Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined 94 colleagues in urging House leadership to secure full funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. In a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Simpson and others urged the federal government to fulfill its responsibility to counties with tax-exempt federal land by fully funding both programs. “Last year’s Omnibus spending bill was critical in preserving funding for PILT at levels that keep up with the needs of commu... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported the House Interior and Environment Appropriations bill for FY17 during the House Appropriations Committee consideration. Included in the legislation are policies important to western states and critical funding for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), a vital program in the west that ensures communities are adequately compensated for the lack of tax revenue due to the presence of federal land. “Every county in Idaho depends on the federal government mee... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined a bipartisan group of Members of Congress in sending a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) top official expressing extreme concerns with the use of federal funding for advocacy and lobbying efforts. EPA funds were recently linked to an advocacy project in Washington State. “As an Idahoan I fully expect to have differences with the EPA regarding policy,” said Simpson. “But one thing that we should always agree on is the law and these advocac... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported legislation protecting Americans’ access to hunting, fishing and shooting on public lands. H.R. 2406, the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act, would ensure federal land managers continue to allow reliable access to public lands and protect Second Amendment rights. H.R. 2406 passed the House of Representatives by a bipartisan vote of 242-161. “In Idaho, we love to hunt, fish, and enjoy other forms of recreation on our public... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson’s H.R. 812, the Indian Trust Asset Reform Act, passed by voice vote in the House of Representatives. The bill would modernize the federal government’s role in managing Indian trust property by allowing tribes to manage their own assets through negotiated demonstration projects with the Department of Interior. “This legislation is a step forward for tribes in how they manage their assets,” said Simpson. “Instead of the complicated and inconsistent bureaucratic proce... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined 253 Members of Congress in passing S.J.Res. 22, a resolution intended to stop the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from implementing the Obama Administration’s controversial Clean Water Rule. The rule, which was implemented in June 2015 in spite of widespread opposition among the public and in Congress, broadly expands the agencies’ jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. S.J.Res. 22 would use the Congressional Review Act ... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today applauded the passage of H.R. 2029, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations bill that included many important provisions for Idaho and Western States. The House passed H.R. 2029 by a vote of 316-113, and it will be considered by the U.S. Senate today. Links to the bill text and reports can be found here: https://rules.house.gov/bill/114/hr-2029-sa. “I applaud Chairman Rogers and Speaker Ryan for their hard work in assembli... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson applauded the release of H.R. 2029, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations bill that included many important provisions for Idaho and Western States. “I applaud Chairman Rogers and Speaker Ryan for their hard work in assembling this comprehensive and responsible package that will keep the government open through the rest of this fiscal year,” said Simpson. “This bill contains many critical wins for Idaho and Western States. It ... Read more

The House Appropriations Committee released FY2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill last night. This legislation includes funding for the 12 annual Appropriations bills through the end of the fiscal year, September 30, 2016. Many provisions that are critical to Idaho are included in the legislation. Chairman Simpson secured increased funding for operations and research at the INL, funding for the A-10 at Gowen Field, and full funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. Simpson’s language... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson voted for two resolutions intended to put the brakes on the Obama Administration’s new cap and trade regulations. The votes on S.J Res. 23 and S.J. Res. 24 disapprove of two rules recently finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from new and existing power plants. S.J.Res. 23 and S.J.Res. 24 would employ the Congressional Review Act to ensure that the rules do not go into effect. Simpson has long opposed efforts t... Read more