USMCA – For Those Who Feed the World

By Congressman Mike Simpson

“Yet again Idaho gave the nation a lesson in what it means to ‘love thy neighbor’. Facing freezing temperatures, potato farmers in eastern Idaho rushed to complete their harvest before mother nature destroyed their season’s work. For some this was the difference between going broke or putting something in the bank.

“As some were fortunate enough to finish, instead of taking a well-deserved break, selfless farmers rushed to their neighbors’ fields to try and save their crops. It’s nothing short of heartwarming to see the caravan of farm equipment on a video posted by Jason Larson with the caption “When your neighbors are in trouble, and their crop is going to get frozen, you lend a hand.”. Potatoes may be the commodity, but in this case, charity is the export.

“In the concrete jungle of D.C., harvest for Congress doesn’t always seem to be as productive. However, this year we have an opportunity to do something productive and meaningful for our farmers. It’s time to pass the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).

“For our grain producers, Canada has agreed to grade imports of United States wheat in a manner no less favorable than it accords Canadian wheat, and to not require a country of origin statement on its quality grade or inspection certificate. 

“For our dairy farmers, as a result of USMCA negotiations, Canada will eliminate what is known as its milk classes 6 and 7.  In addition, Canada will apply export charges to many of its dairy exports, which will allow United States producers to expand sales overseas.  As you are probably aware, Idaho is the #3 dairy-producing state in the country so increased access for dairy is a huge win for our state.

“Our potato farmers benefit under USMCA. Perhaps more importantly, the completion of this trade agreement will open the door for a much needed and anxiously awaited trade deal with Japan that offers incredible opportunity for Idaho potato farmers.

“The USMCA will open new markets for Idaho farmers and increase U.S. agriculture and food exports by more than $2 billion annually.  To the men and women who feed the world, this trade deal matters, and it’s time to lend a hand.”

Idaho Delegation Disappointed in Activist Judge Ruling on Sage-Grouse

Idaho Delegation released the following statements after U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill temporarily blocked the Administration’s rule that supports Idaho’s Sage Grouse management plan. 

“Decisions about sage grouse habitat should involve sound, peer-reviewed science and consider the collaborative efforts on the ground between federal agencies, state agencies, Idaho habitat recommendations and those living closest to the areas involved,” said Senator Mike Crapo.  “This recent ruling ignores the sound research and work of individuals on the ground.”

“Once again, Idaho’s plan to conserve sage grouse is being threatened by politically-driven litigation. This continuous cycle of rewarding activist environmental groups instead of properly implementing Idaho’s science-based plan only endangers the very species these activist groups claim they are trying to protect,” said Senator James Risch. “Idaho’s conservation plan was developed by a diverse group of stakeholders using the best available science. The plan ensures workability for local communities, and it is this collaborative process that should ultimately prevail.” 

“This temporary hold on sage-grouse conservation plans are a disappointment for the collaborative and bipartisan process,” said Congressman Mike Simpson. “Keep in mind this is the same judge who forced an arbitrary listing date that was not based on science. Quite frankly, it is frustrating that litigation has upended the efforts of bipartisan governors and hundreds of millions of dollars in conservation funding aimed at improving habitat across the west. Idaho received high marks on their plan from Fish and Wildlife Service under both Democrat and Republican leadership, so I am hopeful that science can prevail as the process plays out.”

“I am deeply concerned and frustrated that one Judge has decided to block a collaborative process led by the state of Idaho and the Department of the Interior,” said Congressman Russ Fulcher. “Too often, litigious groups in the environmental community pinpoint specific Judges who are sympathetic to their agenda. This issue highlights why we need to modernize the Endangered Species Act and litigation reform.”

Simpson Cosponsors Bills to make PILT Permanent and to Extend SRS

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson cosponsored two bills that would provide payments to counties with significant percentages of federal land. The Permanently Authorizing PILT Act would eliminate the uncertainty of annual PILT payments by permanently funding the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program which provides more than $30 million a year to Idaho counties. Congressman Simpson also cosponsored H.R. 3048 which would extend the Secure Rural Schools program which provides payments to counties with national forests who have seen revenue from timber sales decline beginning in the early 1990’s. Both programs fund essential local services such as education and roads.

“PILT and SRS are critical to Idaho counties,” said Congressman Simpson. “This is essentially the federal government’s property tax for counties where there is large amounts of federal land. If you don’t have the ability to collect local property taxes, these programs are necessary to provide funding for schools, roads, and other local services – especially in small rural counties. That is why I am proud to continue my support for PILT and SRS through cosponsoring H.R. 3043 and 3048.”

Congressman Simpson also cosponsored H.R. 3716, which would fix the PILT formula to benefit smaller population counties without impacting larger counties defined as 5,000 or more in population. This would potentially benefit six Idaho counties who currently receive PILT payments.

All the bills have bipartisan support.

Simpson pitches immigrant farmworker bill in Idaho Falls

By Nathan Brown, Post Register, October 11, 2019

Eastern Idaho’s congressman hopes to introduce a bill in the coming weeks to make it easier for farmers to hire immigrant workers.

“It is a bipartisan effort,” U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson told the Idaho Falls City Club on Tuesday. “I think we’ll have it ready to introduce next week or the week after.”

Simpson, a Republican, said he is working with about six lawmakers from both parties on the proposal, including U.S. Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., who heads the Immigration and Border Security subcommittee. Simpson said he has also been working with farm groups representing various agricultural sectors. He said he thinks it could pass the Democratic-controlled House if it makes it to the floor.

“Nobody’s going to look at it and say, ‘Hey, it’s sliced bread, it’s the greatest thing in the world,’” Simpson said. “It’s a compromise. It would be different if I wrote it myself, as it would be different if Zoe wrote it by herself. But it’s a compromise, and it’s a huge step forward.”

As Simpson outlined it, the bill would streamline the process of applying for H-2A visas, which farmers use to hire foreign nationals for seasonal agricultural work. Under the current “50 percent rule,” which requires farmers to hire domestic laborers for half of the jobs they need to fill, if one of those domestic workers leaves the farmer has to start the application process again. Simpson said this bill would pre-approve farmers for all the positions they need to fill so they can hire a foreigner if that happens.

“It’s a simplification of the whole process, and I think it’s incredibly important to agriculture in Idaho and across the country,” he said.

Simpson said the bill would also freeze the “adverse effect wage rate,” which varies by state and is meant to ensure the wages offered to immigrants don’t undercut American workers, and put limits on increases going forward. The rate went up 6 percent nationally this year. In Idaho, it went from $11.63 an hour in 2018 to $13.48 in 2019, a 16 percent increase.

“A lot of our agricultural producers can’t afford 16 percent increases in wages year after year,” Simpson said.

Simpson said the bill could run into opposition both from more conservative Republicans who might view it as amnesty and from Democrats who would prefer a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. He said undocumented immigrants who want to get a legal green card would have to pay a fine and commit to working in agriculture for a certain period. If they want citizenship, he said, they would then have to go through the same process as any other applicant.

“To me, this is a good compromise,” he said. “You’re not rewarding illegal immigration, it’s not amnesty, and you’re not doing automatic citizenship.”

Simpson said there are many other immigration-related issues that need to be addressed, but he sees this as a good first step. He said he supported comprehensive immigration reform for years, but has come to believe this will never happen and a piecemeal approach is the only possible one. Among them is addressing the status of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, some of whom were protected from deportation under the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

“For me, DACA is a simple one to fix,” Simpson said. “How do you deport these kids who were brought here as children and send them back to a country they’ve never known? I don’t think as a humanitarian you can do that. I think you need to give them citizenship and let them stay. This is the only country they’ve ever known.”

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21ST
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. 4406 - Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2019, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Jared Golden / Small Business Committee)

2) H.R. 4405 - Women’s Business Centers Improvements Act of 2019 (Sponsored by Rep. Sharice Davids / Small Business Committee)

3) H.R. 4407 - SCORE for Small Business Act of 2019 (Sponsored by Rep. Kevin Hern / Small Business Committee)

4) H.R. 4387 - To establish Growth Accelerator Fund Competition within the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Adriano Espaillat / Small Business Committee)

H.Res. 630 - Condemning and censuring Adam Schiff, Representative of California's 28th Congressional District (Sponsored by Rep. Andy Biggs)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22ND 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 and Friday, no votes are expected in the House.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

1) H.R. 835 - Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act of 2019, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee / Judiciary Committee)

2) H.R. 2426 - CASE Act of 2019, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries / Judiciary Committee)

3) S. 693 - National POW/MIA Flag Act (Sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren / Judiciary Committee)

4) H.R. 724 - PACT Act (Sponsored by Rep. Ted Deutch / Judiciary Committee)

5) H.R. 1123 - Divisional Realignment for the Eastern District of Arkansas Act of 2019 (Sponsored by Rep. Rick Crawford / Judiciary Committee)

6) H.R. 598 - Georgia Support Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Gerry Connolly / Foreign Affairs Committee)

7) H.Res. 552 - Calling on the Government of the Russian Federation to provide evidence of wrongdoing or to release United States citizen Paul Whelan (Sponsored by Rep. Haley Stevens / Foreign Affairs Committee)

8) H.Con.Res. 32 - Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the execution-style murders of United States citizens Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet Bytyqi in the Republic of Serbia in July 1999 (Sponsored by Rep. Lee Zeldin / Foreign Affairs Committee)

H.R. 2513 - Corporate Transparency Act of 2019 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney / Financial Services Committee)

H.Res.        - Opposing President Trump’s decision to hold the 2020 G7 Summit at his Trump National Doral golf resort, and rejecting his practice of accepting foreign government Emoluments without obtaining Congress’ affirmative consent, and for other purposes (Subject to a Rule)

H.R. 4617 - SHIELD ACT (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Zoe Lofgren / Committee on House Administration)