Recently in Washington

Last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.Res. 38, a resolution to reduce non-security discretionary spending to Fiscal Year 2008 levels or less.  The House also passed H.R. 359, legislation to terminate taxpayer financing of presidential election campaigns and party conventions.  Congressman Simpson supported both of these measures, which were passed by the House.

Delegation Says Wild Lands Order Circumvents Public, Congress
Raises fears DOI actions will hurt local collaboration
Members of Idaho’s Congressional Delegation are alarmed by the recent decision of the U.S. Secretary of Interior to order a “new tier of public land protection” that may circumvent the public, stakeholders and Congress, and could damage collaborative land management.  Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressmen Mike Simpson and Raúl Labrador wrote Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today, asking him to further explain his Wild Lands directive, which was issued last month as an executive order.

“In a state like Idaho – where two-thirds of the land is owned by the federal government – we have unique insight into the impacts that overly-prescriptive, inflexible land management policies can have on people and communities, as well as local and state government,” the Delegation members wrote.  “That is why we believe that while increased levels of protection may be warranted for certain lands in certain circumstances, the people and parties that are most impacted must be at the center of the policy-making process.”

The Idaho Delegation members said the order by Salazar calling on Bureau of Land Management employees to inventory public lands for “wilderness characteristics” could also place a “substantial burden” on agency workers and divert personnel and agency resources from current projects.  They said the order could slow the permitting process for alternative energy projects, such as wind, solar and geothermal energy the nation needs, as well as planning for motorized recreation and grazing.

There are also fears the order will damage the relationship between the agency and those who use the public lands and count on a collaborative process for decision-making by a top-down order like the Wild Lands directive.

“The public land conflicts of the 20th century can only be a thing of the past if we address these matters inclusively and comprehensively,” noted Crapo, Risch, Simpson and Labrador.  “For these efforts to succeed, the stakeholders must be able to trust not only each other, but the federal agencies themselves.  We are concerned that this policy could threaten that spirit because it conveys the message that no matter how hard and for how long these groups collaborated and worked together, the federal government is still going to find a way to do what it wants if its political objectives are contrary to the locally driven, collaborative solutions that have been forged.  Not only will that undermine these parties’ faith in government; it will drive them away from the stakeholder table and back into the court room.  Lines will be redrawn in the sand, and progress will be squandered.  We cannot afford for that to happen.”

The Delegation said it wants to work with Salazar and others at the Department of Interior and the BLM on land management decisions.  But the lack of transparency in a secretarial order implementing the policy, its effects on existing land planning and the potential for damage to the collaborative process demand further consultation with Congress and the public before the order is implemented further.

Simpson, Rehberg, Labrador Introduce Wolf Management Legislation
Idaho Congressmen Mike Simpson and Raúl Labrador joined Montana Congressman Denny Rehberg by introducing a comprehensive legislative solution to the ongoing wolf controversy aimed at returning wolf management authority to the states once and for all. 

H.R. 510, Idaho and Montana Wolf Management Act of 2011, responds to frustration throughout Idaho and Montana after a U.S. district judge in Montana overturned the Fish and Wildlife Service decision, which was supported by both the Obama Administration and the Bush Administration, to remove gray wolves from the endangered species list in Idaho and Montana.  As a result, Idaho and Montana cannot manage wolves under the management plan approved by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

In recent months, both Simpson and Rehberg have solicited comments from Idahoans and Montanans to get their ideas on how to solve this problem.  Many of these comments have been incorporated into H.R. 510.

 “As we look for a viable long-term solution to this issue that returns the authority to manage wolves within their borders to the states, I depend on the input and advice of the Idahoans who are most impacted by the court’s decision to relist wolves,” said Simpson.  “This input is reflected in this bill, and I look forward to working with Congressmen Rehberg and Labrador to move forward on this issue by seeing the Idaho and Montana Wolf Management Act signed into law.”

“The gray wolf isn’t endangered, which is why Republicans and Democrats alike are joining forces to end the misuse of the Endangered Species Act to advance extremist policy agendas,” said Rehberg, a rancher from Billings.  “I heard from thousands of Montanans, and folks get it.  They know that states are better at managing our own local wildlife than the federal government thousands of miles away.  Unless there’s a darn good reason – and there’s not – the federal government has no business getting involved.  Years of research, dedicated efforts by land owners and local officials, and the expert opinions of on-the-ground wildlife managers have been given a back seat to profit-motivated environmental groups.  We need to end this abuse and solve an issue that should have been put to rest years ago.”

“Increasing numbers of wolves in Idaho show that protection under the endangered species act is no longer needed,” said Labrador.  “The endangered species act is a tool to recover a species, not a program for infinite and never-ending federal oversight.  The wolves are thriving, the science is definitive and the time has come to delist the gray wolf permanently.”

Simpson is the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment, which oversees funding for the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Simpson Supports Terminating Tax Code
Simpson cosponsors legislation to make tax code simpler and fairer
Congressman Mike Simpson is an original cosponsor of H.R. 462, the Tax Code Termination Act. This legislation would abolish the Internal Revenue Code and call on Congress to fundamentally reform the federal tax system.

“Over the last few years there have been several proposals to curtail the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) intrusion into the American homes. These include proposals to implement a flat tax or a national sales tax,” said Simpson. “I believe the most effective course of action is to sunset the current complex and unfair federal tax code and replace it with a simple and fair alternative.” 

Americans work more than four months a year just to pay their tax bills. The average American family pays more in taxes than it spends on food, shelter and clothing combined.  The tax code Americans are forced to comply with is unfair, discourages savings and investment, and is impossibly complex.

“A new tax code should provide tax relief for working Americans, protect the rights of taxpayers, reduce tax collection abuses, and eliminate disincentives for savings and investment,” said Simpson.

Similar legislation has already been passed twice by the House of Representatives, first in 1998 by a vote of 219-209 and then in 2000 by a vote of 229-187. Simpson has been a cosponsor of similar legislation since he was elected to Congress.

Simpson Responds to State of the Union
Idaho Congressman Applauds Civility Demonstrated and Focus on Energy
Congressman Mike Simpson issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s State of the Union speech delivered last week. Simpson agrees that political rhetoric should become more civil and that our country must become energy independent, and he strongly believes that unnecessary strict federal regulations impact job growth.

“The top issues for all Americans are the national deficit and the economy, and I am glad to hear the President say he is committed to creating jobs. If we really want to eliminate the national debt, we need to get spending under control and get our economy going again. I am concerned, however, that his Administration’s actions don’t always match up with his sound bites, particularly when it comes to the regulatory agenda that the EPA and other agencies have been advancing under his watch. One thing businesses need to succeed is certainty, and the rate at which the Obama Administration has issued new regulations has created an atmosphere of uncertainty among job creators in America. Company after company, big and small, has told me how they are sitting on capital rather than creating jobs or investing in the growth of their businesses because they don’t know how government regulations are going to affect them. 

“I was particularly interested in the President’s call for clean energy sources. Our economic and national security depend on our nation becoming energy independent, but for too long, neither Congress nor the President have been serious about this goal. I applaud the President’s recognition that we can’t expect to achieve energy independence without embracing every opportunity available, especially nuclear power. I am convinced that we can never meet clean energy goals like the one the President laid out tonight if we don't experience a nuclear renaissance, and Idaho is poised to help lead the nation in this effort.  If we are serious about becoming energy independent, we need to enact policies that don’t pick political winners and losers but look at all of our options.”

Idaho Delegation:  Softwood Ruling Positive Step for Restoring Trade Fairness
Ruling says Canada must change softwood lumber prices, practices
Members of Idaho’s Congressional Delegation say a ruling last week by a London Court of International Arbitration could help Idaho and U.S. timber workers and industry through improving the fairness of the lumber market, impacted by Canada’s unfair trade practices.  The court ruled in favor of the U.S. over trade involving Canadian lumber originating in Quebec and Ontario.  The Idaho Delegation and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) have also sought relief regarding below-market value lumber coming into the U.S. from British Columbia.  Earlier this week, the USTR initiated arbitration proceedings in a separate case involving stumpage fees and wood classifications produced in British Columbia.

“This ruling by the arbitration panel is another important victory for the U.S. and for Idaho’s timber industry,” said Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, and Congressmen Mike Simpson and Raúl Labrador in a joint statement.

“The livelihoods of these working men and women and their communities depend on Canadian compliance with our trade agreements.   In some cases, illegal subsidies have resulted in Canadian stumpage prices reduced by up to 70 percent, with the Canadians resisting repeated calls to conform to trade agreements.”  The ruling in this case reaffirms the judgment of the arbitration panel in 2009 that found Canadian provincial policies violated the Softwood Lumber Agreement.  “We look forward to swift compliance with the ruling by the Canadians.”

“All Idahoans ask for is fairness in the markets.  Now, we call on Canadian leaders to quickly rectify their pricing and restore the balance of fair trade between our nations.  The opportunity to sustain Idaho jobs is a much better outcome than escalating tariffs and trade barriers.”

The U.S. and Canada originally entered into the softwood lumber trade agreement in 2006.  Under the court’s findings announced today, Canada would have to increase its export pricing and eliminate subsidization activities that have allowed its wood to undercut U.S. competition.

House Votes to Repeal Democrats’ Health Care Law
Idaho Congressmen Mike Simpson and Raul Labrador voted in favor of H.R. 2, legislation repealing the Democrat’s health care law.  The bill fully repeals President Obama’s health care reform bill that was signed into law last year. The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2 with a final vote of 245-189.  Both Simpson and Labrador were original cosponsors of the bill.

“The Democrats’ health care bill is wrong for our country,” said Simpson. “I strongly believe the best thing we could do is to repeal the bill in its entirety and start the process over by passing smaller bills that enjoy bipartisan support and focus on bringing down costs for American healthcare consumers.”

“With this vote, the House took a big first step towards repealing this unconstitutional law – a step in the direction asked for by a majority of Idahoans,” said Labrador. “Repealing this law will enable Congress to begin the process of finding constitutional, market-based solutions to providing Idahoans with accessible and affordable quality healthcare without stifling job growth and increasing government spending.”

The bill now needs the support of the Senate before potentially moving to the White House, where President Obama can veto any legislation, however the Idaho Congressmen vow to work to repeal and amend the law in any way possible to limit its impact on small businesses and taxpayers. Congressman Simpson and Labrador pledge to move forward with other measures that have a chance of becoming law offering Americans genuine health care solutions.  They both support Idaho’s constitutional challenge to the Democrats’ bill; they will both work to amend the bill to alter its most onerous provisions; and they will both seek to limit funding of its implementation.

Simpson and Labrador are also cosponsors of three other bills that would repeal individual sections of the burdensome health care legislation. The bills include:
• H.R. 21, the Reclaiming Individual Liberty Act, introduced by Congressman Scott Garrett (R-NJ). This bill repeals the unconstitutional individual mandate. 
• H.R.154, the Defund the Individual Mandate Act, introduced by Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX). This bill prohibits funds from being appropriated or otherwise made available to any federal department or agency to be used to implement or enforce any federal mandate to purchase health insurance. 
• H.R. 144, the Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011, introduced by Congressman Daniel Lungren (R-CA). This bill repeals the onerous and burdensome small business tax reporting provision that requires business owners to submit a separate 1099 reporting form for every single business-to-business transaction that totals more than $600 in a given year.

In the Press

Nuclear Research Agreement Is Positive Step Forward
By Congressman Mike Simpson, for The Idaho Statesman

I am writing to respond to the comments of former Governor Cecil Andrus and the Idaho Statesman’s editorial board regarding the recent agreement between the State of Idaho and the Department of Energy (DOE) over future shipments of very small quantities of spent nuclear fuel for research purposes.
 
While I have a great deal of respect for the former Governor, I am disappointed in his opposition to this sensible agreement and even more disappointed that he is using outdated and unfounded arguments to oppose it. The former Governor’s distrust of the Department of Energy is well earned, but is in no way reflective of the recent history of accomplishment at the site and, in fact, hurts future efforts to attract jobs and investment in eastern Idaho.
 
First and foremost, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is the lead nuclear energy research facility in our nation. The Idaho Congressional Delegation and governors past and present sought that designation and have worked hard to grow that mission. Inherent with that mission is the responsibility to bring in small quantities of fuel for examination and to retain that fuel for future research purposes.
 
What baffles me about the opposition of Governor Andrus is his apparent failure to understand the important role of the Laboratory. After all, nuclear research is done on nuclear materials, and if the lab cannot secure materials for research, the thousands of jobs and significant financial investments reliant upon that research will be put at risk.
 
In his recent opinion piece, Governor Andrus also laments that the agreement comes with no assurance of new jobs or new investments at the Laboratory. This statement is misleading at best, and at worst it is intentionally designed to undermine the tremendous growth and progress that the Lab has experienced over the past five year.
 
As Governor Andrus well knows, over the past five years alone, INL has grown from a business volume of roughly $500 million a year to over $1 billion a year. Employment at INL has grown by hundreds of jobs, and some of the most difficult cleanup efforts have been tackled or are in the process of being tackled. INL’s talented workforce is beginning to occupy modern new buildings where old ones once stood. The battles that Governor Andrus fought with DOE were long ago won by the State of Idaho, and a new era of progress has emerged.
 
Today, INL is truly making a difference in nuclear energy research, and conducting research on nuclear materials, including those from commercial nuclear facilities, is an important part of that role. Those of us who support INL, its workforce, and its future have long acknowledged this work and strongly support it. The new agreement acknowledges it as well.  Contrary to Governor Andrus’s concerns that it opens the door to sending more nuclear waste to Idaho, this agreement actually protects Idaho from any such threat by putting in place a framework for ensuring only legitimate research activities can move forward.
 
The agreement Governor Otter signed with the Department of Energy not only protects thousands of Idaho jobs and helps fuel our state’s economy,  but it will also help drive the creation of new jobs and new investments over the coming decade.