Recently in Washington

Last week the House passed H.R. 5, the Student Success Act, by a vote of 218-213.  H.R. 5 reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) for fiscal years FY 2016 through 2021 at the FY 2015 funding levels.  The House also passed H.R. 2647, the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015, by a vote of 262-167.  H.R. 2647 reforms the process through which federal land management agencies conduct various activities related to forest management, including wildfire activities.  The House also passed H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures Act, by a vote of 344-77.   H.R. 6 accelerates the discovery, development, and delivery of 21st century cures. Congressman Simpson supported all three bills.

Simpson’s Boulder White Clouds Bill Surges Ahead

HR 1138 Unanimously Passes House Resources Committee and moves to the House Floor

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson’s legislation H.R. 1138, Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act, last week passed the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee by unanimous consent.

“To say I am pleased about the BWC bill moving forward would be an understatement,” said Simpson. “For more than a decade, Idahoans of all walks of life have worked tirelessly on this legislation. It is because of their dedication that we are one step closer to achieving our goal – creating an Idaho solution for managing the Boulder White Clouds.”

H.R. 1138, which will establish certain wilderness areas in central Idaho and to authorize various land conveyances involving National Forest System land and Bureau of Land Management land in central Idaho, and for other purposes. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act will now be considered by the House of Representatives for final passage.

Senator Jim Risch has sponsored the bill in the U.S. Senate, S. 538. Risch successfully held a hearing in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining on May 21, 2015. The senate bill is waiting to be considered in Senate Resources Committee for final mark-up.

“I greatly appreciate the hard work that Senator Risch and his staff have done to move this legislation through the Senate. It’s been a great effort on both sides to keep the BWC bill moving forward,” said Simpson.

Simpson Supports Healthy Forest Bill

Idaho Congressman pledges to push catastrophic wildfire solution

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson voted for legislation to promote healthier forests and more effective forest management.  H.R. 2647, the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015, addresses the land management crisis created by catastrophic wildfires, promotes collaborative management projects, and modernizes the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act.  Simpson is a cosponsor of the legislation, which passed the House by a vote of 262-167.

“The Forest Service faces a number of very real challenges when it comes to active land management, and I’m pleased with a number of steps that this bill takes to respond to those issues,” said Simpson.  “Frivolous lawsuits paralyze federal land management agencies and put management decisions into the hands of the court rather than land managers. This legislation addresses several issues at the heart of this problem.”

“Another major problem,” added Simpson, “is the cost of catastrophic wildfires. Addressing this issue is one of my top legislative priorities, and while this bill takes steps toward that goal, I’m going to continue working on my comprehensive solution to funding catastrophic wildfires.”

Simpson has introduced H.R. 167, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, which is bipartisan legislation with broad support intended to fix the budgeting process for wildfire suppression.  His bill would treat catastrophic wildfires like similar natural disasters and would end the disastrous process known as “fire borrowing.”  When fire suppression costs exceed the budget, the Forest Service is forced to rob from other non-fire accounts—including projects intended to reduce hazardous fuels and make forests less susceptible to fire—in order to keep fighting the fires. “Fire borrowing” was intended as an extraordinary measure, but as wildfires have grown more costly, it has become standard procedure—in fact, fire borrowing has been necessary in 7 of the past 10 years.  H.R. 2647 includes language that would allow FEMA to transfer limited funds to the Forest Service and the BLM for fire suppression when the budget has been exhausted.

“Until we address the problem of fire borrowing, funds intended for forest management, including hazardous fuels removal, timber harvest, and trail maintenance, will continue to pay to fire suppression,” said Simpson. “While I believe that Congress should take up the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act in order to fix a number of wildfire budgeting problems, I’m glad that this bill acknowledges these issues and begins to address them.” 

Simpson Language Keeps Sheep Station Open

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson praised the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee’s decision to preserve ARS research programs including those at the U.S. Sheep Experimental Station (USSES) in Dubois, Idaho.  Simpson, who requested the language in the FY16 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, is working with other western representatives to support the USSES. 

“I was disappointed when USDA attempted to close USSES last year and failed to provide prior notice to Congress and the sheep industry,” said Simpson. “I am very pleased this appropriations bill includes language that maintains the mission at Dubois. Because of its location and expertise, staff at the Dubois station are working on unique issues, including research on the domestic-wildlife interface that is vital to the sheep industry’s future.”

Congressman Simpson has worked closely with USDA, University of Idaho, and members of the sheep industry throughout the process to ensure the long-term viability of the USSES and the economic activity it generates in the area.

After the committee meeting Simpson said, “The bill passed out of committee today recognizes the station’s valuable work and is an important step towards ensuring the stakeholders and ARS come together to work on a viable, long-term future for USSES.”

The Agriculture Appropriations bill was passed by the House Appropriations Committee on a voice vote.

Committee Schedule

Tuesday

At 10:15 a.m., the House Appropriations Committee will mark up the Homeland Security bill for Fiscal Year 2016.

Floor Schedule

MONDAY, JULY 13TH
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. 1023 - Small Business Investment Company Capital Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Steve Chabot / Small Business Committee)

2) H.R. 2670 - Microloan Modernization Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Seth Moulton / Small Business Committee)

3) H.R. 2499 - Veterans Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Steve Chabot / Small Business Committee)

4) H.R. 208 - Superstorm Sandy Relief and Disaster Loan Program Improvement Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Nydia Velázquez / Small Business Committee)

5) H.R. 387 - Economic Development Through Tribal Land Exchange Act (Sponsored by Rep. Raul Ruiz / Natural Resources Committee)

6) S. 179 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14 3rd Avenue, NW, in Chisholm, Minnesota, as the “James L. Oberstar Memorial Post Office Building” (Sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)

TUESDAY, JULY 14TH
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. 

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

1) H.R. 251 - Homes for Heroes Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Al Green / Financial Services Committee)

2) H.R. 432 - SBIC Advisers Relief Act (Sponsored by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer / Financial Services Committee)

3) H.R. 1047 - Housing Assistance Efficiency Act (Sponsored by Rep. Scott Peters / Financial Services Committee)

4) H.R. 1334 - Holding Company Registration Threshold Equalization Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Steve Womack / Financial Services Committee)

5) H.R. 1408 - Mortgage Servicing Asset Capital Requirements Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Ed Perlmutter / Financial Services Committee)

6) H.R. 1529 - Community Institution Mortgage Relief Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Brad Sherman / Financial Services Committee)

7) H.R. 1675 - Encouraging Employee Ownership Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Randy Hultgren / Financial Services Committee)

8) H.R. 1723 - Small Company Simple Registration Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Ann Wagner / Financial Services Committee)

9) H.R. 1847 - Swap Data Repository and Clearinghouse Indemnification Correction Act of 2015, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Rick Crawford / Financial Services Committee)

10) H.R. 2064 - Improving Access to Capital for Emerging Growth Companies Act (Sponsored by Rep. Stephen Fincher / Financial Services Committee)

11) H.R. 2354 - Streamlining Excessive and Costly Regulations Review Act (Sponsored by Rep. Robert Hurt / Financial Services Committee)

12) H.R. 2482 - Preservation Enhancement and Savings Opportunity Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Erik Paulsen / Financial Services Committee)

13) H.R. 2722 - Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney / Financial Services Committee)

14) H.R. 2997 - Private Investment in Housing Act of 2015 (Sponsored by Rep. Dennis Ross / Financial Services Committee)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 15TH 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. Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

On Friday, no votes are expected in the House.

H.R. 2898 - Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. David Valadao / Natural Resources Committee / Agriculture Committee)

Possible Consideration of a Motion to Go to Conference on H.R. 644 - Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act

**Additional Items are possible**

In the News

Appropriations rider aims to save sheep research station

By: John O’Connell, Capital Press

DUBOIS, Idaho — Sheep industry leaders say a recent vote in the U.S. House subcommittee bodes well for their continued efforts to save the local U.S. Sheep Experimental Station from planned closure.

The facility, operated by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in partnership with University of Idaho, was on a list of agency facilities targeted for closure in President Barack Obama’s proposed budget in February. The closure would take effect on Oct. 1.

However, the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee retained language pertaining to the closures, added by Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, when it approved the FY16 Agricultural Appropriations bill on July 9.

Simpson’s rider would prohibit USDA from shuttering any of the ARS facilities on the closure list.

Simpson also blocked a USDA attempt to close the sheep station in July 2014 with language added to the agricultural appropriations bill.

“I was disappointed when USDA attempted to close (the U.S. Sheep Experimental Station) last year and failed to provide prior notice to Congress and the sheep industry,” Simpson said in a press release. “Because of its location and expertise, staff at the Dubois station are working on unique issues, including research on the domestic-wildlife interface, that is vital to the sheep industry’s future.”

The station has 16 employees and operates on a nearly $2 million budget. Bret Taylor, research leader at the facility, declined to comment.

Simpson’s spokeswoman, Nikki Wallace, is optimistic his efforts to retain the facility will succeed once more. She said House members have until Sept. 31 to pass appropriations bills and are working diligently to move them through the process in time for the Senate to act. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, has sponsored companion legislation.

American Sheep Industry Association Executive Director Peter Orwick said he is “absolutely optimistic” that the provision will pass. Even if appropriations bills are lumped into a single omnibus bill to continue funding, Orwick said it’s unlikely that riders within the bills would be removed.

“It’s the only ARS research facility dedicated to the sheep industry,” Orwick said. “Certainly, there’s room in that budget for one facility dedicated to furthering the sheep industry in this country.”