Recently in Idaho
Idaho Congressmen Advocate for Idaho with Department of Interior
Simpson, Minnick push Interior Secretary Salazar on wolves, recreation on Lake Lowell
Idaho Congressmen Mike Simpson and Walt Minnick last week sent a letter to Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar asking that the Department of Interior work to immediately address two issues of critical importance in Idaho. Simpson and Minnick asked for cooperation from the Department to find solutions on the issues of wolf management in Idaho and potential changes to recreational activities on Lake Lowell in Canyon County - in both cases they express their willingness to fix these problems through legislation if necessary.
Simpson and Minnick expressed deep concern about the impact that the recent court decision to put wolves back on the Endangered Species list is having on the State of Idaho. “There can be no doubt that wolves are now a fully recovered species in the interior West and that state management of wolves is not only warranted, but necessary,” wrote the Congressmen. “We urge you to use any and all authorities available under existing law to ensure state management of wolves continues.”
The letter continues, “We would prefer for this matter to be resolved cooperatively and outside of the legislative process, but should the Department find itself unable to meet the request of Governor Otter and should wolves remain protected under the Endangered Species Act, we will work with you to find a legislative remedy that allows the Department to delist wolves and turn over management to the State of Idaho.”
The Congressmen also pushed for the Department to preserve traditional recreational uses on Lake Lowell. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently considering a new Comprehensive Conservation Plan for Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, and many Idahoans are concerned that the Service will curtail boating and other activities on the lake.
“The people of Idaho are, unfortunately, well-accustomed to the inevitable loss of access that has accompanied any re-evaluation of multiple uses on federally managed property over the past few decades,” wrote Simpson and Minnick. “Given their prior experiences, our constituents keenly sense that the outcome of this process may be pre-determined and that recreational boating will be the clear loser….In the strongest possible terms, we urge you and the Department of Interior to take immediate steps to reassure the people of Idaho that recreational boating, including waterskiing and other uses, will not be significantly curtailed.”
In February of 2009, Minnick and Simpson also urged the President to allow Idaho’s first wolf hunting season, which Idaho Department of Fish and Game officials reported as a success.
Congressman Simpson is the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment, which oversees funding for the Department of the Interior.
House Legislative Business This Week
Monday, September 13, 2010
On Monday, the House is not in session.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:00 p.m.
Suspensions (8 Bills)
1) H.Res. __ - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the terrorist attacks launched against the United States on September 11, 2001 (Sponsored by Reps. Hoyer/Boehner)
2) H.Res. 1052 - Honoring the members of the Army National Guard and Air National Guard of the State of Oklahoma for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States since September 11, 2001 (Sponsored by Rep. Boren / Armed Services Committee)
3) H.Res. 1251 - Recognizing and honoring the United States troops who gave their lives on D-Day at the Battle of Normandy (Sponsored by Rep. Poe / Armed Services Committee)
4) H.R. 6102 - To amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 to extend the authority of the Secretary of the Navy to enter into multiyear contracts for F/A-18E, F/A-18F, and EA-18G aircraft (Sponsored by Rep. Taylor / Armed Services Committee)
5) H.Res. 1571 - Acknowledging and congratulating Miami Dade College on the occasion of its 50th anniversary of service to the students and residents of the State of Florida (Sponsored by Rep. Ros-Lehtinen / Education and Labor Committee)
6) H.Res. 1564 - Commending and congratulating Michigan Technological University on the occasion of its 125th anniversary (Sponsored by Rep. Stupak / Education and Labor Committee)
7) H.Res. 1480 - Commending the University of Southern California Trojan men's tennis team for its victory in the 2010 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men's Tennis Championship (Sponsored by Rep. Watson / Education and Labor Committee)
8) H.Res. __ - Expressing support for designation of the week beginning September 19, 2010, as “National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week” (Sponsored by Rep. Grijalva / Education and Labor Committee)
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 and the Balance of the Week
On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business. On Friday, there are no votes expected in the House
Suspensions (19 Bills)
1) H.R. 2039 - Congressional Made in America Promise Act (Sponsored by Rep. Kaptur / House Administration Committee)
2) H.R. 3116 - Berry Amendment Extension Act (Sponsored by Rep. Kissell / Homeland Security Committee)
3) Senate Amendments to H.R. 3978 - First Responder Anti-Terrorism Training Resources Act (Sponsored by Rep. Rogers (MI) / Homeland Security Committee)
4) H.Res. 1375 - Recognizing the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment (Sponsored by Rep. Cooper / Judiciary Committee)
5) H.R. 4862 - To permit Members of Congress to administer the oath of allegiance to applicants for naturalization (Sponsored by Rep. Serrano / Judiciary Committee)
6) H.Res. 1595 - Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the passage of legislation that created real estate investment trusts (REITs) and gave millions of Americans new investment opportunities that helped them build a solid foundation for retirement security and has contributed to the overall strength of our economy (Sponsored by Rep. Levin / Ways and Means Committee)
7) H.R. 5366 - Overseas Contractor Reform Act (Sponsored by Rep. Welch / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
8) H.R. 5873 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 218 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, Wisconsin, as the "Captain Rhett W. Schiller Post Office" (Sponsored by Rep. Ryan (WI) / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
9) S. 2868 - Federal Supply Schedules Usage Act (Sponsored by Sen. Lieberman / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
10) H.Res. 1522 - Expressing support for designation of the last week of September as National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week and the last Wednesday of September as National Previvor Day (Sponsored by Rep. Wasserman Schultz / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
11) H.Res. __ - Expressing condolences to and solidarity with the people of Pakistan in the aftermath of the devastating floods that began July 22, 2010 (Sponsored by Rep. Berman / Foreign Affairs Committee)
12) H.R. 5282 - To provide funds to the Army Corps of Engineers to hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist the Corps with curation and historic preservation activities (Sponsored by Rep. Barrow / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
13) H.R. 5651 - To designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 515 9th Street in Rapid City, South Dakota, as the "Andrew W. Bogue Federal Building and United States Courthouse" (Sponsored by Rep. Herseth Sandlin / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
14) H.R. 5706 - To designate the facility of the Government Printing Office located at 31451 East United Avenue in Pueblo, Colorado, as the "Frank Evans Government Printing Office Building" (Sponsored by Rep. Salazar / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
15) Senate Amendment to H.R. 3562 - An act to designate the federally occupied building located at 1220 Echelon Parkway in Jackson, Mississippi, as the 'James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and Roy K. Moore Federal Building' (Sponsored by Rep. Thompson (MS) / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
16) H.R. 5773 - To designate the Federal building located at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland, as the "Robert M. Ball Federal Building" (Sponsored by Rep. Cummings / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
17) H.Res. 1583 - Observing the fifth anniversary of the date on which Hurricane Rita devastated the coasts of Louisiana and Texas, remembering those lost in the storm and in the process of evacuation, recovery, and rebuilding; saluting the dedication of the volunteers who offered assistance in support of those affected by the storm, recognizing the progress of efforts to rebuild the affected Gulf Coast region, commending the persistence of the people of the States of Louisiana and Texas following the second major hurricane to hit Louisiana that season, and reaffirming Congress' commitment to restore and renew the Gulf Coast region (Sponsored by Rep. Boustany / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
18) H.Res. 1577 - Observing the fifth anniversary of the date on which Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, saluting the dedication of volunteers who offered assistance in support of those affected by the storm, recognizing the progress of efforts to rebuild the affected Gulf Coast region, commending the persistence of the people of the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, and reaffirming Congress' commitment to restore and renew (Sponsored by Rep. Cao / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
19) H.Res. 1473 - Supporting backcountry airstrips and recreational aviation (Sponsored by Rep. Rehberg / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
H.R. 4785 - Rural Energy Savings Program Act (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Clyburn / Agriculture Committee)
In the News
Simpson and Grazing
by David Sparks, Ph.D.,
Program: Farm Bureau Report, Voice of Idaho Ag News
Date: September 09, 2010
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson successfully defended grazing on public lands in the West during the subcommittee markup on the Interior and Environment Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2011. Simpson, who is Ranking Member of the House subcommittee that funds the Bureau of Land Management and other land management agencies, offered an amendment to strike language from the bill that would have created a voluntary grazing buyout.
I asked him if the EPA was overstepping their bounds. “I would have to say yes, they’re out of control. They’re trying to regulate things that most people think are ridiculous. The EPA scares me more than any other federal agency.”
Simpson’s logic is that in the West, if you don’t graze on public lands, you don’t graze at all. He said that creating a federal buyout program is a dangerous step toward ending grazing on public lands, which would have a devastating impact on local economies throughout the West and would have unintended consequences on the environment.
In addition to striking buyout language from the bill, Simpson’s amendment inserted language to allow the BLM to continue working through the growing backlog of grazing permits that need to be reprocessed.
