Recently in Washington

Recently the House passed the conference report for H.R. 2997, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010. The House also passed the conference report for H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010.

Simpson Cosponsors Bill to Increase Access for Fishermen and Hunters
Congressman Mike Simpson has cosponsored H.R. 3749, which recognizes the heritage of recreational fishing, hunting, and shooting on federal public lands and ensures continued opportunities for these activities. Simpson is the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Environment that provides funding for the Department of Interior.

“Idaho is known across the country as a great place to hunt and fish, and many Idahoans consider the opportunity to pursue these activities as one of the best things about living in our state,” said Simpson.  “Public lands offer outdoor sportsmen and women the chance to hunt, fish, and shoot in many of Idaho’s most beautiful wild places, and I want to ensure that they continue to have access to these areas.”

The legislation directs the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, the agencies that oversee most of our public lands, to provide for and promote sportsmen’s use and access in their land management plans. 

“Another area of concern that sportsmen face is limited areas for recreational shooting,” said Simpson. “This bill removes impediments so that land managers can choose to designate specific areas specifically for recreational shooting.  I believe that writing these protections into law will help to ensure our sportsmen have continued access.”

Other provisions in H.R. 3749:

• Requires that all federal public land planning evaluates the effects of management alternatives on sportsmen’s activities, providing a clear and informed picture of how proposed actions will affect the historic and traditional users. 
• Recognizes the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council and the Sporting Conservation Council as policy advisors to the Administration on issues relevant to the wildlife conservation and sportsmen’s communities. 
• Assures states’ authority to manage fish and wildlife on federal public lands.  

Simpson Opposes Hate Crime Legislation in Floor Vote
Congressman Simpson last week voted against H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 because it included a provision expanding federal jurisdiction over hate crimes.

The provision expands federal jurisdiction over hate crimes and broadens the definition to include real or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.  Currently 45 states, including Idaho, have hate crime laws, and there is zero evidence that states are not fully prosecuting violent crimes involving hate.  In fact, FBI statistics show that over the past ten years the incidence of hate crimes has actually declined.

Congressman Simpson was also concerned that this provision was attached to important legislation providing for our troops.  By adding this extraneous, and highly controversial, provision to a troop funding bill the Democrats politicized national security and legislation that has traditionally enjoyed strong bi-partisan support.

 House Legislative Business This Week 

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2009
On Monday, the House is not in session.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:30 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Suspensions (16 Bills):

1.  H.R. 3689 - To provide for an extension of the legislative authority of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. to establish a Vietnam Veterans Memorial visitor center (Sponsored by Rep. Rahall / Natural Resources Committee)
2. H.R. 1593 - To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a segment of Illabot Creek in Skagit County, Washington, as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (Sponsored by Rep. Larsen / Natural Resources Committee)
3. H.R. 3537 - Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (Sponsored by Rep. Ortiz / Natural Resources Committee)
4. H.R. 3433 - To amend the North American Wetlands Conservation Act to establish requirements regarding payment of the non-Federal share of the costs of wetlands conservation projects in Canada that are funded under that Act (Sponsored by Rep. Wittman / Natural Resources Committee)
5. H.R. 3476 - To reauthorize the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Citizen Advisory Commission (Sponsored by Rep. Garrett / Natural Resources Committee)
6. H.R. 2877 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 76 Brookside Avenue in Chester, New York, as the "1st Lieutenant Louis Allen Post Office" (Sponsored by Rep. Hall (NY) / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
7. H.Res. 209 - Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Daughters of Penelope, a preeminent international women's association and affiliate organization of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Sponsored by Rep. Maloney / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
8. H.R. 3319 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 440 South Gulling Street in Portola, California, as the "Army Specialist Jeremiah Paul McCleery Post Office Building" (Sponsored by Rep. McClintock / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
9. H.Res. 791 - Congratulating the Aldine Independent School District in Harris County, Texas, on winning the 2009 "Broad Prize for Urban Education" (Sponsored by Rep. Gene Green / Education and Labor Committee)
10. H.Res. 659 - Congratulating Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., on 98 years of serving local communities and enriching the lives of collegiate men throughout the Nation (Sponsored by Rep. Hastings (FL) / Education and Labor Committee)
11. H.Res. 730 - Honoring the 100th anniversary of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (Sponsored by Rep. Kind / Education and Labor Committee)
12. H.Res. 768 - Expressing support for the designation of the month of October as "National Work and Family Month" (Sponsored by Rep. McCarthy (NY) / Education and Labor Committee)
13. H.Res. __ - Expressing support for students to learn about Christopher Columbus (Sponsored by Rep. Thompson (PA) / Education and Labor Committee)
14. H.R. 1327 - Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2009 (Sponsored by Rep. Frank / Financial Services Committee)
15. H.R. 621 - Girl Scouts USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act (Sponsored by Rep. Kingston / Financial Services Committee)
16. H.R. 3606 - Credit CARD Technical Corrections Act of 2009 (Sponsored by Rep. Welch / Financial Services Committee)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business. On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business.

Suspensions (17 Bills):

1. H.Res. 408 - Recognizing the vital role family readiness volunteers play in supporting service members and their families (Sponsored by Rep. Davis (CA) / Armed Services Committee)
2. H.Res. 754 - Honoring the citizen-soldiers of the National Guard of the State of Pennsylvania, including the 56th Brigade Combat Team (Stryker) of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard on its return to the United States from deployment in Iraq (Sponsored by Rep. Holden / Armed Services Committee)
3. H.Res. 445 - Recognizing 100 years of military aviation and expressing continued support for military aviators of the United States Armed Forces (Sponsored by Rep. Olson / Armed Services Committee)
4. H.Res. 627 - Honoring the citizen-soldiers of the National Guard of the State of Washington, including the 81st Brigade Combat Team (Heavy) of the Washington Army National Guard (Sponsored by Rep. Smith (WA) / Armed Services Committee)
5. H.Res. 810 - Expressing condolences to the citizens of Indonesia and support for the Government of Indonesia in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck the island of Sumatra (Sponsored by Rep. Burton / Foreign Affairs Committee)
6. H.Res. 816 - Mourning the loss of life caused by the earthquakes and tsunamis that occurred on September 29, 2009, in American Samoa and Samoa (Sponsored by Rep. Faleomavaega / Foreign Affairs Committee)
7. H.Res. 786 - Commemorating the canonization of Father Damien de Veuster, SS.CC. to sainthood (Sponsored by Rep. Hirono / Foreign Affairs Committee) 
8. H.Res. 266 - Celebrating 90 years of United States-Polish diplomatic relations, during which Poland has proven to be an exceptionally strong partner to the United States in advancing freedom around the world (Sponsored by Rep. Lipinski / Foreign Affairs Committee)
9. H.Res. 603 - Recognizing the 140th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi (Sponsored by Rep. Ros-Lehtinen / Foreign Affairs Committee)
10. H.Res. 800 - Expressing sympathy for the citizens of the Philippines dealing with Tropical Storm Ketsana and Typhoon Parma (Sponsored by Rep. Speier / Foreign Affairs Committee)
11. H.R. 3371 - Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009 (Sponsored by Rep. Costello / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
12. H.R. 2423 - To designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, as the "George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States Courthouse", and to designate the jury room in that Federal building and United States courthouse as the "Marcel C. Notzon II Jury Room" (Sponsored by Rep. Cuellar / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
13. H.Res. 465 - Recognizing the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association on the occasion of its 10th anniversary (Sponsored by Rep. Brown (SC) / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
14. H.R. 2651 - Maritime Workforce Development Act (Sponsored by Rep. Cummings / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
15. H.Con.Res. 138 - Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas (Sponsored by Rep. Jackson-Lee / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
16. H.R. 1700 - National Women's History Museum Act of 2009 (Sponsored by Rep. Maloney / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
17. H.Res. 719 - Commending Russ Meyer on his induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame (Sponsored by Rep. Tiahrt / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)

H.R. 2442 - Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act of 2009 (Subject to a Rule)
(Sponsored by Rep. George Miller / Natural Resources Committee)

Conference Report on H.R. 2892 - Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Price (NC) / Appropriations Committee)

Possible Consideration of the Conference Report on H.R. 2996 - Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Dicks / Appropriations Committee)

In the News

The Post Register, “Cheers and Jeers”
October 9, 2009

Cheers to Idaho's congressional delegation -- Republicans Mike Crapo, James Risch and Mike Simpson and Democrat Walt Minnick -- for its unanimous support of a proposal that would require legislation be posted on the Internet 72 hours before it gets voted on.

The health care debate has polarized America and everything is viewed with suspicion. But this process was intended to be deliberative. And people on both sides of the health care debate have a vested interest in knowing the details.

The waiting period probably doesn't make sense for all bills. But health care has taken on a new dimension. When people don't know the details, they tend to fill those gaps with rumor, innuendo, speculation and outright lies.

There's nothing wrong with making sure the public and politicians are sufficiently informed before a decision of this magnitude is made.