Last week the House passed H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012, which protected the ability of Americans to hunt and fish on public lands.  The House also passed H.R. 9, the Small Business Tax Cut Act, which allows small businesses to reduce their profit subject to taxation by 20% in the 2012 tax year.  The House also passed H.R. 4348, the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, Part II, which extended existing authorization for highway and transit programs through September 30, 2012.

National Park Week—Celebrate “America’s Best Idea”
By Congressman Mike Simpson, April 20, 2012
“Our national parks have been called our nation’s crown jewels, a title I believe is well-deserved.  We have a rich collection of parks across this nation, from Gettysburg Battlefield to the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone National Park, that capture the beauty, diversity, and history of our country.  For 275 million Americans each year, our national parks provide the opportunity to get outdoors and learn about the places and people of our great country.

“April 21-29 is National Park Week, and we have the opportunity to celebrate our national parks—dubbed “America’s Best Idea”—with free admission to all 397 national parks.  As our economy struggles to recover and gas prices have made it more cost prohibitive to travel overseas, opportunities like this give us a greater appreciation for what we have here at home.  A new generation of Americans can discover the history, culture, and natural world that make up this great country, as those who grew up visiting and recreating in our national parks are now taking their own families there to make new memories together.

“I am a lifelong supporter of our national parks.  As the Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees funding for the National Park Service, I recognize that there are a number of challenges facing our parks, not the least of which is that we have a tendency to love our parks to death.  As we approach the centennial celebration of the National Park Service in 2016, we must set careful priorities and do more with limited resources to restore and maintain our beautiful parks so that future generations can enjoy them.  Doing so will require the support and partnership of the Americans who visit them to experience our country and create lasting memories for their families. 

“Idaho has a number of national park sites, including Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, City of Rocks, and the Minidoka National Historic Site, not to mention the gateway to Yellowstone, our nation’s first national park.  Whether you pick a site close to home or travel to Mount Rushmore, Yosemite, or the National Mall in Washington, DC, I encourage you to take advantage of National Park Week to experience the wonder and diversity of our great land.  It will undoubtedly be an experience that your family will cherish for years to come.

“To learn more about National Park Week, visit www.nps.gov/npweek.”

April is National Financial Literacy Month
Learn more about saving and investing wisely
By Congressman Mike Simpson, April 19, 2012
“The current economic environment has made it clear that the financial crisis we face is not only a national one, but an individual one as well.  The high cost of education, goods and services, and the easy availability of credit have left many Americans deep in debt. The mortgage crisis revealed that many Americans purchased homes priced outside their means due to ‘special terms’ available and have now discovered that they don’t have the ability to pay their mortgages in the long term.

“April is National Financial Literacy Month and is a fine time to learn more about this important issue. Quality personal financial education is essential to ensure that individuals are prepared to manage money, credit, and debt. Increased financial literacy empowers individuals to make wise financial decisions in an increasingly complex economy, and a greater understanding of financial markets and institutions will lead to much-needed economic growth.

“Financial literacy allows individuals to make sound financial decisions, provide for their own economic security, and meet goals like obtaining a college education, starting a small business, or owning a home.  When young people learn to be financially responsible at an early age, they benefit throughout their lives, and I support financial literacy programs in our schools.  However, it is never too late to become financially knowledgeable, and I would encourage everyone to visit the Idaho Department of Finance website at http://finance.idaho.gov/Education/FinancialLiteracy.aspx to learn more about saving and investing wisely, protecting yourself from fraud, and effectively managing finances for your family or your business.”

Simpson Supports Lower Taxes for Small Businesses
The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 9, the Small Business Tax Cut Act of 2012, which allows businesses with fewer than 500 employees to reduce their profit subject to taxation by 20% in the 2012 tax year.  Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson supported the measure, which passed with a final vote of 235-173.

Small businesses currently face up to an astounding 35% federal tax.  Additionally, the individual tax rates that apply to small pass-through businesses are scheduled to increase significantly in 2013 under President Obama’s budget.  This legislation lifts the burdensome federal government thumb off small businesses, which spend three times more per employee on tax compliance than larger businesses. 

“I support a permanent overhaul of the tax code to promote economic growth while improving our ability to reduce the deficit,” Simpson said.  “This bill immediately addresses the dire situation our nation’s small businesses face and reduces the burden they must overcome in their efforts to invest in our economy and create jobs.” 

For over 17 years, small businesses have generated 65% of the new jobs created in our country. The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy reports that small businesses represent 99.9% of the 27.5 million businesses in America and employ about half of all private sector employees.

The Small Business Tax Cut Act will provide immediate relief by allowing small business to deduct 20% of their income from taxes irrespective of how they are organized for up to 50% of their W-2 wages.

To learn more about the Small Business Tax Cut and how it can help Idaho, visit http://www.majorityleader.gov/SmallBiz/DOCS/ID.pdf.

Simpson Votes to Protect Hunting and Fishing on Public Lands
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson supported legislation protecting Americans’ ability to hunt, fish, and shoot on public lands.  H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012, would ensure that public land managers facilitate access for fishing, sport hunting, and recreational shooting on federal land managed by the BLM and Forest Service.  Simpson, who chairs the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, has cosponsored a number of components of the bill.

“Access to hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreational activities is one of the reasons Idahoans love where they live,” said Simpson.  “Hunters and anglers have a long heritage of enjoying these activities on public lands, and this bill ensures that they continue to have access to traditional recreational activities, even as land management plans change.”

In addition to facilitating access on federal lands for fishing, hunting, and shooting, H.R. 4089 would require the BLM to open national monument land under its jurisdiction for recreational shooting and would prevent EPA from banning the use of lead in ammunition and fishing tackle.  The bill would also allow American hunters to bring into the United States polar bear trophies taken in Canada prior to the polar bear being listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

H.R. 4089 passed the House by a vote of 273-146.

Committee Schedule

Wednesday
At 10:00 p.m. the House Budget Committee will hold a hearing titled “Replacing the Sequester."

At 1:00 p.m. the Appropriations Committee will hold a markup of the House Energy and Water Appropriations bill for FY2013.

Thursday
At 11:00 a.m. the Appropriations Committee will hold a markup of the House Commerce, Justice, Science, Appropriations bill for FY2013.

Floor Schedule

MONDAY, APRIL 23TH

No votes are expected in the House.

TUESDAY, APRIL 24TH 

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:
1)   H.R. 1038 - To authorize the conveyance of two small parcels of land within the boundaries of the Coconino National Forest containing private improvements that were developed based upon the reliance of the landowners in an erroneous survey conducted in May 1960 (Sponsored by Rep. Paul Gosar / Natural Resources Committee)
2)   H.R. 2050 - Idaho Wilderness Water Resources Protection Act (Sponsored by Rep. Michael  Simpson / Natural Resources Committee)
3)   H.R. 2157 - To facilitate a land exchange involving certain National Forest System lands in the Inyo National Forest, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Buck McKeon / Natural Resources Committee)
4)   H.R. 2947 - To provide for the release of the reversionary interest held by the United States in certain land conveyed by the United States in 1950 for the establishment of an airport in Cook County, Minnesota (Sponsored by Rep. Chip Cravaack / Natural Resources Committee)
5)   H.R. 491 - To modify the boundaries of Cibola National Forest in the State of New Mexico, to transfer certain Bureau of Land Management land for inclusion in the national forest, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Martin Heinrich / Natural Resources Committee)
6)   H.R. 2240 - Lowell National Historical Park Land Exchange Act of 2011 (Sponsored by Rep. Niki Tsongas / Natural Resources Committee)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25TH

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:
1)   H.R. 3336 - Small Business Credit Availability Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Vicki Hartzler / Agriculture Committee)
2)   H.R. 2146 - DATA Act, with expected amendment (Sponsored by Rep. Darrell Issa / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)

Possible Motion to go to Conference on H.R. 4348 - Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, Part II and Democratic Motion to Instruct Conferees

THURSDAY, APRIL 26TH

Begin consideration of H.R. 3523 – the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Mike Rogers (MI) / Permanent Select Intelligence Committee)

FRIDAY, APRIL 27TH

Complete Consideration of H.R. 3523 – Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Mike Rogers (MI) / Permanent
Select Intelligence Committee)