Recently in Washington

On Tuesday of last week, the House passed S.J. Res. 57, a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFBP) relating to "Indirect Auto Lending and Compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act", by a vote of 234 to 175.  The joint resolution disapproves of a CFPB guidance bulletin that attempted to regulate indirect auto lending in violation of express congressional intent.

On Wednesday, the House passed H.R. 2152, the Citizens’ Right to Know Act of 2017, by a vote of 221 to 197.  The bill increases accountability in how federal grant money is used by state and local pre-trial release programs.  The House also passed H.R. 5645, the Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules Act of 2018, by a vote of 230 to 185.  The bill creates uniformity in the merger review process for all industries by implementing identical review processes at both the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice.

On Thursday, the House passed H.R. 3053, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2018, by a vote of 340 to 72. The bill improves the Department of Energy’s nuclear waste management program to store and dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.  Congressman Simpson supported all of these bills.

Secure Rural Schools Funding for Idaho Announced

Simpson’s vote for fiscal year 2018 appropriations delivers county payments to Idaho

The U.S. Forest Service announced Secure Rural Schools (SRS) payment distributions, which is critically important for Idaho’s rural counties. SRS funding fulfills the federal government’s responsibility to counties with tax-exempt federal lands, specifically counties with high percentages of national forests. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, which passed in March and was signed into law by President Trump, included two years of funding for SRS. Idaho received approximately $26,000,000 in SRS payments. Congressman Simpson supported this legislation to ensure Idaho counties receive both SRS and Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding.

“SRS payments are vital sources of funding for Idaho counties,” said Simpson. “I am pleased that the fiscal year 2018 appropriations bill honors the government’s responsibility to Idaho. These funds go to counties’ most critical services such as transportation infrastructure and education. I am also pleased my vote on this bill ensures full funding for PILT, another important funding stream for Idaho.”

Congressman Simpson was a cosponsor of H.R. 2340, a bill to reauthorize SRS. Also included in the fiscal year 2018 appropriations bill is full funding for PILT. Idaho received more than $30 million in PILT funding last year.

To see more details on SRS visit the following link: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd579319.pdf

For more details on Idaho wins in the fiscal year 2018 appropriations bill visit: https://simpson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398641

Committee Schedule 

Tuesday

At 5:30 p.m., the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee will markup the FY19 House Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

Wednesday

At 10:00 a.m., the House Appropriations Committee will markup the FY19 House Energy and Water and Related Agencies Appropriations bill and the FY19 House Agriculture Appropriations bill. 

Thursday

At 10:00 a.m., the House Appropriations Committee will markup the FY19 House Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. 

 
Floor Schedule 

MONDAY, MAY 14TH
On Monday, no votes are expected in the House.

TUESDAY, MAY 15TH
On Tuesday, 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. 613 - Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Correctional Officer Self-Protection Act of 2017 (Sponsored by Rep. David McKinley / Judiciary Committee)

2) H.R. 4854 - Justice Served Act of 2018 (Sponsored by Rep. John Carter / Judiciary Committee)

3) H.R. 5242 - School Resource Officer Assessment Act of 2018, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Clay Higgins / Education and the Workforce Committee)

4) H.Res. 285 - Expressing the sense of the United States House of Representatives that Congress and the President should empower the creation of police and community alliances designed to enhance and improve communication and collaboration between members of the law enforcement community and the public they serve (Sponsored by Rep. Scott Taylor / Judiciary Committee)

5) H.R. 4895 - Medgar Evers National Monument Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Bennie Thompson / Natural Resources Committee)

6) H.R. 2991 - Susquehanna National Heritage Area Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Lloyd Smucker / Natural Resources Committee)

7) S. 35 - Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act (Sponsored by Sen. John Thune / Natural Resources Committee)

8) S. 1285 - Oregon Tribal Economic Development Act (Sponsored by Sen. Jeff Merkley / Natural Resources Committee)

9) H.R. 1417 - National Law Enforcement Museum Exhibits Act (Sponsored by Rep. Don Young / Natural Resources Committee)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 16TH AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Wednesday and 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 expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

H.R. 5698 - Protect and Serve Act of 2018 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. John Rutherford / Judiciary Committee)

S. 2372 - VA MISSION Act of 2018 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Phil Roe / Veterans Affairs Committee)

H.R. 2 - Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Michael Conaway / Agriculture Committee)H.R. 636 - America’s Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Patrick Tiberi / Ways and Means Committee / Budget Committee)

In the News 

We love our national parks so much they're in disrepair and both parties agree on a fix

By: Representatives Kurt Shrader and Mike Simpson, USA Today, April 27, 2018

We love our national parks. But the problem is, we love them too much. The value of good administration and stewardship for our parks has become overwhelmed and the backlog of maintenance needs for our parks has climbed to a whopping $11.6 billion as of fiscal year 2017. Whether it is Crater Lake in Oregon or Yellowstone spanning across Idaho, Wyoming and Montana, our parks need our help.

Last fiscal year, the National Park Service’s entire congressional appropriation was a mere $2.9 billion. With four times that in the existing backlog, the math doesn’t add up.  Combined with visitation pressures, costs that increase the longer that repairs are delayed, and decades old facilities and infrastructure — it’s difficult to keep pace with needs much less get ahead of them. Under the status quo, the backlog will only continue to grow.

That is why, along with senators Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Angus King, I-Maine, as well as Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, we have proposed a bipartisan, House-Senate solution to bring that backlog down and help our national parks.

Simply put, our National Park Restoration Act will redirect unused revenues from a variety of energy sources on federal lands into a new fund called the National Park Restoration Fund. This fund will then be used to bring down the maintenance backlog throughout our parks, restoring trails, roads, campgrounds and water systems for generations to come.

Using energy revenues for conservation priorities is nothing new. This is the same revenue source that has been used for decades for the Land and Water Conservation Fund with bipartisan support. Our bill does nothing to require, incentivize or change any aspect of energy production across our federal lands. And it does nothing to take away funds from the LWCF. In fact, our bill actually expands the revenue sources to include renewables like solar, wind and hydropower.

Energy revenues have been used for years to pay for protecting our public lands. Now we need to use these same funds to restore and rebuild them.

The legislative process can be long and should be filled with debate. Throughout that process, we welcome and encourage input from national park advocates. It is why we sought to offer a solution in the first place. We also thank the current supporters of the bill from the conservation, business, and outdoor communities. We can all agree that there is a dire need to take care of our public lands.

Former president Franklin D. Roosevelt once said that “there is nothing so American as our national parks.”  Let’s work together to rebuild and restore our parks to the condition they ought to be — the crown jewels of our great nation.

To share comments, opinions, or questions with Congressman Simpson, please visit http://www.house.gov/simpson/emailme.shtml.

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