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 announced that the Fiscal Year 2017 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill reverses proposed cuts to Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, and cleanup activities in Idaho. Simpson is Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, which passed the bill through the full House Appropriations Committee today, and had the lead role in deciding funding for all Department o... 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

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

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson strongly supports efforts to put the brakes on the Obama Administration’s new cap and trade regulations. Simpson has long opposed efforts to impose unworkable regulations on the energy sector that would do little to improve climate conditions but would impose prohibitive costs to consumers. Most recently he has cosponsored resolutions to disapprove of two rules recently finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson voted this week for legislation to bring certainty under EPA’s recently finalized coal ash regulations. H.R. 1734, the Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015, would put states in charge of implementing coal ash regulation in order to ensure that public health and the environment are protected while states’ rights are preserved. The bill passed by a vote of 258-166. Coal ash is the byproduct of coal combustion and is used to create roads, bridges... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson praised the House passage of the Fiscal Year 2016 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, which reverses proposed cuts to Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, and cleanup activities in Idaho. Simpson is Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and had the lead role in deciding funding for all Department of Energy programs. The legislation passed the U.S. House of Rep... Read more

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today announced that the Fiscal Year 2016 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill reverses proposed cuts to Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, and cleanup activities in Idaho. Simpson is Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, which passed the bill through the full House Appropriations Committee today, and had the lead role in deciding funding for all Department o... Read more

Last week, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson introduced H.R. 1719, the Geothermal Production Expansion Act of 2015. H.R. 1719 makes a small but important change to current law to facilitate the development of geothermal energy on public lands. H.R. 1719 would allow for expansion of renewable geothermal energy, while at the same time protecting the national interests in receiving fair market value for energy leases on federal lands. The intent of the legislation is to protect legitimate geothermal d... Read more