Happy Independence Day!

Recently in Washington

Recently the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1249, the America Invents Act, which reforms and updates our country’s patent laws.  The House also passed H.R. 2021, the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act of 2011, which ensures that responsible energy production can move forward in Alaska.  Congressman Simpson supported both of these bills.

The House also considered two measures regarding current military action in Libya.  Congressman Simpson voted against H.J.Res. 68, which would have authorized the President’s current actions, and supported H.R. 2278, which limits the use of funds for military support of NATO operations in Libya unless previously authorized.  Congressman Simpson express concern that the Administration failed to fulfill its constitutional responsibility to consult with Congress before taking military action in Libya.

Independence Day
By Congressman Mike Simpson
Washington, D.C. – “’When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to separate.’

“With these words our Founding Fathers began to ‘declare the causes’ that drove them to separate from the tyrannical control of King George III. Their vision was to give birth to a new nation that believed all men were entitled to ‘Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’

“On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing the colonies' separation from Great Britain. This document would provide history with one of the few instances in which a work of true literary genius was produced, in essence, by committee. This Declaration announced that the thirteen American colonies were now independent states.

“Our Founding Fathers were deeply religious men who believed Divine Providence would play a large part in the shaping of the new nation. As evidence of this Thomas Jefferson, the original drafter of the Declaration of Independence, wrote, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. –That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.’

“I am forever grateful for the courage our Founding Fathers exercised as they stared into the eye of a tyrannical storm and stood for the cause of freedom. Now, 235 years later, may we continue the work our Founding Fathers started and courageously lend our hand in writing America’s future.”

Simpson to Host Tele-Town Hall
Constituents are encouraged to sign up on Simpson’s website before July 5
Washington, D.C. – Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson will host a one hour telephone town hall on Thursday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m. MST. Telephone town halls are virtual community meetings where constituents are able to ask Congressman Simpson questions about issues before Congress and voice concerns they may have.

Simpson enjoys meeting with Idaho farmers, teachers, business owners, and workers throughout Idaho. He also realizes that he’s not able to visit every community during a district work period, so he has scheduled a number of telephone town hall meetings in the coming months.

“Telephone town halls are a great way to communicate with constituents,” said Simpson. “It gives me a chance to answer questions and learn more about issues that are important to people back at home.”

If you would like to participate in the next telephone town hall, scheduled for Thursday, July 7, at 7:30 MST, please visit Congressman Simpson’s webpage, www.simpson.house.gov and click on the TELETOWNHALL button in the bottom right or click here to link directly. The deadline for this telephone town hall is close of business on Tuesday, July 5, but if you miss this deadline you may still sign up for future town hall meetings.

School Lunch Programs Need Potatoes
By Congressman Mike Simpson
“Earlier this year, the USDA issued the proposed rule, “Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.”  This proposed rule would have forced schools to limit servings of potatoes, corn, green peas and lima beans. This drastic change to the school meal programs would have incurred significant costs to all school districts. Due to the radical changes and extreme costs that would have been associated with the proposed rule, it is likely that considerable number of schools would have chosen not to participate in the meal programs, especially school breakfast.  As a result, kids might have gone hungry.

“It is frustrating that the Administration would try to restrict one of the healthiest and economical vegetables from schools. Current school meal standards require that less than 30% of the calories be from fat, and less than 10% of the calories be from saturated fat. Potatoes are fat free, cholesterol free and low in calories. By eating one medium sized potato, children receive 45% of their recommended daily value of Vitamin C — a great antioxidant. Potatoes contain 18% of the recommended daily value of potassium — a great way to build stronger bones. The 3g of fiber in one medium-sized potato is 8% of the recommended daily value.  A medium potato contains over 200 milligrams more potassium than a banana and has as much fiber as a similar serving of broccoli.  Potatoes are part of a well-balanced diet, and despite rash claims that a recent study by Harvard University calls into question the health benefits of potatoes, the study itself concludes that the average adult gains only 1.28 pound over an entire span of four years when one extra serving of potatoes is added to their regular diet each day.  Serving potatoes, corn, and green peas to our children in school lunches is not causing the obesity epidemic in America. 

“In fact, Gooding Elementary School in Idaho was the first school in the nation to receive the “Healthier US School Challenge’s Gold Award of Distinction” for providing children healthier meals and promoting physical activity in November 2009.  Yet, the proposed USDA rule would have removed Gooding Elementary’s healthy “baked potato bar,” which uses locally grown potatoes served to students twice a week, even though the potato bar was considered by USDA as a basis for the award. Potatoes should not be withheld from children at the whim of those who are seemingly more interested in fad diets than child nutrition. 

“The U.S. House of Representatives approved Fiscal Year 2012 Agriculture Appropriations bill that contained a provision preventing the USDA from forcing schools to limit servings of these vegetables. This was a provision that I strongly supported, because I don’t believe that the goals of promoting a healthy lifestyle and making our school lunch program more cost efficient are at odds with each other.  At a time when our nation is facing serious financial difficulties, I am deeply concerned that this Administration is pushing for costly rules and regulations that have little, if any, impact on the goals we are striving to achieve.”

Committee Action

On Thursday, Chairman Simpson will hold the subcommittee markup of the Interior, the Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY12.

At 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, the House Budget Committee will hold a hearing entitled, “Budgeting for America’s National Security.”  Scheduled witnesses include:  David E. Mosher, Assistant Director, CBO; the Honorable Jim Talent, Distinguished Fellow, Heritage Foundation, Former Member, Quadrennial Defense Review Independent Panel; and Dr. Gordon Adams, Distinguished Fellow, the Stimson Center.

Floor Schedule

MONDAY, JULY 4TH
On Monday, the House is not in session.

TUESDAY, JULY 5TH
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 1:00 p.m. in Pro Forma session.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6TH
On Wednesday, the House will meet at 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Continue Consideration of H.R. 2219 - Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2012 (Open Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Bill Young / Appropriations Committee)
The rule provides for no further general debate and makes in order any amendment offered that complies with the House rules.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:
1) H.Res. 268 - Reaffirming the United States' commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Eric Cantor / Foreign Affairs Committee)
2) H.R. 515 - Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act of 2011, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith / Foreign Affairs Committee)

THURSDAY, JULY 7TH, AND FRIDAY, JULY 8TH
On Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes for the week are expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

Complete Consideration of H.R. 2219 - Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2012 (Open Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Bill Young / Appropriations Committee)
The rule provides for no further general debate and makes in order any amendment offered that complies with the House rules.

Begin Consideration of H.R. 2354 - Energy and Water Appropriations Act, 2012 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen / Appropriations Committee)

Begin Consideration of H.R. 1309 - Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Judy Biggert / Financial Services Committee)
 

In the News

Rep. Mike Simpson proposes deep cuts to federal agencies; takes on congressional leadership role
By Ben Botkin - Times-News writer Magicvalley.com | Posted: Thursday, June 30, 2011 6:30 am 
U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson is working on a proposal to trim federal spending and put more accountability into the agencies under his watch as chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment.

In that position, Simpson, R-Idaho, has a leadership role in crafting budget proposals for agencies like the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Environmental Protection Agency. In a meeting Wednesday with the Times-News editorial board, Simpson said the EPA has overstepped its bounds beyond what Congress intended.

“They’re going to take the biggest hit of every agency within my jurisdiction,” Simpson said. “Because they had the largest increases over the last couple of years, there’s more ripe ground there to reduce their budget, but what I’m trying to figure out is: How do you get at the guys sitting in Washington thinking up new ways to regulate staff and to write new rules and regulations? That’s who I would like to affect more than anything else.”

Simpson also plans to have hearings this fall about how the agency conducts its cost-benefit analysis that gauges the impact of its regulations.

With the BLM, Simpson said there will be language in the bill to help resolve grazing disputes that end up in court. He also wants to require more transparency for payments through the Equal Access to Justice Act, which allows plaintiffs who successfully sue the federal government to recoup their legal costs.

That fund has been heavily used by environmental groups, among others. Simpson said he doesn’t want to end the payments, just disclose where the money is going and the rates that attorneys receive.

“I have a right to know where my tax dollars are going,” he said.

About the federal budget, Simpson said the limit on how much debt the U.S. can take on needs to be raised. But he stressed that he needs to see a clear path that shows how the budget will eventually be balanced.

What’s needed are regulations that foster economic growth and reform of entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare, Simpson said. And he believes Congress can resolve the issue without risking a federal shutdown.

“The key to it all is to get the economy growing,” he said.