Recently in Washington

Last week the House passed H.R. 2575, the Save American Workers Act, by a vote of 248-179. This bill repeals the 30-hour definition of full time employee in Obamacare and replaces it with the standard 40-hour definition.  The House also passed H.R. 1874, the Pro-Growth Budgeting Act, by a vote of 224-182.  This bill directs the Congressional Budget Office to use “dynamic scoring” in addition to its regular scoring procedures when analyzing legislation. Congressman Simpson supported both bills.

Simpson Defends Wolf Delisting
“Anyone who believed when wolves were reintroduced that we weren’t going to have to actively manage these species was living in a fantasy world.” – Congressman Mike Simpson                        

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson talked sage-grouse and wolves last week during hearings on the budget request for the Department of Interior.  During the hearing, Simpson, a member of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, responded harshly to criticisms by Democrats of the decision to remove wolves from the endangered species list and Idaho’s management of wolf populations.

“You have got to remember that these wolves were reintroduced as a nonessential, experimental population. Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming have complied with the requirements when they were reintroduced and it has now gone over to state management,” said Simpson. “Anyone that believed that we were actually going to reintroduce wolves into this environment and they weren’t going to explode in numbers and that we weren’t going it have to manage them like we do other species, was living in fantasy world.”

To stress the impact wolves have on ranchers and families in Idaho Simpson told the Committee, “I’ll bring you a picture… and it’s of the 200 sheep that were killed, the five dogs, and the horse that were killed in one night, by wolves in Idaho.”

To watch Simpson express these concerns to the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee today, visit his YouTube website.

Simpson also criticized proposals in the BLM’s budget to dramatically increase fees for grazing on public lands, pointing out that the issue needs to be discussed holistically and not just focused on the fact that fees may be lower on BLM lands than on some state lands.  “Just comparing the prices of what we charge for AUMs on federal lands versus state lands isn’t really a good comparison,” he admonished.  “I talk to ranchers who have allotments on both state and federal lands, and they prefer to graze on state lands even though they may cost more because of the headache of dealing with federal agencies and issues on federal lands.”

The rest of Simpson’s comments focused on the approaching September 15 deadline for determining whether the sage-grouse warrants listing as an endangered species.  Both BLM Deputy Director Neil Kornze and Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe praised the State of Idaho’s efforts in crafting a good state management plan.  Simpson pushed the agencies to continue listening to state and local officials.

“You say that the BLM and the Forest Service sit down with the Fish and Wildlife Service regularly in Idaho,” he said, “But are they coordinating with the state people?  There is concern that there is agreement in the state but that it gets screwed up when it gets back to DC.”

The House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee oversees the budget for public lands agencies, including the Forest Service, the BLM, and the Fish and Wildlife Service.


Simpson Pushes for Better Wildfire Budgeting
Talks with Forest Service Chief Tidwell about Wildfire Disaster Funding Act during budget hearing

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson last week discussed funding for wildfire suppression with Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. Tidwell testified on the Forest Service’s FY15 budget request before the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, on which Simpson serves.  They talked at length about Simpson’s legislation to end the practice of fire borrowing as a way to pay for wildfire suppression.

When Simpson questioned Chief Tidwell about perceived concerns about his proposal, Tidwell confirmed that it would not provide more discretionary funding, but would instead allow the agencies to budget better for both fire suppression and forest management.

“Really what we’re trying to do is to not decimate non-fire budgets with fire borrowing,” said Simpson. “We’re either going to pay for fires by taking the money from other budgets and try to repay them later, which doesn’t work, or we are going to find a better way to manage this account.”

Simpson thanked the Forest Service for the good work it did during fires in Ketchum last summer.  “There is absolutely no reason some of those homes should still be standing, except for the good work that your people did in protecting them,” he said.  But he also warned Chief Tidwell that unless his wildfire disaster funding proposal passed, the Forest Service would be in worse shape under the President’s budget request than it is now. 

After the hearing, Simpson reiterated the importance of managing these accounts in a way that doesn’t rob non-fire accounts each year. “We need to be able to manage federal lands. In order to manage them, we need to stop using funding intended for land management to fight fires. This is a devastating cycle and is destroying our forests. I’m hopeful my bill will pass so Congress can write a reasonable and responsible wildfire fighting budget.”
 

Obamacare Declares Full Time is 30-hours– Simpson joins House Colleagues to Preserve 40 Hour Work Week

Idaho Congressman Simpson last week supported H.R. 2575, legislation to eliminate the language in Obamacare defining a full-time worker as someone who works more than 30-hours per week. The bill passed the House with a vote of 248 to 197. Congressman Simpson was a cosponsor of this legislation.

The 30-hour work week language in Obamacare was apparently intended to prevent employers from skirting the employer mandate which says any company with more than 50 full-time workers must offer health insurance. Instead, it will have the opposite effect, with more workers receiving less hours, and being at risk of losing their job.

“There are many parts of Obamacare that are damaging to the economy, this 30-hour work week is just one of many,” added Simpson. “Let’s face it; Americans understand that full-time means 40 hours, despite what the Administration is trying to tell them.”

A study by the Hoover Institution at Stanford University has shown that the 30-hour rule puts 2.6 million workers with median incomes of under $30,000 at risk of losing hours or their job. It also showed that most workers impacted are without college degrees, and a majority are women.

“Any time you try a fundamental shift in labor law like this, there are significant consequences,” said Simpson. “This new 30-hour work week would lead to workers’ hours being cut, less jobs for middle and lower income workers, reduced productivity, and more disadvantages for American businesses who already face the challenges of a competitive global marketplace.”

Last year the Obama Administration unilaterally delayed enforcement of the employer mandate, and with it the 30-hour work week, until 2015.  However, employers have already begun to prepare.  A recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey of small businesses found that 71% of small businesses say they will either cut hours or reduce employees and move more employees to part-time status to avoid the Obamacare mandate.

Committee Schedule

Monday
At 9:00 a.m., the House Interior and Environment Subcommittee on Appropriations will hold a public witness hearing featuring American Indian/Alaska Native witnesses.

At 2:00 p.m., the House Interior and Environment Subcommittee on Appropriations will hold a public witness hearing featuring American Indian/Alaska Native witnesses.

Tuesday
At 9:00 a.m., the House Interior and Environment Subcommittee on Appropriations will hold a public witness hearing featuring American Indian/Alaska Native witnesses.

At 10:00 a.m., Chairman Simpson will hold a House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management Acting Assistant Secretary Dave Huizenga.

At 1:00 p.m., the House Interior and Environment Subcommittee on Appropriations will hold a public witness hearing featuring American Indian/Alaska Native witnesses.

Wednesday
At 10:00 a.m., the Appropriations Committee will mark up the FY15 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, and the FY15 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill.

Thursday
At 9:00 a.m., the House Interior and Environment Subcommittee on Appropriations will hold a public witness hearing.

At 10:00 a.m., The House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee on Appropriations will hold a hearing featuring Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan.

At 1:00 p.m., the House Interior and Environment Subcommittee on Appropriations will hold a public witness hearing.

Floor Schedule

MONDAY, APRIL 7TH
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.

H.R. 1871 - Baseline Reform Act of 2013 (Closed Rule, One Hour of Debate) (Sponsored by Rep. Rob Woodall / Rep. Louie Gohmert / Budget Committee)

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

1) H.R. 3470 - Taiwan Relations Act Affirmation and Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2014, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Ed Royce / Foreign Affairs Committee)

2) S. 404 - Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act (Sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray / Natural Resources Committee)

3) H.R. 4323 - Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2014 (Sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte / Judiciary Committee)

TUESDAY, APRIL 8TH AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Tuesday and 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 morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

On Friday, no votes are expected.

H.R. 1872 - Budget and Accounting Transparency Act of 2014 (Closed Rule, One Hour of Debate)  (Sponsored by Rep. Scott Garrett / Budget Committee / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)

H.Con.Res. 96 - Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2015 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2016 through 2024 (Subject to a Rule)
(Sponsored by Rep. Paul Ryan / Budget Committee)

In the News

Wildfire and Sage Grouse
By David Sparks, AgInfo.net, April 3, 2014

Sage grouse and wildfire… An unhealthy mix.

I don’t know anything “environmentally sensitive” as much as the wolf and the sage grouse. I'd be interested in knowing how many people would be interested in hunting sage grouse, as compared with pheasant, geese or ducks. One thing is for sure. If there are no sage grouse there will be no sage grouse hunting ever. That’s where Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson steps in. Last week the Congressman discussed the need to budget accurately for wildfire suppression costs and concerns about a possible sage-grouse listing with the Secretary of Interior.  Secretary Sally Jewell testified before the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, on which Simpson sits, regarding the Department of Interior’s budget request for FY15. 

Simpson’s bill, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, was a main topic of conversation during the hearing.  The bill aims to end the current practice of “fire borrowing,” where agencies must transfer money from non-fire accounts when fire suppression costs exceed the budget.  The bill would fund catastrophic wildfires, which are 1% of all wildfires but make up 30% of the cost, similarly to other natural disasters, like hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods.  The budget request includes similar language.

“It’s important for people to understand that we aren’t trying to spend more money on wildfires.  We already spend whatever it takes,” said Simpson.  “What we want to do is stop borrowing money from other accounts to pay for fire suppression.  We need to get this wildfire fighting bill done.” Simpson also expressed concern about the pending decision of whether or not to list sage-grouse as an endangered species and the states’ role in that process.  “Some of the states are complaining that they aren’t being involved as much as they thought they would be,” he chided Jewell.  “They have concerns that the Department is not fully engaged with the states in looking at state management plans.”