the statement said.

Floor Schedule

MONDAY, DECEMBER 9TH
On Monday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

1) H.R. 4372 - MSI STEM Achievement Act (Sponsored by Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson / Science, Space, and Technology Committee)

2) H.R. 4373 - Engineering Biology Research and Development Act of 2019, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson / Science, Space, and Technology Committee)

3) H.R. 2051 - Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2019, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Dan Lipinski / Science, Space, and Technology Committee)

4) H.R. 5213 - NASA Enhanced Use Leasing Extension Act of 2019, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Kendra Horn / Science, Space, and Technology Committee)

5) S. 737 - Building Blocks of STEM Act (Sponsored by Sen. Jacky Rosen / Science, Space, and Technology Committee)

6) H.R. 4355 - IOGAN Act (Sponsored by Rep. Anthony Gonzalez / Science, Space, and Technology Committee)

7) H.R. 4566 - Virginia Beach Strong Act (Sponsored by Rep. Elaine Luria / Ways and Means Committee)

8) H.R. 3669 - Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2019 (Sponsored by Rep. Elissa Slotkin / Homeland Security Committee)

9) H.R. 4761 - DHS Opioid Detection Resilience Act of 2019 (Sponsored by Rep. Clay Higgins / Homeland Security Committee)

10) H.R. 4739 - Synthetic Opioid Exposure Prevention and Training Act (Sponsored by Rep. Yvette Clarke / Homeland Security Committee)

11) H.R. 4727 - Department of Homeland Security Mentor-Protégé Program Act of 2019 (Sponsored by Rep. Donald McEachin / Homeland Security Committee)

12) H.R. 3318 - Emerging Transportation Security Threats Act of 2019 (Sponsored by Rep. John Joyce / Homeland Security Committee)

13) H.R. 4713 - Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Authorization Act (Sponsored by Rep. Al Green / Homeland Security Committee)

14) H.R. 4402 - Inland Waters Security Review Act (Sponsored by Rep. Debbie Lesko / Homeland Security Committee)

15) H.R. 3469 - Covert Testing and Risk Mitigation Improvement Act of 2019 (Sponsored by Rep. Elijah Cummings / Homeland Security Committee)

16) S. 256 - Esther Martinez Native Languages Programs Reauthorization Act (Sponsored by Sen. Tom Udall / Education and Labor Committee)

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

H.R. 729 - Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Enhancement Act (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Derek Kilmer / Natural Resources Committee)

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

1) H.R. 5035 - Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019 (Sponsored by Rep. Mike Doyle / Energy and Commerce Committee)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11TH AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Wednesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

On Thursday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Members are advised that votes on Thursday could occur later than usual, but last votes are expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

On Friday, no votes are expected in the House. 

H.R. 5038 - Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Zoe Lofgren / Judiciary Committee)

H.R. 3 - Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Pallone/Rep. Neal/Rep. Scott (VA) / Energy and Commerce/Ways and Means/Education and Labor Committees)

Possible Consideration of the Conference Report to Accompany the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020

Additional Legislative Items Are Possible

To share comments, opinions, or questions with Congressman Simpson, please visit http://www.house.gov/simpson/emailme.shtml.