{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", state = \"ID\" and year = 2024 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-the-death-of-former-president-jimmy-carter", "Crapo Statement on the Death of Former President Jimmy Carter", "2024-12-29", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued this statement following news that former President James \u201cJimmy\u201d Carter died December 29, 2024:\n\n\u201cPresident Jimmy Carter lived a life of public service that demonstrated an unquestionable dedication and love of his country. He was an influential leader both inside the Oval Office and out. His service to the U.S. Navy and his philanthropy within his various communities will always be remembered. I join with Idahoans in sending my condolences to the entire Carter family, and am certain Jimmy and Rosalynn are rejoicing together in their reunion.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-lummis-slam-blms-stone-mannings-new-job-at-environmental-group", "Crapo, Risch, Lummis Slam BLM's Stone-Manning's New Job at Environmental Group", "2024-12-23", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) led 22 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Heather Gottry, the U.S. Department of the Interior Ethics Office Director, urging her to identify conflicts of interest throughout the department and advise the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director and others to recuse themselves from any pending agency business for the duration of their service.\n\n\u201cOver the last four years, the American West has suffered greatly as the BLM has imposed policies straight from the playbook of the BLM Director\u2019s future employer. Across the west, those who live near and rely on public lands for their economic livelihood have suffered from new resource management plans that choose preservation over multiple use,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cCommunities have languished from the BLM\u2019s flat-out refusal to follow the law that mandates onshore oil and gas lease sales. Ranchers have struggled with grazing permit renewals all while staring down a new rule that improperly puts \u2018conservation\u2019 on equal footing with multiple use activities and threatening to end their businesses.\"\n\nRisch, Crapo and Lummis are joined in sending the letter by U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) and 14 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/12/21/2024/crapo-statement-on-continuing-resolution", "Crapo Statement on Continuing Resolution", "2024-12-21", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the following statement after voting against the Continuing Resolution (CR) to extend government funding through March 14, 2025:\n\n\u201cThis CR is yet another bandaid on our nation\u2019s growing fiscal crisis. This stopgap solution fails to follow our annual budget and appropriations process, usurping the vested oversight and authority of Congress.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-elaine-cleggs-appointment-to-amtrak-board", "Crapo Statement on Elaine Clegg\u2019s Appointment to Amtrak Board", "2024-12-21", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) released the following statement after the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Elaine Clegg as a member of the Amtrak Board of Directors.\n\n\u201cElaine Clegg\u2019s appointment gives Idaho a voice on the Amtrak Board,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cShe has been a great champion for expanding Amtrak service back into Idaho for many years, and I look forward to her tenure in this new role.\u201d\n\nThe U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation approved Clegg\u2019s nomination to the Amtrak Board of Directors on December 12, 2024.\n\nClegg currently serves as the CEO of Valley Regional Transit. She served on the Boise City Council for nearly 20 years. Clegg has led various efforts to reestablish passenger rail in Idaho and the greater Northwest. She has held the Chair or President position on the boards of Valley Regional Transit, the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho, the Association of Idaho Cities at the state level, the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations and the National League of Cities Transportation Infrastructure Services Committee nationally.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-rischbill-to-repair-urban-canals-passes-senate", "Crapo, Risch Bill to Repair Urban Canals Passes Senate", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) applauded Senate passage of the Urban Canal Modernization Act, which would allow Bureau of Reclamation aging infrastructure funding to help address repairs for urban canals with extraordinary maintenance issues. Many western canals, like the New York Canal in Idaho\u2019s Treasure Valley, have gone from being rural in nature to surrounded by urban infrastructure over time.\n\n\u201cThe aging of urban canals could pose serious threats to adjacent communities,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cProviding resources to local canal managers will protect the growing residential and business area along the New York Canal in Boise.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaintaining urban canals is critical to protect our communities and way of life in the West,\u201d said Risch. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to see the Senate pass my Urban Canal Modernization Act, which is a commonsense fix to allow for much needed infrastructure repairs.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Crapo and Risch, the Urban Canal Modernization Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon).\n\nThe New York Canal in Idaho, which conveys water from the Boise River 41 miles to Lake Lowell, was once surrounded by farmland. Today, it is located amid one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country. Converted agricultural land is common across the West, but poses challenges in regards to infrastructure updates. The New York Canal, like many urban canals, provides important agricultural and municipal uses, but also has extraordinary maintenance that comes at a much higher risk being surrounded by homes and businesses than the rural landscape that was primarily present when the canals were constructed.\n\nThese canals currently do not have easy access to funding to make these repairs as a result of their urban surroundings. The Urban Canal Modernization Act would fix this by allowing Reclamation funding to be used for certain urban canal maintenance issues.\n\n?###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/senate-unanimously-approves-crapo-risch-bill-to-name-jerome-post-office-for-representative-maxine-bell", "Senate Unanimously Approves Crapo, Risch Bill to Name Jerome Post Office for Representative Maxine Bell", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) applaud the Senate\u2019s unanimous passage of legislation to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 154 First Avenue East in Jerome, Idaho, as the \"Representative Maxine Bell Post Office.\"\n\n?Bell served in the Idaho House of Representatives from 1988 to 2018. During her 15 terms in the Idaho Legislature, Bell also served as the Co-Chair of the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee (JFAC). Bell earned an Associate of Arts in library science from College of Southern Idaho. Bell also attended Idaho State University and worked as a librarian.\n\n\u201cRepresentative Bell\u2019s wisdom and guidance leading JFAC has had a profound and lasting impact on the fiscal responsibility of the state of Idaho,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cHer prudence extends far past her work in the legislature, making her an esteemed leader in Jerome and beyond.\u201d\n\n\u201cRepresentative Maxine Bell dedicated her life to serving her community and the people of Idaho,\u201d said Risch. \u201cHer remarkable 30-year tenure in the Idaho legislature brought about great progress for the Magic Valley and strengthened our state. I\u2019m pleased to see the Senate approve the naming of the Representative Maxine Bell Post Office in Jerome, where her legacy will inspire generations of Idahoans.\u201d\n\n\"I cannot think of a more deserving person for this honor, said City of Jerome Mayor Dave Davis. \u201cMaxine epitomizes service as indicated by the many years that she represented our community in the Idaho State Legislature. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful person residing in our community. I am blessed to call her a friend and mentor. Thank you Maxine!\"\n\n\u201cI am pleased that Senators Crapo and Risch sponsored legislation to honor Representative Maxine Bell,\u201d said College of Southern Idaho President Dean Fisher. \u201cHer life has been dedicated to improving the lives of Idahoans through the power of education. Her life has been, and continues to be, a life of service.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-demands-biden-admin-halt-any-last-ditch-dam-breaching-efforts", "Crapo Demands Biden Admin Halt Any Last-Ditch Dam Breaching Efforts", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.-- U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) signed a letter demanding the Biden Administration stop any eleventh-hour attempts to breach the four hydroelectric dams on the lower Snake River.\n\nSenator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) led the letter to U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. Crapo and Risch were joined by Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Steve Daines (R-Montana) and John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) in sending the letter.\n\n\u201cThe incoming administration should be allowed the time and opportunity to carefully review and shape the management of the Columbia River System, including the lower Snake River dams,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cThe river system is the backbone of the Pacific Northwest, providing essential benefits to the region, including energy production, agricultural support, recreation, and transportation. We remain deeply concerned that key stakeholders from energy, agriculture, transportation, and other critical sectors have been consistently left out of the decision-making process regarding the future of the Federal Columbia River Power System, especially in regard to the dams on the lower Snake River\u2026This failure to engage with affected communities and industries not only undermines the principles of fair governance but also increases the risk for devastating economic and social consequences.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-meets-with-trump-cabinet-nominees", "Crapo Meets with Trump Cabinet Nominees", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) wrapped two weeks of meetings with the first tranche of President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s Cabinet nominees.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump deserves to have a Cabinet he selects to help deliver on his conservative agenda,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cI have had productive conversations with several nominees and appreciate their willingness to meet with me and share their visions for America\u2019s future. Each of these nominees will undergo the rigorous Senate confirmation process, and I look forward to further evaluating their qualifications so we can begin the important work before us.\u201d\n\nTo date, Senator Crapo has met with the following individuals:\n\nScott Bessent, nominee for Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury;\n\nRobert F. Kennedy Jr., nominee for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services;\n\nScott Turner, nominee for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development;\n\nElise Stefanik, nominee for Ambassador to the United Nations;\n\nRussell Vought, nominee for Director of the Office of Management and Budget;\n\nJamieson Greer, nominee for U.S. Trade Representative;\n\nHoward Lutnick, nominee for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce; and\n\nPete Hegseth, nominee for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense.\n\nAs the next Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over federal tax policy, social safety net and health care programs, and foreign trade agreements, Senator Crapo will oversee the confirmation process for each of the nominees within the Committee\u2019s jurisdiction. For more news and information about his meetings with those nominees, please visit the Committee\u2019s website here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-demand-answers-for-biden-admin-sale-of-border-wall-materials", "Crapo, Risch Demand Answers for Biden Admin Sale of Border Wall Materials", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) today demanded the Biden Administration answer for the sale of border wall construction materials. The auctioning of border wall components has exacerbated the illegal immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border and undermines the U.S. Department of Defense\u2019s (DOD) duty to fortify national security and protect Americans.\n\n\u201cBy opting to sell materials intended for the construction of the border wall, DOD is exacerbating the ongoing illegal immigration crisis and subverting Congress\u2019s statutory mandate to strengthen border security,\u201d wrote the Senators. \u201cIdahoans recognize the national security threat created by the border crisis. Our communities are directly impacted by the unchecked flow of drugs and human trafficking through our southern border. The Department of Defense has a clear obligation to protect the security of the United States, and we urge you to uphold that responsibility. The DOD could have continued construction of the southern border wall with these materials, but instead chose to prioritize politics over the safety of our citizens.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/legislation-to-clean-up-abandoned-mines-signed-into-law", "Legislation to Clean Up Abandoned Mines Signed Into Law", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) announced the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act, of which he is a co-sponsor, was signed into law by President Joe Biden. This legislation will make it easier for \u201cGood Samaritans,\u201d such as state agencies, nonprofits and other groups, to clean up and improve water quality in and around abandoned hardrock mines.\n\n\u201cGood Samaritans are upholding a duty to the natural environment as stewards of the land, and we must continue our work to ensure they have the support they need to work unencumbered by burdensome regulations and undue liability risks,\u201d said Crapo.\n\nBackground\n\nThe U.S. has hundreds of thousands of abandoned hardrock mine features, of which at least 33,000 pose environmental hazards according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Organizations that have no legal or financial responsibility to an abandoned mine--true Good Samaritans--want to volunteer to remediate some of these sites. Unfortunately, liability rules would leave these Good Samaritans legally responsible for all the pre-existing pollution from a mine, even though they had no involvement with the mine prior to cleaning it up.\n\nThe Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act creates a pilot permitting program to enable not-for-profit cleanup efforts to move forward, while ensuring Good Samaritans have the skills and resources to comply with federal oversight. This pilot program is designed for lower risk projects that will improve water and soil quality or otherwise protect human health.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/12/18/2024/crapo-statement-on-announcement-of-intent-to-nominate-frank-bisignano-to-serve-as-commissioner-of-the-social-security-administration", "Crapo Statement on Announcement of Intent to Nominate Frank Bisignano to Serve as Commissioner of the Social Security Administration", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the lead Republican of the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees the Social Security Administration, issued the following statement after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Frank Bisignano to serve as the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration:\n\n\u201cThe Social Security Administration provides more than $1 trillion in benefits to millions of seniors, individuals with disabilities and their families each year. The position of Commissioner is particularly important at a time when the agency is facing significant operational challenges. Frank Bisignano\u2019s career of revamping financial services institutions and stewarding their resources will serve him well in this crucial role. I look forward to considering his nomination before the Committee.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-kelly-hickenlooper-applaud-language-in-fy-2025-ndaa-to-preserve-air-national-guard-fighter-missions", "Crapo, Kelly, Hickenlooper Applaud Language in FY 2025 NDAA to Preserve Air National Guard Fighter Missions", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado) are applauding the inclusion of language based on the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The U.S. Senate passed the FY 2025 NDAA by an 85-14 vote on Wednesday.\n\nCrapo and Hickenlooper introduced the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act in July 2023. Kelly subsequently secured the language in the FY 2025 NDAA.\n\n\u201cForce reductions in squadrons--such as the Idaho Air National Guard\u2019s 190th Fighter Squadron--reduce preparedness and jeopardize the strength of our fighting force,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cInclusion of this language in the FY 2025 NDAA requiring the U.S. Air Force to submit a plan for sustainment and recapitalization of Air National Guard fighter squadrons ensures their preservation amid increasing national security threats at home and abroad.\u201d\n\n\u201cPreserving and modernizing our Air National Guard fighter squadrons is a National Defense Strategy imperative. The 2025 NDAA\u2019s inclusion of Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization language is a meaningful next step to ensuring units like Idaho\u2019s 190th Fighter Squadron remain ready, relevant, and fully equipped to defend our nation in an era of complex and immediate threats,\u201d said Maj Gen Tim Donnellan, the Adjutant General of Idaho and the commander of the Idaho National Guard. \u201cIdaho has a proud legacy of excellence in air combat operations, and this effort reinforces our commitment to staying at the forefront of national defense. By sustaining and recapitalizing our fighter fleet, we\u2019re not just maintaining capability--we\u2019re ensuring that the Air National Guard remains a vital, experienced and an indispensable part of the Total Force for years to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Air National Guard plays a critical support role, and this provision in the defense bill will allow us to strategically modernize our Air National Guard units alongside the Air Force so that we have the most effective reserve components possible,\u201d said Kelly.\n\n\u201cOur Air National Guard fighter squadrons--like the Buckley-based 140th Wing--are responsible for 94 percent of homeland defense missions,\u201d said Hickenlooper. \u201cForced reductions with no plan to replace their capabilities is dangerous. Our bipartisan bill puts these vital units on the path to full replacement and secures our national security.\u201d\n\nSince 1987, the U.S. Air Force fighter fleet has been reduced by 60 percent. The Air National Guard (ANG) represents 27 percent of the Air Force fighter force and is responsible for 94 percent of homeland defense missions. Unfortunately, the Air Force is moving to divest many of the ANG legacy equipment, including A-10s, F-15Cs and older F-16s, without a plan to recapitalize them with advanced aircraft. The Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act will ensure the Air Force maintains 25 ANG fighter squadrons across 22 states, ready to protect Americans at home and abroad. On average, the pilots and maintainers in the ANG are twice as experienced as their active duty counterparts.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-support-americas-armed-forces", "Crapo, Risch Support America\u2019s Armed Forces", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) voted in support of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), fulfilling Congress\u2019s constitutional duty to \u201cprovide for the common defense.\u201d\n\nThe FY 2025 NDAA strengthens America\u2019s military capabilities, bolsters national security, and incorporates key provisions important to the state of Idaho. The legislation supports our troops and their families through well-deserved pay increases, increased access to childcare and employment opportunities, and improved military housing. Republican lawmakers also included language to prohibit the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) from carrying out woke initiatives focused on gender identity rather than military readiness.\n\n\u201cThe FY2025 NDAA includes a plethora of wins for Idaho and America,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cInclusion of language from my bill, the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act, protects fighter squadrons--such as the Idaho Air National Guard\u2019s 190th Fighter Squadron--from force reductions. Likewise, securing funds for projects at the Mountain Home Air Force Base and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) will have lasting, positive impacts on local communities, the economy and our national security. While this bill, like many pieces of legislation passed in Congress, is far from perfect, I am proud of the advancements of commonsense policies that protect our values, secure our border and ensure our military is prepared as we face and mitigate threats from adversaries at home and abroad.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s NDAA places the safety of the American people ahead of woke identity politics,\u201d said Risch. \u201cThis legislation directs critical resources, including a well-deserved pay raise, to our brave men and women in uniform and strengthens our national security in Idaho and abroad.\u201d\n\nSenators Crapo and Risch secured provisions important to the state of Idaho in the NDAA that will:\n\nRequire the U.S. Air Force to develop a plan to sustain and recapitalize the fighter fleets for the Air National Guard at a time when pilot and maintenance manning are at critically low levels;\n\nDirect DOD to submit a report to Congress about the current state of the domestic supply of necessary components, including nitrocellulose, for smokeless gun powder;\n\nProvide additional support for Project Pele, a mobile micro nuclear reactor project that is a partnership between DoD and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL);\n\nProvide resources for cleanup and waste disposition, regulatory support and construction at the INL;\n\nDirect funding to the Idaho Falls Naval Reactors Facility, which supports the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program;\n\nDirect funding to the Mountain Home Air Force Base Child Development Center;\n\nThe FY 2025 NDAA further:\n\nProvides a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers and a 4.5 percent basic pay increase for all servicemembers;\n\nExpands servicemember access to childcare, health care and spousal support;\n\nAuthorizes funding to improve existing barracks and build new ones;\n\nProhibits the DOD from using taxpayer dollars to cover gender transition surgeries, puberty blockers, and hormone treatments for minors;\n\nBlocks critical race theory programming in the military, including at service academies and DoD schools;\n\nEliminates Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) positions at DOD;\n\nCounters antisemitism by prohibiting DOD from contracting with entities that have or are engaged in a boycott of Israel;\n\nTakes numerous steps to counter Chinese espionage and business at U.S. military facilities;\n\nStreamlines bureaucracy to expedite the rebuilding of our nation\u2019s military arsenal;\n\nReaffirms support and allied cooperation for Taiwan, South Korea and the Philippines from adversaries in the pacific; and\n\nExtends the DOD\u2019s authority to support partner forces in the fight against ISIS.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-meeting-with-hhs-secretary-nominee", "Crapo Statement on Meeting With HHS Secretary Nominee", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) released the following statement after meeting with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary:\n\n\u201cRFK Jr. is passionate about ending our chronic disease epidemic and making measurable improvements in America\u2019s federal health care programs. We had a good discussion about his vision for HHS, priorities and the opportunity to work with the Finance Committee.\u201d\n\nDownload the image here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-wyden-legislation-honoring-medal-of-honor-recipients-becomes-law", "Crapo, Wyden Legislation Honoring Medal of Honor Recipients Becomes Law", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) today celebrated the passage of their bipartisan bill designating U.S. Highway 20 between Newport, Oregon, and New England as the \u201cNational Medal of Honor Highway.\u201d\n\n\u201cIdaho\u2019s veterans enrich our communities through service past and present. Medal of Honor recipients have acted well beyond the call of duty, and many continue to do so long after they leave military service,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cThis 3,000-mile recognition ensures all Medal of Honor recipients are honored across 12 states for many years to come.\u201d\n\n\"It\u2019s fitting that our country\u2019s longest continuous highway, stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic, is now dedicated to our veterans who have continuously served and protected our country from sea to shining sea,\u201d said Wyden. \u201cI\u2019m gratified the National Medal of Honor Highway now stands as a timeless tribute to the heroes of Oregon and America who helped make this grassroots movement a reality.\u201d\n\nThe Medal of Honor is the nation\u2019s highest military award for valor, presented by the president in Congress\u2019s name. U.S. servicemembers who distinguish themselves \u201cthrough conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty\u201d can receive the medal.\n\nRedesignating U.S. Highway 20--the longest continuous highway in the United States--as the \u201cNational Medal of Honor Highway\u201d would honor each state\u2019s current and future Medal of Honor recipients and recipients from any state who travel on it.\n\nIn March 2019, Idaho designated its 400-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 20 to be the Idaho Medal of Honor Highway. Legislatures and governors in the other 11 states along U.S. Highway 20 have also designated their state Medal of Honor Highways, thus covering 100 percent of the 3,365-mile Medal of Honor Highway across America. The 12 states along U.S. Highway 20 accounts for about 62 percent of all 3,516 Medal of Honor awards presented since the Civil War. Designating U.S. Highway 20 as the \u201cNational Medal of Honor Highway'' would ensure all 3,516 recipients and any future recipients from all 50 states and territories are honored.\n\nThe legislation is supported by the Bend Heroes Foundation, Military Officers Association of America, The American Legion, Legion of Valor, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America, Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-meeting-with-ustr-nominee", "Crapo Statement on Meeting With USTR Nominee", "2024-12-17", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) released the following statement after meeting with Jamieson Greer, President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s nominee to be the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR):\n\n\u201cThe U.S. Trade Representative will play a critical role in the next Administration by negotiating and enforcing trade agreements that ensure American businesses have the opportunity to compete in global markets. Jamieson\u2019s extensive trade experience \u2013 including in the previous Trump Administration \u2013 makes him well equipped to crack down on unfair trade practices and fight for market access for our farmers and manufacturers. I look forward to working with my colleagues to quickly consider his nomination before the Committee.\u201d\n\nDownload the image here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-announces-new-hires-staff-changes-in-dc-office", "Crapo Announces New Hires, Staff Changes in D.C. Office", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) announced new hires and staff changes in his Washington, D.C., office.\n\nGrant Auman joined the Crapo office as Staff Assistant and D.C. Office Manager. Grant first joined the Crapo office as an intern in June. He previously completed an internship for U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska). Grant graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with degrees in political science, economics and Spanish.\n\nMatthew Favero joined the Crapo office as Staff Assistant and IT Assistant. He first joined the Crapo office as an intern in 2022. Matthew graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in American studies.\n\nMatthew Mondello has been promoted to Legislative Aide. Matthew previously served the Crapo office as a Legislative Correspondent. He previously worked for retired U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) as a Staff Assistant and Legislative Correspondent. Matthew graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in politics. As a Legislative Aide, Matthew is responsible for pro-life, education and child development issues.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-backed-legislation-to-clean-up-abandoned-mines-passes-us-house-of-representatives-heads-to-presidents-desk-to-be-signed-into-law", "Crapo-Backed Legislation to Clean Up Abandoned Mines Passes U.S. House of Representatives, Heads to President\u2019s Desk to be Signed into Law", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) celebrated the passage of S. 2781, the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. Crapo is a co-sponsor of the bill led by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho). The legislation will make it easier for \u201cGood Samaritans,\u201d such as state agencies, nonprofits and other groups to clean up and improve water quality in and around abandoned hardrock mines.\n\nThe Senate unanimously passed the bill in July. The bill now heads to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.\n\n\u201cThis measure is a good step toward removing the red tape that creates unnecessary hurdles for those committed to responsibly cleaning up mines,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cGood Samaritans are upholding a duty to the natural environment as stewards of the land, and we in Congress must continue our work to ensure they have the support they need to work unencumbered by burdensome regulations and undue liability risks.\u201d\n\nBackground\n\nThe U.S. has hundreds of thousands of abandoned hardrock mine features, of which at least 33,000 pose environmental hazards according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Organizations that have no legal or financial responsibility to an abandoned mine-- true Good Samaritans-- want to volunteer to remediate some of these sites. Unfortunately, liability rules would leave these Good Samaritans legally responsible for all the pre-existing pollution from a mine, even though they had no involvement with the mine prior to cleaning it up.\n\nThe Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act creates a pilot permitting program to enable not-for-profit cleanup efforts to move forward, while ensuring Good Samaritans have the skills and resources to comply with federal oversight. This pilot program is designed for lower risk projects that will improve water and soil quality or otherwise protect human health.\n\nA one-page summary is here.\n\nThe text of the bill is here.\n\nThe legislation is co-sponsored by 38 additional U.S. Senators.\n\nThe Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act has garnered widespread support from agencies and organizations:\n\nStates: Western Governor\u2019s Association, Western States Water Council, Interstate Mining Compact Commission, National Association of Abandoned Mind Land Programs, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Attorney General of Colorado, Governor of Nevada.\n\nNational conservation organizations: American Rivers, American Sportfishing Association, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, National Parks Conservation Association, National Wildlife Federation, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Conservation Alliance, Nature Conservancy, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Trout Unlimited.\n\nMining industry organizations: National Mining Association, American Exploration and Mining Association.\n\nTribal leaders: National Congress of American Indians.\n\nOutdoor Recreation organizations and businesses: American Fly Fishing Trade Association, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Outdoor Alliance, and dozens of state and local organizations and businesses.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-meeting-with-treasury-secretary-nominee", "Crapo Statement on Meeting With Treasury Secretary Nominee", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) released the following statement after meeting with Scott Bessent, President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s nominee for Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury:\n\n\u201cThe Treasury Secretary will play a pivotal role in preserving the Trump tax cuts and shaping additional policy to reignite the economy. Scott\u2019s an accomplished business leader who understands the importance of preserving and building on the pro-growth tax policies that have spurred job creation, led to higher wages and allowed taxpayers to keep more of what they earn. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure he is confirmed as quickly as possible.\u201d\n\nDownload the image here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-wyden-bill-designating-national-medal-of-honor-highway-awaits-presidents-signature", "Crapo, Wyden Bill Designating \u201cNational Medal of Honor Highway\u201d Awaits President\u2019s Signature", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) applaud the U.S. House of Representatives passage of their bipartisan legislation, S.1478, designating U.S. Highway 20, which runs from Oregon to Massachusetts, the \u201cNational Medal of Honor Highway.\u201d The bill unanimously passed the U.S. Senate in December 2023, and now awaits President Joe Biden\u2019s signature to become law.\n\n\u201cIdaho\u2019s veterans enrich our communities through service past and present. Medal of Honor recipients have acted well beyond the call of duty, and many continue to do so long after they leave military service,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cThis 3,000-mile recognition ensures all Medal of Honor recipients are honored across 12 states for many years to come.\u201d\n\n\"Our veterans in Oregon and throughout America deserve every honor we can bestow on them for their brave service to our nation,\u201d said Wyden. \u201cI\u2019m gratified our country's longest continuous highway, stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic, will be designated as the \u2018National Medal of Honor Highway,\u2019 standing as a timeless tribute to the heroes of Oregon and America who helped make this grassroots movement a reality.\u201d\n\nThe Medal of Honor is the nation\u2019s highest military award for valor, presented by the president in Congress\u2019s name. U.S. servicemembers who distinguish themselves \u201cthrough conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty\u201d can receive the medal.\n\nRedesignating U.S. Highway 20--the longest continuous highway in the United States--as the \u201cNational Medal of Honor Highway\u201d would honor each state\u2019s current and future Medal of Honor recipients and recipients from any state who travel on it.\n\nIn March 2019, Idaho designated its 400-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 20 to be the Idaho Medal of Honor Highway. Legislatures and governors in the other 11 states along U.S. Highway 20 have also designated their state Medal of Honor Highways, thus covering 100 percent of the 3,365-mile Medal of Honor Highway across America. The 12 states along U.S. Highway 20 accounts for about 62 percent of all 3,516 Medal of Honor awards presented since the Civil War. Designating U.S. Highway 20 as the \u201cNational Medal of Honor Highway'' would ensure all 3,516 recipients and any future recipients from all 50 states and territories are honored.\n\nThe legislation is supported by the Bend Heroes Foundation, Military Officers Association of America, The American Legion, Legion of Valor, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America, Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-scott-banking-republicans-press-biden-administration-on-sanctions-enforcement-on-irans-oil-sector", "Crapo, Scott, Banking Republicans Press Biden Administration on Sanctions Enforcement on Iran\u2019s Oil Sector", "2024-12-06", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.-- U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) and Senate Banking Republicans in raising concerns with the delayed implementation and enforcement of sanctions on Iran\u2019s oil sector. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, Crapo, Scott and colleagues urged the Treasury Department to deploy all available sanctions enforcement tools to monitor and sanction illicit oil transactions involving Iran and to provide detailed information regarding the administration\u2019s efforts to do so.\n\n\u201cCongress has consistently identified Iran's oil sector as a critical area for sanctions due to its significant role in financing destabilizing regional terrorism and nuclear development,\u201d wrote the Senators. \u201cUnfortunately, delays in fully implementing the SHIP Act remain a concern, as does the need for increased sanctions enforcement.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe recent determination on October 11th to expand Executive Order 13902 to persons supporting Iran\u2019s petroleum or petrochemical sectors and the subsequent action on December 3rd are encouraging steps, but now your Department must continue to follow through with rigorous enforcement action,\u201d the Senators continued. \u201cLax sanctions enforcement has enabled certain nations, particularly in Southeast Asia, to openly disregard U.S. sanctions and sell Iranian crude to China. For example, trade data show that Malaysia is exporting oil to China in excess of its own production capacity, a clear indication of involvement in Iranian oil trade. To address these deficiencies, it is critical that Treasury deploys all available enforcement tools and fully engages in monitoring and sanctioning illicit oil transactions involving Iran.\u201d\n\nIn closing, the letter demands the following information from the Treasury Department no later than December 20, 2024:\n\nAn assessment of all vessels listed by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) in its Tanker Tracker and its Ghost Armada to determine whether they meet the criteria for sanctions under E.O. 13902 as entities operating in Iran\u2019s petroleum and petrochemical sectors.\n\nA comprehensive assessment of all foreign financial institutions facilitating Iranian oil exports.\n\nA briefing on Treasury\u2019s engagements with foreign governments to improve sanctions enforcement on Iranian oil exports.\n\nA classified briefing on Treasury\u2019s utilization of intelligence community resources to effectively monitor Iranian oil exports and the associated financial networks.\n\nAn updated Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) advisory to financial institutions alerting them of recent tactics and emerging trends in sanctions evasion by Iran and its oil buyers.\n\nU.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), and Steve Daines (R-Montana) joined the Crapo and Scott on the letter.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-blm-lava-ridge-wind-project-decision", "Crapo Statement on BLM Lava Ridge Wind Project Decision", "2024-12-06", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) released the following statement after the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a Record of Decision for the final Environmental Impact Statement for the Lava Ridge Wind Project:\n\n\u201cThis Administration continues to disregard the valid concerns of Idahoans, farmers, ranchers, sportsmen and Minidoka survivors and descendants regarding the Lava Ridge project. It is par for the course for the Biden Administration to issue a late Friday decision dump after Americans decisively rejected the course of this administration in the recent election. I look forward to engaging with the incoming Trump Administration to have this project reviewed thoughtfully and thoroughly for a just and appropriate product that reflects the overwhelming will of Idaho\u2019s citizenry.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-joins-kudlow-on-extending-trump-tax-cuts", "Crapo Joins Kudlow on Extending Trump Tax Cuts", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the lead Republican of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over taxation, joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business to talk about the effort to prevent a more-than $4 trillion tax hike on American taxpayers.\n\nOn using a current policy baseline:\n\nKudlow: \u201cYou're saying [congressional scorekeepers] don't score spending, the current services spending baseline, as a brand-new deficit increasing bill\u2014they just let that go on. But they will score a current services or current policy tax cut baseline all over again as a big deficit raiser. Now there's something wrong with that. You can either have one or the other, but you can't have both. I mean, it seems to me there's hypocrisy here.\u201d\n\nCrapo: \u201cThere's over two and a half trillion dollars of spending in our budgetary system that has a current policy baseline. It's just assumed that it will grow and grow and grow. And yet, for taxes, no. They say you have to pay for them every year. This is common sense. Ask Americans if keeping their tax policy exactly what it is today\u2014instead of telling them that the average medium-to-low-income family has to pay another $2,000 a year\u2014ask them if they think that that's the way that we should try to address our national debt. No, it's current law, and we should not have to pay or raise taxes or do something for four and a half trillion dollars in the next year.\u201d\n\nOn preparation for a tax bill:\n\n\u201cWhether we do two bills or one bill or the sequencing\u2014that decision will be made by President Trump in consultation with the Senate and House Leadership. My focus is to be sure that whenever that vote happens, and that it happens this year, is that we do it as soon as possible and get a good bill put into place that will strengthen the economy once again, and grow jobs, grow wages, and give people in America to see increased wealth, rather than a $2,000 per household tax increase.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe bottom line is, I'm working to make sure that whenever that vote happens, we have a great bill, and that we stop the four and a half trillion-dollar tax increase and actually give people a boosted economy to grow their available income.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-at-executive-session-to-vote-on-tigta-nominee", "Crapo Statement at Executive Session to Vote on TIGTA Nominee", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.\u2014U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at an executive session to vote on the nomination of David Johnson to be Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).\n\nAs prepared for delivery:\n\n\u201cMr. Johnson has been nominated to serve as Inspector General for Tax Administration at the Department of the Treasury.\n\n\u201cMr. Johnson has strong qualifications and oversight experience, and I appreciate his service at the Department of Veterans Affairs and his willingness to serve today.\n\n\u201cI was encouraged to hear Mr. Johnson\u2019s commitment to: distinguishing allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse from disagreements in policy; ensuring that TIGTA holds accountable any individual who unlawfully discloses taxpayer information; and providing the Senate Finance Committee with timely and thorough updates of investigations as permitted by law.\n\n\u201cI was also encouraged to hear that Mr. Johnson and I share common ground on the need for the IRS to keep taxpayer information confidential, and for personal information to not be used against taxpayers to advance political agendas.\n\n\u201cHowever, given that the new Congress will be sworn in only less than a month from today, and the new Administration will take office just shortly thereafter, it is my opinion that these newly-elected officials deserve the opportunity to evaluate this appointment. Therefore, I cannot support Mr. Johnson\u2019s nomination today.\n\n\u201cThat said, I look forward to working with Mr. Johnson if he is confirmed in addressing the concerns that my colleagues and I have raised throughout this process, and ensuring that TIGTA continues to provide essential oversight of the IRS and our nation\u2019s tax system.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-announcement-of-intent-to-nominate-billy-long-to-serve-as-irs-commissioner", "Crapo Statement on Announcement of Intent to Nominate Billy Long to Serve as IRS Commissioner", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the lead Republican of the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), issued the following statement after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate former Congressman Billy Long to serve as IRS Commissioner:\n\n\u201cThe IRS has experienced myriad problems in recent years, including issues related to the privacy and security of confidential taxpayer information; inefficient use of resources; and an oversized emphasis on enforcement to collect yet more revenue from hardworking taxpayers. Protecting taxpayers and addressing an ever-encroaching IRS is a top priority, and I look forward to learning more about Mr. Long\u2019s vision for the agency.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-announcement-of-intent-to-nominate-frank-bisignano-to-serve-as-commissioner-of-the-social-security-administration", "Crapo Statement on Announcement of Intent to Nominate Frank Bisignano to Serve as Commissioner of the Social Security Administration", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the lead Republican of the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees the Social Security Administration, issued the following statement after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Frank Bisignano to serve as the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration:\n\n\u201cThe Social Security Administration provides more than $1 trillion in benefits to millions of seniors, individuals with disabilities and their families each year. The position of Commissioner is particularly important at a time when the agency is facing significant operational challenges. Frank Bisignano\u2019s career of revamping financial services institutions and stewarding their resources will serve him well in this crucial role. I look forward to considering his nomination before the Committee.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-announcement-of-intent-to-nominate-michael-faulkender-to-serve-as-deputy-treasury-secretary", "Crapo Statement on Announcement of Intent to Nominate Michael Faulkender to Serve as Deputy Treasury Secretary", "2024-12-04", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the lead Republican of the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees the Treasury Department, issued the following statement after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Dr. Michael Faulkender to serve as its Deputy Secretary:\n\n\u201cThe Deputy Treasury Secretary will play a central role to advance meaningful policies that bolster our economic strength. Michael Faulkender\u2019s impressive career in academia and economics, combined with his prior experience as the Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at Treasury, will serve him well in this critical role. I look forward to considering his nomination before the Committee.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-celebrates-world-nuclear-energy-day", "Crapo Celebrates World Nuclear Energy Day", "2024-12-03", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Mark Warner (D-Virginia), co-chairs of the Senate Advanced Nuclear Caucus, in introducing a resolution to designate December 2, 2024, as World Nuclear Energy Day\n\n\u201cContinued investment in nuclear energy innovation works for not only the betterment of the American people, but all humanity,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cThank you to the scientists, engineers and innovators who work for the safe and responsible utilization of nuclear energy.\u201d\n\nEnthusiasm for nuclear energy is at an all-time high, and we must keep this momentum going,\u201d said Risch. \u201cI\u2019m proud to celebrate World Nuclear Energy Day with Senator Warner and acknowledge the incredible advancements the United States, and particularly the Idaho National Lab, have made to maintain our global leadership in nuclear energy.\u201d\n\n\u201cNuclear energy is critical to meeting U.S. and global energy demands,\u201d said Warner. \u201cI\u2019m proud to celebrate World Nuclear Energy Day with my co-chair Senator Risch to celebrate the advancement of the U.S. nuclear energy industry and highlight the importance of building on the progress we have made.\u201d\n\nCrapo, Risch and Warner are joined by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Chris Coons (D-Delaware), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), Joe Manchin (I-West Virginia), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) in introducing the resolution.\n\nDecember 2 marks two significant turning points in the advancement of nuclear energy:\n\nDecember 2, 1942 \u2013 the world\u2019s first self-sustaining, controlled nuclear chain reaction was demonstrated.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-shaheen-pen-letter-to-back-states-in-fight-against-invasive-species", "Crapo, Risch, Shaheen Pen Letter to Back States in Fight Against Invasive Species", "2024-11-08", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) sent a bipartisan letter urging the U.S. Coast Guard to revert to its longstanding statutory interpretation that allowed states to collect fees for boating-related programs to address aquatic invasive species, boating safety, search and rescue and others.\n\nRecently, the Coast Guard blocked a number of states from coupling the boat registration and Certificate of Numbering (CON) process. The streamlined process has been working in Idaho for more than a decade. Earlier this year, Crapo, Risch and Shaheen introduced the bipartisan State Boating Act that would make clear the ability of states to collect state boating fees alongside CON fees and registration.\n\n\u201cThe Coast Guard\u2019s drastic decision to overturn its decades-long policy when the prior interpretation was not only authorized, but also working, is truly puzzling, especially when the Coast Guard\u2019s new policy is likely to increase costs and lower revenues for critical state programs with no discernable improvements,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cFor these reasons, we ask that the Coast Guard immediately use all available tools and authorities, including a rulemaking, to revert back to its prior interpretation to permit our states to again couple federal and state fees.\u201d\n\nMost boats owned and operated on the waters of the United States must have either a Certificate of Documentation (COD) or a CON on board when operating. Additionally, boats with propulsion machinery must have on board a valid CON or temporary certificate, unless the vessel qualifies for an exception under the law. Most vessel owners obtain a CON from the state in which they spend the most time operating. States can administer their own numbering programs if those programs comply with Standard Numbering System (SNS) requirements and receive Coast Guard approval. However, according to the Coast Guard\u2019s reading of its enabling statute, states are authorized to condition the issuance of vessel numbers only for proof of ownership, proof of payment of state or local taxes and/or proof of liability insurance. A number of states have been collecting additional state fees with the CON fees to fund and support vital boating and environmental programs, like combatting aquatic invasive species, boating safety, search and rescue and other purposes.\n\nThe text of the letter can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/idaho-officials-comment-on-blm-greater-sage-grouse-amendment", "Idaho Officials Comment on BLM Greater Sage-Grouse Amendment", "2024-11-08", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Boise, Idaho--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, U.S. Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, and Governor Brad Little (all R-Idaho) issued the following statement upon the release of the Bureau of Land Management\u2019s (BLM) Final Resource Management Plan for the Greater Sage-grouse Land Use Plan Amendments and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The proposed amendments would affect 77 state-led sage-grouse resource management plans across the West.\n\n\u201cIdaho has long been a leader in habitat and wildlife management. We have made great strides in the conservation of the greater sage-grouse through years of state-led collaboration and science-informed decision making,\" the elected officials said. \"Management considerations cannot be rushed simply for the administration\u2019s political convenience. Adequate time, resources, and local input are necessary to ensure the end result is feasible and scientifically sound.\u201d\n\nThe State of Idaho\u2019s sage-grouse conservation plan has consistently received high marks from Democrat and Republican administrations alike. In an effort to combat activist litigation that costs taxpayers and undermines states\u2019 conservation efforts, an Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing prohibition on greater sage-grouse has been included in every annual appropriations bill since fiscal year 2015 to allow state conservation efforts to proceed.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-joins-risch-colleagues-to-press-biden-harris-administration-on-destruction-of-us-immigration-policies", "Crapo Joins Risch, Colleagues to Press Biden-Harris Administration on Destruction of U.S. Immigration Policies", "2024-10-31", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and several Senate colleagues in sending a letter calling out President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for fueling a national security crisis at the southern border through a series of destructive executive orders.\n\n\u201cInstead of addressing the flow of illegal immigration and illicit drugs across our borders, your administration has turned its back on those who wish to immigrate here legally and welcomed illegal aliens with open arms. Instead of directing resources to securing our borders and processing legal immigrant applications, your administration has crippled our immigration enforcement capabilities and prioritized amnesty applications,\u201d wrote the Senators. \u201cThe administration has one job\u2014to enforce the law of the land. Instead of detaining and deporting illegal aliens, your administration has shown a blatant disregard for the rule of law and national security.\u201d\n\nCrapo and Risch were joined by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) and Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) in demanding the Biden-Harris Administration answer for its direct role in eroding the U.S. immigration system and compromising the safety of American families.\n\nThe full letter can be read here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-smith-statement-on-biden-administrations-taiwan-double-tax-relief-announcement", "Crapo, Smith Statement on Biden Administration\u2019s Taiwan Double-Tax Relief Announcement", "2024-10-30", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Missouri) issued the following statement on the Biden Administration\u2019s Taiwan double-tax relief announcement:\n\n\u201cLast year, our committees worked closely together and consulted with the Administration to carefully craft a legislative package providing both expedited double-tax relief through the tax code and paving the way for future agreements on additional double-tax relief. This legislation\u2014which passed unanimously through the Ways and Means Committee, and the expedited double tax relief provisions of which passed unanimously through the Senate Finance Committee\u2014remains the best path forward to address double taxation between the U.S. and Taiwan. Unfortunately, the timing of the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s announcement appears to be driven more by politics than an effort to provide expedited tax relief. Pursuing an approach that does not harmonize with the Congressionally-endorsed framework could jeopardize delivering that relief, impeding the shared goal of facilitating broader investment between the U.S. and Taiwan to promote our collective prosperity, national security, and economic resilience.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-joins-colleagues-in-introducing-stand-with-israel-act-to-combat-israels-persecution-at-un", "Crapo Joins Colleagues in Introducing Stand with Israel Act to Combat Israel\u2019s Persecution at UN", "2024-10-24", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and 26 Senate colleagues announced their intent to introduce the Stand with Israel Act when the Senate and House reconvene in November. This legislation would cut off U.S. funding to United Nations (UN) agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel.\n\n\u201cIsrael\u2019s enemies are trying to manipulate the United Nations to accomplish their misguided goals,\" said Crapo. \"Any moves by the United Nations to restrict Israel\u2019s participation would conflict with American values and global interests. American taxpayers should have no part in funding international bodies that threaten the diplomatic security of our ally.\"\n\n\u201cAny attempt to alter Israel\u2019s status at the UN is clearly anti-Semitic,\u201d said Risch. \u201cThat said, if the UN member states allow the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to downgrade Israel\u2019s status at the UN, the U.S. must stop supporting the UN system, as it would clearly be beyond repair. I am disgusted that this outrageous idea has even been discussed, and will do all we can to ensure any changes to Israel\u2019s status will come with consequences.\u201d\n\nJoining Crapo and Risch in sponsoring the legislation are Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Rick Scott (R-Forida), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), John Thune (R-South Dakota), and Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska),\n\nThis is companion legislation to bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Represenatives, HR 9394, led by U.S. Representative Mike Lawler (R-New York).\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nReports indicate that the Palestinian Authority (PA) will attempt to downgrade Israel\u2019s status at the UN.\n\nThe PA is able to do this after the UN General Assembly passed a biased resolution which enhanced the PA\u2019s status at the United Nations on May 10, 2024.\n\nFollowing that vote, Ranking Member Risch led 24 Senate colleagues in introducing the No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act, legislation to update existing funding prohibitions in law that would cause the United States to cut off assistance to entities that give additional rights and privileges to the Palestinian Authority.\n\nThe Stand with Israel Act would cut off U.S. funding to UN agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel. The bill is modeled after the current prohibition of funding to any UN entities that elevate the status of the Palestinian Authority to a member state.\n\nText of the Stand with Israel Act can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-prevent-car-buying-red-tape", "Crapo, Risch, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Prevent Car-Buying Red Tape", "2024-10-24", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) co-sponsored the bipartisan Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Review of Expensive and Detrimental Overregulation (REDO) Act. The legislation would prevent the FTC from finalizing and implementing a rushed regulation change specific to automotive retailing without first conducting adequate consumer testing and cost-benefit analyses and allowing for public feedback. The FTC\u2019s rule would create more paperwork when buying a car at the dealership and lead to more bureaucracy and red tape for small businesses.\n\n\u201cPurchasing a new vehicle is a serious decision for most Americans. There is no need to complicate the process with added costs, more paperwork and a longer sales process,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cThe public and local industry stakeholders deserve the opportunity to weigh-in on changes that affect them and their business.\u201d\n\n\u201cIdahoans want buying a car to be simple, not bogged down by burdensome paperwork and costly red tape,\u201d said Risch. \u201cThe FTC REDO Act gives consumers and auto dealers a seat at the table on decisions impacting the car buying process.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur Idaho franchised new vehicle dealers, primarily family-owned small businesses, appreciate Senator Crapo\u2019s co-signing the FTC REDO Act,\u201d said Jim Addis, Executive Vice-President Idaho Automobile Dealers Association. \u201cThe FTC REDO Act will reverse recent, onerous FTC overregulation that would add time, cost, and complexity for new car buyers. Not only is this FTC overregulation duplicative, but it is also in conflict with extensive Idaho and federal laws that protect consumers. Passing the FTC REDO Act will ensure that we protect Idaho car buyers from needless federal overreach, saving them both money and time.\u201d\n\nLast summer, the FTC noticed a 126-page proposed rule, known as the \u201cMotor Vehicle Dealers Trade Regulation Rule,\u201d or the \u201cVehicle Shopping Rule,\u201d which, if approved, would significantly change the process for consumers to purchase, trade-in and finance new and used cars and trucks. The proposed rule would re-regulate all aspects of automotive retailing and was noticed without an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM)--the process for the public to provide comment.\n\nThe FTC REDO Act would require the FTC to:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/idaho-delegation-biden-harris-admin-is-complicit-in-the-flow-of-fentanyl-into-our-country", "Idaho Delegation: Biden-Harris Admin is Complicit in the Flow of Fentanyl into our Country", "2024-10-10", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "BOISE, Idaho--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and U.S. Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher today demanded the Biden-Harris Administration answer for its failure to stop the flow of illicit and deadly fentanyl into Idaho through the southern border. The Administration\u2019s lax border policies have allowed historic amounts of fentanyl to enter the United States. Fentanyl overdose is now the leading cause of death in those ages 18 to 45, claiming 197 Idahoan lives last year.\n\n\u201cIt is apparent that the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s open-border policies have done nothing but imperil national security and endanger law-abiding citizens. Since day one, this Administration exacerbated the crisis at our border and undermined the efforts of those trying to secure it,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cBy allowing drug cartels to exploit our southern border, the Biden-Harris Administration is complicit in the flow of fentanyl into our country. Idaho families are paying the price.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\n?###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-honors-eastern-idaho-hospital-volunteer-with-spirit-of-idaho-award", "Crapo Honors Eastern Idaho Hospital Volunteer with Spirit of Idaho Award", "2024-10-08", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Boise, Idaho--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) honored Iona resident Phyllis Scheffler with the Spirit of Idaho Award. Scheffler has served as a volunteer at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC) for more than 40 years, completing more than 10,000 hours of volunteer service.\n\n\u201cPhyllis deserves to be recognized for her exemplary service to the people of Idaho,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cHer unwavering selflessness exemplifies the difference volunteerism can make. Through her time at EIRMC, Phyllis has comforted and assisted patients, guests and staff, providing expert knowledge only first-hand experience can provide. Rightly so, she is a cherished member of the community and thoroughly deserves this recognition.\u201d\n\nThe Spirit of Idaho Award honors the acts of service by Idahoans for their commitment to improving their community and serving their fellow citizens. Crapo has presented more than 600 Spirit of Idaho Awards since the first presentation in Twin Falls in November of 2000.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-join-effort-to-protect-idaho-transportation-department-from-federal-overreach", "Crapo, Risch Join Effort to Protect Idaho Transportation Department from Federal Overreach", "2024-10-08", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) joined a bicameral group of colleagues in filing an amicus brief requesting an Appeals Court uphold a District Court decision vacating a rule that would require local entities to regulate greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions from cars and trucks.\n\nIn November 2023, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) adopted a final rule requiring state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to measure GHG emissions on the highway system and set declining targets. The rule would hamstring the Idaho Transportation Department with costly and burdensome requirements that would divert limited funds for needed infrastructure improvements across the state to costly and expensive compliance measures by the federal government.\n\nCrapo and Risch joined a bipartisan Congressional Review Act joint resolution of disapproval to overturn the rule. The resolution passed the Senate by a vote of 53 to 47 in April, reiterating Congress\u2019s opposition to FHWA\u2019s overreach\n\nShortly after the rule was finalized, 21 state attorneys general filed litigation challenging the regulation. The U.S. District Court found the Biden Administration rule to be illegal, but FHWA appealed the decision to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and it remains under further consideration.\n\nThe brief, led by Senators Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), argues Congress debated and rejected granting FHWA the authority to issue GHG performance measure rules and the FHWA then intentionally misconstrued Congressional intent to justify its improper exercise of authority. It also argues the rulemaking is not consistent with recent Supreme Court decisions paring back Executive Branch overreach, and FHWA is bypassing principles of federalism to further its own policy agenda.\n\n\u201cCongress considered, and ultimately rejected, providing [FHWA] with the authority to issue a GHG performance measure regulation, but [FHWA] contorted ancillary existing authorities to impose one anyway,\u201d the members argued. \u201cIn doing so, [FHWA] impermissibly usurped the Legislative Branch\u2019s authority and promulgated the GHG performance measure without statutory authority delegated by Congress.\u201d\n\n\u201cPut simply, when [FHWA] established a GHG performance measure regulation, it exceeded the powers Congress authorized. And it did so both at the expense of separation of powers and in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act,\u201d continued the members.\n\nAdditional cosigners of the amicus brief include U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Dan Sullivan (R-Arkansas), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), and U.S. Representatives Sam Graves (R-Missouri), Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rick Crawford (R-Arkansas), Chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-the-anniversary-of-october-7", "Crapo Statement on the Anniversary of October 7", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo joined 48 Senate colleagues in introducing a Senate Resolution remembering the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Crapo, a strong supporter and ally of Israel issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary:\n\n\u201cJust as the sun began to rise one year ago, barbaric Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel and launched a widescale attack on thousands of innocent Israeli citizens. The largest concentration of atrocities occurred at a music festival meant to coincide with important Jewish holidays and billed as a celebration of friendship and love. Hamas terrorists kidnapped, tortured and brutally murdered thousands of innocent people, breaking a fragile peace and plunging the Middle East into turmoil once again.\n\n\u201cNearly 100 people remain hostage in Gaza, with roughly a third of them believed to be dead. At least seven Americans remain captive, as well as two small children.\n\n\u201cAs we remember all those murdered and tortured at the hands of Hamas, I continue to press for the release of the remaining hostages.\n\n\u201cDisturbingly, anti-Jewish hate has permeated into our own back yard. Antisemitic hate crimes in the United States increased a staggering 63 percent in 2023. Despite only accounting for two percent of the United States population, Jews were the victims of 68 percent of religiously-motivated hate crimes. More must be done to protect Jews in the United States, and I will not let up in efforts to stop antisemitic hate.\n\n\u201cI continue to stand unwaveringly with Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East, and its right to defend itself from ongoing threats from Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists.\u201d\n\nFull text of the resolution can be found HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/cbo-confirms-biden-harris-election-year-medicare-cost-shifting-policy-will-cost-taxpayers-billions-in-2025", "CBO Confirms: Biden-Harris Election Year Medicare Cost-Shifting Policy Will Cost Taxpayers Billions in 2025", "2024-10-03", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its analysis of a newly announced Biden-Harris program intended to paper over the flaws of the so-called Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Based on CBO estimates, this election-year stunt to artificially lower the cost of seniors\u2019 Part D premiums will cost taxpayers at least $7 billion in 2025, including $2 billion in additional interest on our already ballooning debt. CBO also notes the underlying partisan policy changes to seniors\u2019 prescription drug coverage could cost up to $20 billion more in 2025 than previously assumed.\n\nThis analysis is in response to a request from U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), U.S. Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), U.S. House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington) and U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Missouri).\n\nRanking Member Crapo Statement:\n\n\u201cThe Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s latest 2024 gimmick will spend billions in taxpayer dollars to blanket over the consequences of the rushed, partisan so-called Inflation Reduction Act. This type of executive overreach treats the Treasury as a piggy-bank, exacerbating inflation and sidestepping Congress to advance conveniently timed political aims.\u201d\n\nRanking Member Grassley Statement:\n\n\u201cWhen Democrats unilaterally enacted major changes to Medicare two years ago, they set seniors up for new expenses and fewer options. This nonpartisan CBO analysis confirms CMS\u2019s cost-shifting plan is a dishonest election-year gimmick to cover up those consequences. Rather than coming to the table and legitimately addressing its partisan mistakes, the Biden-Harris administration threw taxpayer dollars at the problems it created, putting Americans on the hook for tens-of-billions more dollars.\u201d\n\nChair Arrington Statement:\n\n\u201cAs predicted, the Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act not only quelled investment for new cures, but caused Medicare prescription drug plan premiums to skyrocket, and Democrats are scrambling to cover it up before the election.\n\n\u201cIn July, the Biden-Harris CMS scrambled to create a new federal program that will send billions of tax dollars to large health insurance companies to cover up a massive flaw in their so-called Inflation Reduction Act.\n\n\u201cNow, CBO confirmed that the Administration\u2019s election year Hail Mary will cost taxpayers an astounding $7 billion next year alone, and $21 billion over the planned 3-year demo, adding to the more than $2 trillion in Biden-Harris executive spending.\u201d\n\nChair McMorris Rodgers Statement:\n\n\u201cThe CBO confirms the $7 billion cost for just one year of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s politically motivated scheme to buy off big insurance companies just weeks before an election. The American people should not be fooled by this illegal, last-ditch attempt to cover up Democrats\u2019 disastrous policies that significantly raised Medicare Part D premiums. President Biden and Vice President Harris should abandon this ill-fated plan and work on bipartisan solutions to lowering the cost of care, like the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act.\"\n\nChair Smith Statement:\n\n\u201cThe so-called Inflation Reduction Act \u2013 which is law as a result of Vice President Harris\u2019 tie-breaking vote in the Senate \u2013 has led to a predictable spike in the cost of prescription drug coverage for America\u2019s seniors. Rather than change course, the Biden-Harris Administration is cutting taxpayer-funded blank checks to large health insurers to sweep the mess under the rug. It is a shameful attempt to delay the inevitable fallout of a failed policy that leaves taxpayers footing the bill today and seniors paying the price tomorrow.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nCongressional Democrats included policies in the IRA that significantly redesigned the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit at an initial estimated cost of nearly $30 billion over ten years.\n\nThese policy changes restructured the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit and take effect in 2025. As a result, Medicare prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors responded by significantly increasing their plan bids and base beneficiary premiums for 2025, as well as reducing the number of plans offered to seniors next year.\n\nIn response, on July 29, 2024, the Biden-Harris Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new Medicare Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration program, which will send Federal dollars to large health insurance companies to artificially lower the cost of seniors\u2019 Part D premiums.\n\nThe bottom line:\n\nThe Premium Stabilization Demonstration program will shift financial liability onto American taxpayers by applying a uniform reduction of $15 to the base beneficiary premium, establishing a year-over-year limit of $35 on how much a plan\u2019s total Part D premium can increase, and adjusting risk corridors to shift financial liability from large insurance companies to taxpayers.\n\nUnder the Biden-Harris Administration, average Medicare Part D premiums increased by over 11 percent from 2021 to 2024, costing seniors an average of $52 more per year for their prescription drug coverage. On the contrary, under the Trump Administration, average Part D premiums decreased by over 5.5 percent, saving seniors an average of $27 a year.\n\nAs a result, before the announcement of the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s election-year bailout of health insurance companies, seniors\u2019 premiums had increased under this Administration at more than twice the rate that they decreased under the Trump Administration.\n\nWhile the Trump Administration lowered costs by increasing free-market competition, the Biden-Harris Administration has subjected seniors to soaring prescription drug costs with sloppy partisan policymaking and one-size-fits-all \u201cWashington knows best\u201d mandates.\n\nBecause of Democrats\u2019 rushed, partisan policymaking in the IRA, America\u2019s seniors were faced with sharp increases in their prescription drug premiums as well as fewer choices for coverage.\n\nTo cover up rising premiums ahead of November, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a demonstration program, which will buy down premium increases by sending billions of taxpayer dollars directly to large insurance companies. A recent editorial from The Wall Street Journal called the plan \u201ca Medicare election bribe for seniors.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-colleagues-outline-stark-consequences-of-biden-harris-failure-to-follow-border-laws-protect-whistleblowers", "Crapo, Risch, Colleagues Outline Stark Consequences of Biden-Harris Failure to Follow Border Laws, Protect Whistleblowers", "2024-10-03", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) joined Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and 31 Senate and U.S. House of Representatives colleagues in demanding President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris collect DNA samples from every immigrant the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) encounters, per the DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005.\n\n\u201cFollowing the law, protecting whistleblowers and ensuring the safety of American citizens like Rachel Morin shouldn\u2019t be controversial,\u201d wrote the lawmakers to President Biden and Vice President Harris. \u201cThe Biden-Harris administration\u2019s DHS must follow the law\u2014the consequences are stark when they don\u2019t.\u201d\n\nThe DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005 requires federal law enforcement to collect DNA from every individual U.S. Customs and Border Protections (CBP) arrests, charges, convicts or detains.\n\nLegally-protected whistleblowers have exposed how DHS\u2019s failure to collect DNA hampers law enforcement efforts to stop violent crime. Notably, DHS missed three separate opportunities to gather DNA from the illegal immigrant who murdered Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother of five.\n\n\u201cIt is beyond heartbreaking to know that my daughter\u2019s brutal death could have been prevented. This isn\u2019t just a bureaucratic oversight; it\u2019s a deadly failure that turned a protective measure into a hollow promise,\u201d said Patty Morin, mother of Rachel Morin. \u201cPresident Biden and Vice President Harris\u2019 reckless disregard for border security puts every American family in imminent danger. How many more precious lives have to be lost before they decide to protect the people they were elected to serve?\u201d\n\nJoining Crapo, Risch and Grassley on the letter are Senators Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Rick Scott (R-Florida), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri) and Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-receives-a-rating-for-supporting-second-amendment-rights", "Crapo Receives A+ Rating for Supporting Second Amendment Rights", "2024-09-30", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) received an A+ rating from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). NSSF released its 2024 Congressional Report Card, grading sitting U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators on key legislation of critical importance to the firearm industry, the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and America\u2019s hunters and recreational target shooters.\n\n\u201cGun control advocates continue to seek creative methods of advancing their agenda, both through legislation and litigation,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cI continue to oppose all efforts to weaken Second Amendment rights.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe 2024 NSSF Congressional Report Card is a comprehensive analysis of our elected representatives\u2019 positions on firearm and ammunition industry priorities in the 118th Congress. The Report Card\u2019s grades are based on key votes, co-sponsorships, committee activity, floor speeches, and other official actions by Senators and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Members of our industry are grateful to have so many strong allies in the Halls of Congress,\u201d said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President for Government & Public Affairs and General Counsel. \u201cNSSF is proud to especially recognize Senator Crapo as a member of the new NSSF Congressional Dean\u2019s List for his exemplary leadership in supporting the firearm and ammunition industry and the nearly 400,000 hardworking Americans employed in the industry. Making the Dean\u2019s List is special recognition that Senator Crapo has gone above and beyond to protect and preserve the Second Amendment rights of his constituents and the industry that makes the exercise of those rights possible. We applaud Senator Crapo for his exemplary level of support.\u201d\n\nCrapo is one of eight Senators to receive the new NSSF distinction of being named to the Dean\u2019s List. To earn this special recognition, members needed to have a 100-percent voting and co-sponsorship record.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-ricketts-introduce-bill-to-protect-ag-supply-chains-from-china", "Crapo, Risch, Ricketts Introduce Bill to Protect Ag Supply Chains from China", "2024-09-27", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) introduced the Securing American Agriculture Act, which would protect domestic agriculture supply chains and reduce America\u2019s reliance on foreign adversaries.\n\n\u201cClose and continued oversight evaluating America\u2019s relationship with the CCP is vital to our national security and protecting our nation\u2019s food supply chain,\" said Crapo. \"It is in our best interest to take every step toward mitigating potential threats from the CCP.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongress can\u2019t allow Communist China to seize control of America\u2019s food supply chain,\u201d said Risch. \u201cIdaho\u2019s farmers and ranchers fuel our economy and feed the world. The Securing American Agriculture Act will help defend against threats to Idaho agriculture from China\u2019s influence.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe CCP is the single greatest threat to America\u2019s national security and financial independence,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cA CCP-led world would mean coercion instead of choice, tyranny instead of liberty, and dictatorship instead of democracy. The only way to combat this threat is with a strong, strategic, all-of-government approach. This bill moves us closer to that.\u201d\n\nIn recent years, China gained significant market share in the production of essential agricultural inputs like vitamins, veterinary pharmaceuticals and crop protection tools. Losing access to these key inputs could drastically reduce agricultural productivity, increase food prices, and undermine domestic food security.\n\nThe Securing American Agriculture Act would:\n\nRequire the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce, to conduct an annual threat assessment of critical food and agricultural supply chains.\n\nRequire the Secretary of Agriculture to provide recommendations to mitigate potential threats from China and for legislative and regulatory actions to reduce barriers to domestic critical input production.\n\nCrapo, Risch and Ricketts are joined in introducing the legislation by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), John Borrasso (R-Wyoming), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Rick Scott (R-Florida) and Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/national-review-tax-cut-expiration-would-hurt-small-businesses", "National Review: Tax-Cut Expiration Would Hurt Small Businesses", "2024-09-27", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Small-business owners across the country have similar stories about the benefits from the TCJA small-business tax deduction. The owner of a pool-installation business in Missouri was able to begin covering 100 percent of his eight employees\u2019 health-care costs and offering health-savings accounts (HSAs). A family rental company in Ohio raised wages and hired more seasonal workers for the busy season. A third?generation manufacturing company bought more factory space, upgraded equipment, and doubled \u2014 then tripled \u2014 workers\u2019 annual bonuses.\n\n\u2026\n\nTo give small businesses a fighting chance to compete, the 2017 tax overhaul paired a lower corporate-tax rate with two key elements to help small-business owners \u2014 lower individual rates across the board and the 20 percent pass-through deduction.\n\n\u2026\n\nBut the changes to the rates and pass-through deduction did not just benefit the businesses\u2019 owners. Able to keep more of their earnings, many small-business owners invested these profits back into their communities, fast-tracking expansions, buying new equipment, and hiring more employees. Top among the industries building those communities, according to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation, were retail, manufacturing, construction, and real estate.\n\n\u2026\n\nWhile critics of the small-business tax deduction claim that the TCJA was a tax cut exclusively for \u201cmillionaires and billionaires\u201d \u2014 including the small-business tax deduction \u2014 the facts tell a different story. A recent Ernst & Young analysis found that in 2021, 25.9 million businesses claimed the small-business tax deduction, with approximately 93 percent of those businesses having an income level under $500,000 \u2014 including accountants, contractors, landscapers, tutors, or family doctors. According to the same study, these businesses support 2.6 million jobs, contribute $161 billion to employee compensation, and add $325 billion to the economy.\n\n\u2026\n\nIf these provisions expire, Americans face a multitrillion-dollar tax increase, and small-business owners will be hit with a double tax hike from the elimination of the pass-through deduction coupled with a higher individual tax rate. The businesses hit hardest are the ones just starting out, finding success, and beginning to scale up. Many owners also say they will be forced to raise prices, postpone or cancel capital investments, and cut back on hiring.\n\nRead the full opinion piece here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-booker-recognize-september-as-national-prostate-cancer-awareness-month", "Crapo, Booker Recognize September as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month", "2024-09-26", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) introduced a Senate Resolution recognizing September as \u201cNational Prostate Awareness Month.\u201d\n\nCrapo and Booker authored the bipartisan resolution aimed at increasing awareness of prostate cancer. By recognizing this month as \u201cNational Prostate Awareness Month,\u201d the Resolution also encourages all Americans to take part in efforts to increase early detection, improve treatment and discover a cure for the disease.\n\n\u201cI hope all men will educate themselves about prostate cancer,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cEarly detection through regular health screenings is imperative to address this disease early when treatment will be most effective. This Resolution should serve as a reminder to all men to discuss screening options with their health care provider.\u201d\n\n\u201cWith 1 in 8 men in the United States being diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, we must prioritize awareness, early detection, and research,\u201d said Booker. \u201cI am proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution alongside Senator Crapo to designate September as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. This is a critical issue affecting men across our nation, and we must improve access to health care services for detecting and treating prostate cancer.\u201d\n\n\u201cA man dies from prostate cancer every 15 minutes in the United States. Awareness is the first step to helping men understand their risks for prostate cancer and talk with their doctor about screening,\u201d said Courtney Bugler, CEO of ZERO Prostate Cancer. \u201cWe are grateful to Senator Crapo and Senator Booker for their leadership in Congress to be sure people have the information and access to screening necessary to catch prostate cancer early and live full, happy, and longer lives.\u201d\n\nProstate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the United States. One in eight men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes, and one in 44 men in the United States will die from prostate cancer. Idaho ranks ninth in the nation for prostate cancer deaths.\n\nJoining Crapo and Booker in introducing this resolution are Senators James Risch (R-Idaho), Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), George Helmy (D-New Jersey) and Ben Cardin (D-Maryland).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-joins-legislation-to-ban-handgun-rosters", "Crapo Joins Legislation to Ban Handgun Rosters", "2024-09-25", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C..--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) to introduce the Modern Firearms Safety Act, which would prohibit states from enforcing handgun rosters. These lists of pre-approved handguns require manufacturers to include costly features like microstamping, loaded chamber indicators and magazine disconnect mechanisms on firearms, preventing law-abiding citizens from purchasing the firearm of their choice.\n\n\u201cThose on the Left continue to use every creative avenue possible to stifle Second Amendment rights and restrict gun ownership for law-abiding citizens,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cThese practices must stop.\u201d\n\n\u201cUnconstitutional handgun rosters create unnecessary, burdensome requirements for firearm manufacturers while undermining the Second Amendment,\u201d said Risch. \u201cThe Modern Firearms Safety Act stops Democrats arbitrary handgun catalogs and protects law-abiding gun owners\u2019 right to bear arms.\u201d\n\nSeveral states, including California, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C., have recently enacted unconstitutional handgun rosters. A 2024 federal district court ruling found California\u2019s handgun roster requirements unconstitutional.\n\nCrapo and Risch are joined by U.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Steve Daines (R-Montana), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) in introducing the legislation.\n\n\u201cBlue states look for every avenue to ban guns for law-abiding citizens,\u201d said Cassidy. \u201cRequiring unnecessary and imaginary modifications that don\u2019t improve safety is just another tactic out of this playbook. The Second Amendment is a Constitutional right that shouldn\u2019t be infringed upon just because of the state in which you reside.\u201d\n\n\u201cTrying to impose unnecessary and overly stringent requirements on what features handguns must have is a blatant attempt to strip away core constitutional rights,\u201d said Cornyn. \u201cThis legislation ensures law-abiding gun owners in Texas can continue to exercise their Second Amendment right in a safe and responsible way without being subject to impractical restrictions.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur Founding Fathers were clear\u2014the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,\u201d said Daines. \u201cForcing Americans to outfit their firearms with onerous and costly features is a clear attempt to undermine the Second Amendment and law-abiding citizens\u2019 constitutional rights, and it must stop.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am proud to join Senator Risch in our fight against the Democrats\u2019 never-ending attack on our Second Amendment rights and our constitutional freedoms,\u201d Marshall said. \u201cThe Modern Firearm Safety Act will end the unconstitutional gun grab currently underway in far-Left states like California, New York, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Our legislation rightfully blocks Democrats from enforcing illegal handgun roster requirements designed to target law-abiding Americans.\u201d\n\n\"This commonsense legislation safeguards the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens by eliminating unnecessary barriers to purchase firearms,\" said Tillis. \"I am proud to support responsible gun owners by introducing this legislation, which aims to prevent government overreach and uphold our constitutional freedoms.\"\n\nThe Modern Firearms Safety Act has received support from the Congressional Sportsmen\u2019s Foundation, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and National Rifle Association (NRA).\n\n?###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-continuing-resolution", "Crapo Statement on Continuing Resolution", "2024-09-25", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the following statement on the Continuing Resolution (CR) to extend government funding through December 20, 2024:\n\n\u201cThis CR is yet another failure to follow our annual budget and appropriations process. The Senate Appropriations Committee has already advanced all 12 individual appropriations bills and there is no reason the Senate should not have taken these up for a vote before now. We have to stop with the bandaids on our growing fiscal crisis.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-grassley-call-out-abuses-in-the-biden-harris-unaccompanied-migrant-children-program", "Crapo, Risch, Grassley Call Out Abuses in the Biden-Harris Unaccompanied Migrant Children Program", "2024-09-24", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) led 41 bicameral Republican colleagues in a letter urging President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to work with Congress to root out abuses in their administration\u2019s unaccompanied migrant children program and stop the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)\u2019s cover-up of the crisis.\n\nThe lawmakers are urging Biden and Harris to \u201cmake changes to [their] policies and procedures\u201d in order to \u201cend this public safety crisis.\u201d They are specifically calling on the Biden-Harris administration to enhance information-sharing with law enforcement and Congress, fully cooperate with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) child exploitation investigation and thoroughly respond to all congressional oversight requests.\n\n\u201c[The Biden-Harris HHS] must stop its cover-up and cooperate with law enforcement and Congress to end this crisis and protect unaccompanied children and the American people,\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nMore than 500,000 unaccompanied migrant children have crossed the southwest border under the Biden-Harris administration, while cartel trafficking activity surged an estimated 2,500 percent. Amid this crisis, the lawmakers note the Biden-Harris administration limited background checks for sponsors of unaccompanied children, cut back on familial DNA testing at the border and decreased information sharing with law enforcement.\n\nJoining Crapo, Risch and Grassley on the letter are U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) and 15 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-at-hearing-on-womens-health", "Crapo Statement at Hearing on Women\u2019s Health", "2024-09-24", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo delivered the following remarks at a hearing entitled \u201cChaos and Control: How Trump Criminalized Women\u2019s Health Care.\u201d\n\nAs prepared for delivery:\n\n\u201cThank you, Mr. Chairman.\n\n\u201cBefore I begin my opening statement, let me address the fact that the Senate Finance Committee has never had a non-sitting President\u2019s name in its hearing title, which should tell us all we need to know about the reason for this hearing.\n\n\u201cSince its earliest origins, the practice of medicine has been grounded in the Hippocratic Oath.\n\n\u201cOften colloquially distilled into \u2018first, do no harm,\u2019 the code of medical ethics is far more complex, rooted in compassion and humility. Across the country, thousands of providers commit to upholding these principles, to treat all patients, all lives, with profound respect.\n\n\u201cWhen a provider serves a pregnant woman, this philosophy applies to two lives.\n\n\u201cMrs. Joshua, your experience is unacceptable. Fear and ignorance should never drive clinical decision-making. Let me be perfectly clear\u2014seeking care for a miscarriage is not an abortion.\n\n\u201cSimilarly, to the families and loved ones of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, you have my deepest sympathies. Their deaths were preventable, and it is incumbent on us all to ensure no lives are lost under similar circumstances.\n\n\u201cThe subject of abortion touches our moral and ethical core. The conversation demands respect, and the rhetoric must be accurate. Anything short risks sowing confusion with potentially devastating consequences.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, as demonstrated by the overtly partisan nature of the title, it appears that the purpose of today\u2019s hearing is to score political points against the former President is disappointing.\n\n\u201cThe Majority\u2019s decision to use this issue to score political points against the former President is disappointing.\n\n\u201cIn 2022, the Supreme Court appropriately ruled abortion policy should be determined by states and, importantly, their residents.\n\n\u201cSince that time, a number of states have passed laws that reflect their values, either through legislatures or ballot initiatives.\n\n\u201cUnsurprisingly, Idaho and Oregon have taken different approaches, as they do on many issues.\n\n\u201cHowever, regardless of divergent views on abortion, everyone on this dais agrees that life is precious.\n\n\u201cWomen and children, including unborn children, deserve high-quality health care from professionals who are equipped to both share in the joy of pregnancy and react to unforeseen complications.\n\n\u201cAs a board-certified OB/GYN, Dr. Francis is here to discuss her work educating physicians on life-affirming care. As an accomplished attorney, Ms. Hacker will share her deep understanding of state abortion laws.\n\n\u201cTogether, their testimony will seek to clarify the facts surrounding this debate.\n\n\u201cAbortion is unlike any other policy issue. Positions are shaped by our experiences, tied to our ethical philosophies, and rarely simplistic.\n\n\u201cAs we move forward with our conversation today, I encourage all my colleagues to remember the Hippocratic Oath, and to approach this discussion with compassion and humility.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-padilla-risch-honor-forensic-scientists-with-resolution", "Crapo, Padilla, Risch Honor Forensic Scientists with Resolution", "2024-09-23", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.-- The U.S. Senate unanimously agreed to a Senate Resolution designating September 15-21, 2024, as National Forensic Science Week. The resolution, introduced by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Alex Padilla (D-California), and co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), recognizes the role forensic science plays in the investigation, prosecution and conviction of crimes, as well as exoneration of the innocent.\n\n\u201cForensic science frees the innocent and provides justice for victims,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cThis work delivers the scientific truth to the criminal justice system. The Idaho State Police is a leader and shining example of the significance of these essential services. This Senate Resolution acknowledges their invaluable efforts and the efforts of all forensic scientists around the nation.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s justice system relies on accurate forensic science,\u201d said Padilla. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019ve partnered with Senators Crapo and Risch in this bipartisan effort to highlight the critical role of partnerships between forensic science laboratories and federal agencies in protecting public safety and fighting injustice.\u201d\n\n\u201cNational Forensic Science Week recognizes the critical work done to convict dangerous criminals, provide closure for victims, and free the innocent,\u201d said Risch. \u201cThank you to the forensic scientists in Idaho and across the country who do this important work for our criminal justice system.\u201d\n\n\u201cForensic science practitioners provide vital information to the United States criminal justice system,\u201d said Matthew Gammette, Idaho State Police Forensic Services Laboratory System Director. \u201cWe appreciate the support of the United States Senate, and specifically our Senators from Idaho, in recognizing the important contributions of forensic scientists to advance the science in forensic science, provide critical information to law enforcement and the courts, and to bring resolution to victims of crime and their families. We appreciate the support of Congress in funding forensic science providers, including medical examiner and coroner offices, to assist them in being more efficient, effective, and innovative in solving forensic science cases.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-fulcher-demand-update-on-elkhorn-fire-investigation", "Crapo, Risch, Fulcher Demand Update on Elkhorn Fire Investigation", "2024-09-23", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and U.S. Representative Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) sent a letter to U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Chief Randy Moore demanding an update on the investigation to determine the origin of the Elkhorn Fire.\n\n\u201cThis investigation, which was originally meant to take only a few weeks, has been ongoing for well over a year now[. . .],\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cFor victims of wildfire, life does not move on after the fire burns out. Losses must be documented, insurance claims filed, and to the extent possible, infrastructure that was destroyed must be rebuilt. Property and business owners have been unable to file insurance claims \u2013 their recovery held hostage by the ongoing, and unusually long, USFS investigation.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-daines-push-back-against-forest-services-red-tape-proposals", "Crapo, Risch, Daines Push Back Against Forest Service\u2019s Red Tape Proposals", "2024-09-20", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Steve Daines (R-Montana) sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pushing back against a proposed amendment to the National Forest System\u2019s 128 Forest Plans. The amendment would add unnecessary red tape guidelines on local forests and halt necessary forest management work, increasing the risk of catastrophic wildfires.\n\n\u201cEvery fire season more acres of our western National Forests are scorched in catastrophic wildfires while needed management work is put on hold, the Senators. \u201cDrought, insects, and disease continue to make our forests more vulnerable to these wildfires. Already this year 7.3 million acres have burned across the country. Addressing this crisis should be the top priority of the Forest Service.\n\n\u201cInstead the Forest Service has moved forward with an unprecedented proposal to amend all 128 Forest Plans at once without making it clear why these changes are needed or even that the proposed changes will address the real threats to old growth forests\u2026 Unfortunately, the proposed Amendment will take staff time away from on-the-ground work to address the wildfire threat and refocus the agency\u2019s limited capacity on deciding if the Forest Plan needs to be updated to comply with the new standards... This is the opposite of what our forests need during this crisis. The Forest Service should be focused on expediting needed on the ground work, not putting new hurdles in place to delay hazardous fuels mitigation work. This new layer of guidelines will also open the door to additional litigation against proposed projects further slowing the process.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/idaho-delegation-demands-interior-say-no-to-lava-ridge", "Idaho Delegation Demands Interior Say \u201cNo\u201d to Lava Ridge", "2024-09-20", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Boise, Idaho--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and U.S. Representatives Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) and Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) urged the U.S. Department of the Interior to adopt the \u201cNo-Action Alternative\u201d on the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project following the termination of Section 106 consultation with both the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP).\n\n\u201cIt is not often that either of these agencies back away from a project of this size, and it would be nearly impossible for the BLM to adequately complete this work without their expertise,\u201d wrote the members. \u201cUnfortunately, it appears the BLM remains committed to carrying through with the project, regardless of the grave concerns that have long been expressed by Idahoans and the Japanese American community, and are further highlighted by the actions of the SHPO and ACHP. We urge you to issue a Record of Decision selecting the \u2018No-Action Alternative\u2019 for the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project and finally give deserved credence to this widespread opposition.\u201d\n\nThe BLM considered six alternatives under the final environmental impact statement, including a No-Action Alternative. A Record of Decision selecting the No-Action Alternative would prevent Lava Ridge from being constructed.\n\nEarlier this month, the Idaho delegation urged the ACHP to terminate Section 106 consultation with the Bureau of Land Management on the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project. The delegation\u2019s letter followed the SHPO\u2019s decision in August to terminate consultation. The proposed Lava Ridge project would visually compromise the Minidoka National Historic Site, a relocation site where more than 13,000 Japanese-Americans were incarcerated during World War Two. The project has been opposed by many in the Japanese American Community including the Minidoka Pilgrimage, the Friends of Minidoka, the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community and Exclusion Memorial Association in Washington State, the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, the Japanese American Citizens League, the Japanese American Confinement Sites Consortium, and Minidoka survivors and descendants from across the country.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-republican-colleagues-introduce-substantive-legislation-to-compete-with-china", "Crapo, Risch, Republican Colleagues Introduce Substantive Legislation to Compete with China", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in introducing the STRATEGIC Act 2024, legislation to set up the United States and its allies and partners for success in the strategic competition against China.\n\n\u201cThe Biden-Harris Administration passively allows China\u2019s malign actions to go unchecked, undermining our national security interests and that of our allies,\" said Crapo. \"This legislation forces real action to defend American prosperity and security against Chinese coercion.\u201d\n\n\u201cDespite the significant threat China poses to the United States, the U.S. Congress has failed to enact legislation in a number of crucial areas that would set up the United States, its allies, and partners for success,\u201d said Risch. \u201cThis legislation takes strong positions to safeguard U.S. and allied interests and provides actionable provisions that will help us in our strategic competition with China. We cannot wait for more reports and studies \u2013 it is time to start implementing policies.\u201d\n\nSenators Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Todd Young (R-Indiana), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) also co-sponsored the legislation.\n\nThe STRATEGIC Act:\n\nReforms the Foreign Agents Registration Act by removing commercial and Lobbying and Disclosure Act exemptions for foreign adversaries and giving the Department of Justice authorities to issue civil investigative demands.\n\nCounters malign Chinese Communist Party influence by enhancing think tank transparency, prohibiting certain gifts and contracts with strings attached to U.S. universities, improving research security, and exposing China\u2019s harassment and abuse of U.S. diplomats.\n\nAuthorizes strategic infrastructure initiatives focused on digital, transport, and energy sectors, strengthens supply chain security, and lowers trade barriers in partner countries.\n\nAddresses predatory Chinese economic practices through anti-trust reform, a new initiative to counter economic coercion, and prohibition of World Bank contracts for Chinese companies. It also expands CFIUS to cover agricultural investments with national security risks.\n\nStrengthens international security by countering proliferation of Chinese unmanned aerial systems in the Middle East and modifying the Missile Technology Control Regime to increase AUKUS cooperation.\n\nStrengthens U.S. support for Taiwan and partner countries facing threats from China, and establishes a State/Treasury \u201cTiger Team\u201d to start identifying targets for sanctions, export controls, other economic measures well before China takes military action.\n\nProtects U.S. interests in international organizations and support for human rights.\n\nIncreases oversight of U.S. government funding for biological research with China.\n\nA one-pager of the STRATEGIC Act can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-scott-lead-bill-to-bolster-security-for-presidential-nominees-following-trump-assassination-attempts", "Crapo, Risch, Scott Lead Bill to Bolster Security for Presidential Nominees Following Trump Assassination Attempts", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--In the wake of a second assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in just 65 days, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) joined 10 colleagues in introducing the Protect Our Presidents Act, which will enhance the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protection for presidential nominees to the same level currently provided to a sitting U.S. President.\n\n\u201cIdeas we do not align with and policies we do not agree with are not threats to democracy. Allowing would-be assassins the opportunity to shoot a former president in the ear or to get within firing range to attempt to do so again within the span of just a few short weeks is,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cPresident Trump should have the same level of protective service he had while President, and so should all future presidential nominees from any party. This should not be political.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe two attempts on President Trump\u2019s life and the failures of the U.S. Secret Service have put the threat of assassination at the forefront of Americans\u2019 concerns,\u201d said Risch. \u201cWith the Protect our Presidents Act, we will ensure American Presidents and presidential candidates receive the highest level of security. We cannot let our guard down.\u201d\n\n\u201cOver the course of just 65 days, two deranged individuals have tried to kill President Donald Trump, and one was able to shoot him in the head. It is unthinkable that this could happen in America today, and it demands the immediate action of Congress. Today, I am leading 12 of my Republican colleagues to introduce the Protect Our Presidents Act, which mandates that the USSS provide the same level of protective services to presidential nominees that it affords to sitting presidents,\u201d said Scott. \u201cPresident Trump has great officers and agents working around the clock to keep him safe, but it\u2019s clear that the vile rhetoric on the left toward President Trump has made him a target and more resources are required to ensure the safety of him and his family. I urge Senate Democrats to join Republicans to quickly pass this bill that will support the protection of President Trump and all future presidential nominees.\u201d\n\nCrapo, Risch and Scott are also joined by U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Marco Rubio (R-Florida) and Tim Scott (R-South Carolina).\n\nThe Protect Our Presidents Act would:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/washington-examiner-will-kamala-harris-let-the-trump-tax-cuts-expire", "Washington Examiner: Will Kamala Harris Let the Trump Tax Cuts Expire?", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "During last week\u2019s presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris claimed to be the only candidate with a plan to help working-class people. But when given the opportunity to outline her economic vision, she avoided policy specifics, using red herrings about billionaires and big corporations. She claimed, for example, that the 2017 Trump tax cuts were \u201ctax cuts for billionaires.\u201d\n\nThis misleading rhetoric was meant to distract voters from reality \u2014 her tax plan would result in tax hikes for most people, whereas Republican tax reform reduced taxes for people of all income groups.\n\nHarris and Democrats still need to answer a fundamental question: Will they allow the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to expire and inflict multitrillion-dollar tax hikes on the middle class?\n\nWhile anti-billionaire rhetoric may sound good on the campaign trail, the reality is that the TCJA changed the individual provisions of the tax code to allow taxpayers of all incomes to keep more of their hard-earned money. And unless Democrats join Republicans in extending these popular provisions, people will face a more than $4 trillion tax hike in 2026, the largest in U.S. history. The middle and working classes, those making under $400,000 per year, will be hit hardest.\n\nDespite Democrats\u2019 continued mischaracterizations, the TCJA provided a tax break to 80% of people, and middle-class taxpayers received the largest proportional benefit of the cuts. Under the improved tax system, the highest-income earners actually paid a greater share of total taxes than they did before the law\u2019s enactment.\n\nIf the TCJA expires next year, the Tax Foundation estimates that a single mother of one making $30,000 per year will pay more than $1,000 in higher taxes. A family of four making a median household income of $75,000 is estimated to face a tax increase of more than $1,500.\n\nIn addition to lowering rates, the TCJA dramatically helped low- and middle-income families by doubling the standard deduction and simplifying the tax filing process. Before TCJA, 47 million taxpayers went through the time-consuming process of itemizing their tax deductions. With a larger standard deduction, fewer than 15 million people itemize and about 9 in 10 taxpayers now simply take the standard deduction, saving time and money.\n\nThe law also significantly reduced the impact of the alternative minimum tax, a stealth tax that required some families, especially those running small businesses, to calculate their tax liability twice. Prior to the TCJA, more than 5 million taxpayers were hit by the unnecessary AMT, compared to around 200,000 after the bill\u2019s enactment. This simplification alone is estimated to have saved taxpayers $4.6 billion in compliance costs. To let these common-sense provisions expire would mean a more expensive and burdensome tax experience for millions of families.\n\nThe TCJA also expanded the child tax credit, doubling the maximum credit from $1,000 to $2,000 for working families and increasing its refundability for lower-income earners. Crucially, the larger credit continued to link benefits to work, incentivizing steady employment and ensuring that the credit was paired with a long-term path to upward mobility.\n\nBy doubling the child tax credit, lowering rates, and increasing the standard deduction, Republicans provided targeted tax relief to the middle class. In fact, it was the bottom 50% of earners who received the largest reduction in average tax rates, at about 17.3%.\n\nCritics have claimed that the TCJA created loopholes for the top 1%, but the bill actually took steps to limit tax breaks for wealthy people. For example, TCJA limited the state and local tax deduction, which is effectively a subsidy for many high-income residents in high-tax states such as California and New York.\n\nPeople across the board benefited from a roaring economy in the wake of TCJA. During the period after its enactment and before the pandemic, workers got ahead as household incomes increased and every tax bracket and demographic benefitted from a strong labor market. Real median household incomes grew by more than $5,000, and the largest wage increases were seen by the lowest-earning workers.\n\nThese benefits also accrued to historically disadvantaged groups \u2014 the unemployment rates for black and Latino voters and those without college degrees, fell to historically low levels. We must protect and build on this proven tax formula and enable all people to benefit from a strong economy.\n\nWhile Congress prepares for the tax debate ahead, it is critical that people understand what\u2019s at stake. The TCJA provided meaningful tax relief and created economic opportunity for individuals at every income level.\n\nWhile Democrats continue to pledge they will not increase taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 per year \u2014 a figure that is now closer to $487,000 when adjusted for inflation \u2014 allowing these sweeping reforms to expire would result in a more than $2 trillion tax hike on this group.\n\nHeading into 2025, Senate Republicans will focus on preventing massive tax hikes on working families and investing in U.S. families and jobs. Whether Democrats and their presidential nominee share that commitment remains to be seen.\n\nMike Crapo is a U.S. senator for Idaho and the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-idahoans-deserve-more-affordable-accessible-health-care-not-wasteful-taxpayer-funded-mandates", "Crapo: Idahoans Deserve More Affordable, Accessible Health Care, Not Wasteful Taxpayer-Funded Mandates", "2024-09-18", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--During a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing on the health care provisions included in the partisan Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) highlighted the bill\u2019s devastating effect on Americans\u2019 access to reliable, affordable health care, noting stifled pharmaceutical innovation and higher premiums caused by \u201cheavy-handed government intervention\u201d and \u201ctop-down, problematic overhauls.\u201d\n\nCrapo focused on the IRA\u2019s drug price-fixing program and emphasized how the IRA is decimating American medical innovation, \u201cwith at least 21 drugs and 36 research programs discontinued since the law\u2019s enactment,\u201d while systematically disadvantaging certain clinical breakthroughs, including oral cancer drugs and Alzheimer\u2019s therapies. Crapo also called for Congress to deliver more productive, bipartisan health care solutions, stating, \u201cInstead of perpetuating a tax-and-spend agenda, we can and should work together to improve health care choice, affordability and reliability.\u201d\n\nClick here or below to watch Senator Crapo\u2019s statement and read it here.\n\nKey Highlights:\n\n\u201cThis Committee has proven that bipartisan consensus and deliberative policymaking can yield real solutions, from driving down prices at the pharmacy counter to ensuring patients can confidently select a mental health provider who fits their needs.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, the IRA took the opposite approach, advancing top-down, problematic program overhauls through a rushed, partisan process that sidelined the minority and ignored constructive input.\n\n. . .\n\n\u201cBureaucratic price fixing, under the guise of negotiation, may sound appealing, but it comes at a massive cost--particularly as firms begin to look elsewhere to launch new life-saving treatments.\n\n\u201cThe implications for the therapeutic R&D pipeline are already apparent, with at least 21 drugs and 36 research programs discontinued since the law\u2019s enactment.\n\n\u201cEven for approved drugs, delays and denials in care have started to skyrocket\u2014and yet the Biden-Harris Administration inexplicably excluded medications from its prior authorization reforms.\n\n\u201cFor Americans with rare diseases, 95 percent of which lack an approved treatment, the IRA contains a rigid disincentive for finding new uses for existing orphan drugs.\n\n. . .\n\nCrapo also highlighted that because the IRA\u2019s heavy-handed government intervention has triggered annual premium increases for seniors, the Administration is now attempting to hide these increases through taxpayer-financed subsidies and legally dubious programs. Crapo recently joined Senate and House leaders in requesting a review and analysis from the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Budget Office on this new cost-shifting program.\n\nClick here to watch Senator Crapo question witnesses at the hearing.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-at-hearing-on-the-inflation-reduction-acts-health-care-provisions", "Crapo Statement at Hearing on the Inflation Reduction Act\u2019s Health Care Provisions", "2024-09-17", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing entitled, \u201cLower Health Care Costs for Americans: Understanding the Benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act.\u201d\n\nAs prepared for delivery:\n\n\u201cThank you, Mr. Chairman.\n\n\u201cBefore I begin my remarks, I would like to take moment to welcome Theo Merkel back to the Finance Committee.\n\n\u201cTheo served on staff for our former colleague Senator Pat Toomey, and we are grateful he is able to join us once again today.\n\n\u201cOver the course of the current Administration, Americans have experienced persistent economic headwinds, from slow job growth to consistently high inflation and dwindling consumer purchasing power.\n\n\u201cEveryone on this dais agrees that health care access and affordability demand urgent action, including by Congress.\n\n\u201cThis Committee has proven that bipartisan consensus and deliberative policymaking can yield real solutions, from driving down prices at the pharmacy counter to ensuring patients can confidently select a mental health provider who fits their needs.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, the IRA took the opposite approach, advancing top-down, problematic program overhauls through a rushed, partisan process that sidelined the minority and ignored constructive input.\n\n\u201cThis hearing provides an opportunity not only to assess the flaws of this process, but also to chart a more productive path moving forward.\n\n\u201cTwo years ago, my Republican colleagues and I joined patient advocates, small businesses and frontline providers in warning of the destructive nature of price controls on domestic manufacturing, drug development and American leadership on the global stage.\n\n\u201cThe law\u2019s results to date suggest we should have struck an even more cautionary tone.\n\n\u201cFrom a national security standpoint, as China supercharges its biopharmaceutical sector, the IRA waves a white flag, treating American job creators like adversaries.\n\n\u201cBureaucratic price fixing, under the guise of negotiation, may sound appealing, but it comes at a massive cost--particularly as firms begin to look elsewhere to launch new life-saving treatments.\n\n\u201cThe implications for the therapeutic R&D pipeline are already apparent, with at least 21 drugs and 36 research programs discontinued since the law\u2019s enactment.\n\n\u201cEven for approved drugs, delays and denials in care have started to skyrocket\u2014and yet the Biden-Harris Administration inexplicably excluded medications from its prior authorization reforms.\n\n\u201cFor Americans with rare diseases, 95 percent of which lack an approved treatment, the IRA contains a rigid disincentive for finding new uses for existing orphan drugs.\n\n\u201cBy providing preferential treatment to injectables and infused medicines, the law also systematically disadvantages capsules and pills, including oral cancer drugs, Alzheimer\u2019s therapies, mental health medications and other clinical breakthroughs.\n\n\u201cEncouragingly, bipartisan Members have begun efforts to address these devastating outcomes and other consensus-based improvements will undoubtedly follow.\n\n\u201cAfter all, the strongest and most enduring Medicare enhancements have always attracted support from across the political spectrum. To that end, virtually all Republicans have long favored an out-of-pocket cap for seniors\u2019 medication spending.\n\n\u201cFor insulin, it was President Trump who took action to ensure that all seniors with diabetes had access to plan options with copays of $35 or less. In contrast, the IRA has resulted in plans actually tightening access to diabetes drugs.\n\n\u201cThe Administration\u2019s reliance on heavy-handed government intervention has also triggered annual premium increases, which have been hidden from consumers by subsidies and legally dubious programs.\n\n\u201cBy doubling down on the costly and inflationary-enhanced premium tax credits, the IRA uses hardworking taxpayer funds to camouflage the ongoing flaws in the individual health insurance market.\n\n\u201cThe Congressional Budget Office notes permanently extending these enhanced subsidies, which have contributed to growing waste, fraud and abuse, would increase the deficit by $325 billion over ten years.\n\n\u201cInstead of perpetuating a tax-and-spend agenda, we can and should work together to improve health care choice, affordability and reliability.\n\n\u201cLast year, we demonstrated the capacity to do so--and we should continue taking steps to enact our Committee\u2019s bipartisan reforms.\n\n\u201cThe IRA, however, misdiagnosed the problem and prescribed bureaucratic, big-government, misguided solutions. Seniors deserve better.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-congress-must-extend-2017-tax-law", "Crapo: Congress Must Extend 2017 Tax Law", "2024-09-13", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--With the expiration of the Republican-enacted 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) approaching at the end of 2025, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the upcoming tax policy debate, which Ranking Member Crapo (R-Idaho) called \u201cone of the most critical issues that will face our nation next year.\u201d Crapo used the hearing as an opportunity to highlight the significant economic benefits that all Americans experienced after the TCJA\u2019s passage--especially for middle-income taxpayers and small businesses--while debunking critics\u2019 rhetoric that the TCJA was simply a \u201ctax break for billionaires.\u201d As Crapo noted at the hearing, \u201cUnless Congress moves to extend these [TCJA] provisions by the end of next year, taxpayers would face the largest tax increase in U.S. history.\u201d\n\nClick here to watch Senator Crapo\u2019s statement.\n\nKey Excerpts:\n\nThe TCJA lowered tax rates across the board, providing trillions of dollars in tax savings, with middle-income taxpayers receiving the largest proportional benefit of the cuts. It also doubled the standard deduction, and doubled and expanded the child tax credit, which made the tax code simpler and provided targeted tax relief for the middle class.\n\nIf these provisions are allowed to expire, individuals making less than $400,000 per year would face a tax increase at the end of 2025 of more than $2 trillion, breaking the Biden-Harris pledge not to impose tax hikes on the middle class.\n\n. . .\n\nDespite her promise to help those starting businesses, Vice President Harris has also not addressed the 20 percent deduction for pass-throughs\u2014the chosen business form for 95 percent of American businesses. Small business owners have repeatedly said extending this deduction is their top priority, stressing that it enables them to create new jobs, pay their employees more and reinvest in their businesses. Unless Congress moves to extend these provisions by the end of next year, taxpayers would face the largest tax increase in U.S. history.\n\n. . .\n\nDespite critics\u2019 rhetoric that the TCJA was simply a \u201ctax break for billionaires,\u201d the law provided a tax break for 80 percent of Americans, and actually limited tax breaks for the wealthy by reducing costly deductions.\n\n. . .\n\nThe TCJA made the tax code even more progressive, with the share of income taxes paid by high income earners actually increasing, while the bottom 50 percent of earners received the largest reduction in average tax rates.\n\n. . .\n\nAs this Committee considers tax policy in the year ahead, the American people deserve careful deliberation of policies that will provide economic growth, tax certainty and opportunities for all Americans. I am committed to helping all hardworking taxpayers get ahead and I will work with anyone, from either party, who is ready to focus on that priority.\n\nClick here to read Crapo\u2019s hearing statement.\n\nClick here to read Crapo\u2019s opinion piece in Real Clear Markets.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-joins-legislation-to-protect-american-agriculture-from-foreign-adversaries", "Crapo Joins Legislation to Protect American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries", "2024-09-13", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) co-sponsored the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 to add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). This move will add another layer of scrutiny on foreign acquisitions of U.S. farmland and agricultural industries and, specifically, flag farmland purchases by foreign adversaries like China, North Korea, Russia and Iran for CFIUS. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), more than 43.4 million acres of U.S. agricultural land is foreign-owned.\n\n\u201cThis legislation protects Idaho from threats seen and unseen,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cAllowing land purchases from foreign adversaries to go unchecked poses a great risk to national security and encroaches on America\u2019s natural resources.\u201d\n\nSenators Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Joe Manchin (I-West Virginia), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Jon Tester (D-Montana), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska, Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) also co-sponsored the legislation.\n\nThe U.S. House of Representatives passed companion legislation introduced by Representative Dan Newhouse (R-Washington) earlier this week.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-honor-steve-symms-with-senate-resolution", "Crapo, Risch Honor Steve Symms with Senate Resolution", "2024-09-12", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.\u2014U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) honored the life and service of former U.S. Senator for Idaho Steve Symms with a Senate Resolution. The Senate passed the resolution by unanimous consent. Symms died at his home in Leesburg, Virginia, on August 8, 2024, at the age of 86.\n\n\u201cSteven D. Symms worked across the aisle for the betterment of Idaho and our country, as he bravely defended our freedoms . . .\u201d states the Resolution. \u201cResolved, That\u2014 (1) the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Steven D. Symms, former Member of the Senate; . . . (3) when the Senate adjourns today, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Steven D. Symms.\u201d\n\n\u201cSenator Steve Symms dedicated his life to public service as a Member of Congress and military veteran,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cHe worked for the betterment of Idaho and bravely defended our freedoms. He was a dear friend to me and will be missed. I offer my condolences to his family and loved ones.\u201d\n\n\"Steve Symms was a great friend to Vicki and me,\u201d said Risch. \u201cHe was a staunch defender of conservative values in Washington, D.C. for the people of Idaho. His commitment to Idaho and conservative principles has stood as an inspiration for our state\u2019s leaders. We will never forget the great day President Reagan came to Boise to rally for Steve's reelection to the Senate. What a team they were. Vicki and I extend our deepest condolences to the Symms family.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-at-hearing-on-the-2025-tax-policy-debate", "Crapo Statement at Hearing on the 2025 Tax Policy Debate", "2024-09-12", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing entitled, \u201cThe 2025 Tax Policy Debate and Tax Avoidance Strategies.\u201d\n\nAs prepared for delivery:\n\n\u201cThank you, Mr. Chairman. This hearing is a timely hearing on one of the more critical issues that will face our nation next year and frankly, is facing us right now.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ll have an opportunity to talk about the reality of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which is the focus of the debate next year, and what it really does.\n\n\u201cThe reality, contrary to what is often said by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, is that the TCJA that was put into place when the Republicans and President Trump controlled the congress, had a massive positive effect on everyone in America.\n\n\u201cThe economy grew to be the strongest economy, I think, in any of our lifetimes, unemployment was at historic lows, wage growth and job growth was increasing month after month, inflation was at 2 percent rates, and we were moving ahead rapidly and strongly.\n\n\u201cAmericans today, though, are rightly concerned about rising living costs, slow job growth and an unemployment rate that remains above 4 percent. Not to mention the inflation rate that cumulatively, over just the last three and a half years, is well over 20 percent.\n\n\u201cTaxpayers already face too much uncertainty as they look to work, save and invest in this economic environment. And given the litany of tax hike proposals on the table from many of my Democratic colleagues, no area is more uncertain as we head into this election than tax.\n\n\u201cWhen it comes to the 2025 tax policy debate, those proposing all these tax increases continue to avoid a fundamental question: will they allow the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to expire and inflict multi-trillion-dollar tax hikes on the American people?\n\n\u201cVice President Harris has largely avoided policy specifics and adopted rhetoric about taxing the wealthy and corporations, which ignores the reality of what our current tax code means for middle-income taxpayers.\n\n\u201cTCJA lowered tax rates across the board, providing trillions of dollars in tax savings, with middle-income taxpayers receiving the largest proportional benefit of the cuts.\n\n\u201cIt also doubled the standard deduction, and doubled and expanded the child tax credit, which made the tax code simpler and provided targeted tax relief for the middle class.\n\n\u201cIf these provisions are allowed to expire, individuals making less than $400,000 per year would face a tax increase at the end of 2025 of more than $2 trillion, breaking the Biden-Harris pledge not to impose tax hikes on the middle class.\n\n\u201cAnd that does not even account for inflation. By the end of this year, that pledge would need to be increased to nearly $500,000 to account for the crushing inflation that families have experienced under the Biden-Harris Administration. The pledge also ignores the marriage penalty for couples who together make more than $400,000, but who if filing separately would be well below it.\n\n\u201cDespite her promise to help those starting businesses, Vice President Harris has also not addressed the 20 percent deduction for pass-throughs\u2014the chosen business form for 95 percent of American businesses. Small business owners have repeatedly said extending this deduction is their top priority, stressing that it enables them to create new jobs, pay their employees more and reinvest in their businesses.\n\n\u201cUnless Congress moves to extend these provisions by the end of next year, taxpayers would face the largest tax increase in U.S. history.\n\n\u201cDespite critics\u2019 rhetoric that the TCJA was simply a \u2018tax break for billionaires,\u2019 the law provided a tax break for 80 percent of Americans, and actually limited tax breaks for the wealthy by reducing costly deductions.\n\n\u201cFor example, the TCJA limited the state and local tax deduction (SALT), effectively a subsidy for many high-income residents in high-tax states like California and New York.\n\n\u201cIn stark contrast, Senate Democrats pledged as recently as last month to end the cap on SALT, which even the left-leaning Tax Policy Center said would \u2018overwhelmingly benefit high income households.\u2019\n\n\u201cBy endorsing the Biden budget, Vice President Harris is calling for $5 trillion of tax increases on Americans, which would clearly hit Americans across the income spectrum, and hurt job creators and workers across the country: tax hikes on individuals and families; tax hikes on small business owners, including a top pass-through rate of 44.6 percent, which amounts to a tax increase of more than 50 percent; tax hikes on corporations, and we all know that the burden of the corporate tax is paid by workers, consumers and retirees; tax hikes on savings and investment; and another round of super-sized funding for IRS audits.\n\n\u201cAgain, these far-left proposals are often presented under the guise of \u2018taxing the rich\u2019 and \u2018paying one\u2019s fair share.\u2019\n\n\u201cBut facts matter.\n\n\u201cIn fact, the TCJA made the tax code even more progressive, with the share of income taxes paid by high income earners actually increasing, while the bottom 50 percent of earners received the largest reduction in average tax rates.\n\n\u201cThe Biden-Harris Administration has repeatedly\u2014and falsely\u2014claimed that the federal tax rate for high-income earners is only 8 percent, but the Joint Committee on Taxation recently confirmed their average rate is quadruple that amount, at 34 percent.\n\n\u201cAs this Committee considers tax policy in the year ahead, the American people deserve more than empty platitudes and $5 trillion in tax hike proposals that even a fully Democrat Congress could not pass.\n\n\u201cThey deserve careful deliberation of policies that will provide economic growth, tax certainty and opportunities for all Americans.\n\n\u201cI am committed to helping all hardworking taxpayers get ahead and I will work with anyone, from either party, who is ready to focus on that priority.\n\n\u201cWe have an excellent panel before us today.\n\n\u201cThank you all for being here. I look forward to hearing your testimony.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-welcomes-interns-for-fall-2024-term", "Crapo Welcomes Interns for Fall 2024 Term", "2024-09-12", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--Six interns have joined U.S. Senator Mike Crapo\u2019s (R-Idaho) Washington, D.C., Boise and Idaho Falls offices for the fall 2024 term.\n\n\u201cThese young minds are dedicated to their academic endeavors and seek a Senate internship to fulfill their desires to make an impactful difference,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cThrough their internships, interns develop the ability to serve constituents, expand their knowledge in policymaking and foster real-world job skills.\u201d\n\nThree interns will serve in the Washington, D.C., office:\n\nChristian Horchler attends Brigham Young University--Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho. He is pursuing a degree in political science with an emphasis on foreign affairs.\n\nBradley Stanton is a southeast Idaho native and attends Brigham Young University--Idaho. He is studying public policy and administration.\n\nBrandon Yapias is completing a degree at Brigham Young University--Idaho. Brandon is majoring in business finance with a minor in business analytics.\n\nTwo interns will serve in the Boise office:\n\nKennedy Cummins is a Murtaugh, Idaho, native and a junior at Boise State University. She is studying political science with a minor in urban studies.\n\nTanner McClain is from Middleton, Idaho, and a 2024 University of Idaho graduate. He received his degree in political science.\n\nOne intern will serve in the Idaho Falls office:\n\nJustin Stewart attends Brigham Young University--Idaho. Justin is pursuing a degree in public policy.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-scott-introduce-comprehensive-housing-legislation", "Crapo, Scott Introduce Comprehensive Housing Legislation", "2024-09-11", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) in introducing the ROAD to Housing Act, comprehensive legislation to reverse decades of failed housing policies and make targeted reforms across all segments of the U.S. housing market. The ROAD to Housing Act will review how overregulation contributes to excessive costs and delays in the supply of affordable housing.\n\n\u201cHomes are the foundation for economic success, family stability and community cohesiveness,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cUnfortunately, lack of affordable housing is routinely the number one concern I hear from Idahoans in my meetings throughout the state. We must reform inefficient segments of U.S. housing availability across all markets to make the American dream of homeownership attainable for as many Americans as possible,\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m the son of a single mother \u2013 growing up, we lived with family until we were able to rent a small place of our own. I know firsthand the importance of access to quality, affordable housing. Unfortunately, Democrats\u2019 solution for years has been to spend trillions on programs that have yielded little results, especially for minorities as homeownership rates for African Americans have barely changed in over 50 years,\u201d said Scott. \u201cCosts to buy a home and to rent continue to increase, and homelessness is at record levels. It\u2019s past time for Congress to take serious action to reverse decades of failed housing policies and put all Americans on the road to housing.\u201d\n\nSenators Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) and Steve Daines (R-Montana) also co-sponsored the legislation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-commends-historic-preservation-council-decision-to-terminate-lava-ridge-consultation", "Crapo Commends Historic Preservation Council Decision to Terminate Lava Ridge Consultation", "2024-09-09", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Boise, Idaho--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) released the following statement on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) announcement to terminate consultation on the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project given widespread concerns about the project\u2019s impact to the Minidoka National Historic Site.\n\n\u201cIf constructed, the Lava Ridge project would irreparably alter the Minidoka National Historic Site,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cThe valid concerns of Idahoans, including Minidoka survivors, descendants and allies, regarding the Lava Ridge project have been largely disregarded by federal agencies unfamiliar with the importance of this area. While my work continues to stop Lava Ridge for good, this is a step in the right direction for acknowledging the negative impacts of this proposed project.\u201d\n\nThe ACHP has agreed to terminate Section 106 consultation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consider the consequences of their actions or affiliated projects on historic properties. A Section 106 agreement outlines how adverse effects to historic properties will be mitigated, treated or avoided.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-applaud-decision-on-stibnite-gold-project", "Crapo, Risch Applaud Decision on Stibnite Gold Project", "2024-09-05", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Boise, Idaho--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) made the following statements after the U.S. Forest Service\u2019s (USFS) completed Final Environmental Impact Statement and issuing of a Draft Record of Decision authorizing the Stibnite Gold Project:\n\n\u201cThe authorization of Perpetua\u2019s Stibnite Gold Project is a key component in pushing back against China\u2019s continued malign influence,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cAdvancing America\u2019s only antimony reserve protects our national security and ensures the U.S. can continue to meet defense production needs to protect itself from bad actors. The USFS and Perpetua have demonstrated a commendable commitment to environment and habitat restoration. The Stibnite Gold Project\u2019s success is vital to our nation\u2019s strategic needs and economic future.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/idaho-delegation-demands-historic-preservation-council-terminate-cooperation-on-lava-ridge", "Idaho Delegation Demands Historic Preservation Council Terminate Cooperation on Lava Ridge", "2024-09-04", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Boise, Idaho--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and U.S. Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher (all R-Idaho) today urged the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) to terminate Section 106 consultation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project. Last month, the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office made a similar decision to forgo consultation.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, the views of these stakeholders\u2014Minidoka survivors, descendants, and allies, along with the vast majority of Idahoans\u2014have been largely disregarded. Maintaining the sanctity of Minidoka is not a matter that can be mitigated elsewhere. If constructed, the Lava Ridge project would irreparably alter this site,\u201d wrote the delegation. \u201cGiven these concerns, we request that ACHP terminate its consultation on the development of a Section 106 agreement with the BLM. Further, we request you use all mechanisms available to prevent a Record of Decision from being published by the BLM until the ACHP has had ample opportunity to evaluate, respond to, and address the concerns of constructing such a project near the Minidoka National Historic Site.\u201d\n\nSection 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consider the consequences of their actions or affiliated projects on historic properties. A Section 106 agreement outlines how adverse effects to historic properties will be mitigated, treated, or avoided.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-presents-spirit-of-idaho-award-to-warhawk-air-museum-volunteers", "Crapo Presents Spirit of Idaho Award to Warhawk Air Museum Volunteers", "2024-08-28", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Nampa, Idaho--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) today presented his Spirit of Idaho Award to Warhawk Air Museum volunteers for their efforts to showcase American servicemember history and educate visitors about the cost of freedom.\n\n\u201cThe Warhawk Air Museum is a fantastic showcase of American military history and the cost of keeping our nation free,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cIt is a reminder of the price of freedom borne by the selfless sacrifices of American heroes and their families. I am proud to honor the Museum\u2019s many volunteers for their efforts to showcase this truth in our local community. Thank you to each of you for the work you do to honor the legacy of our nation\u2019s military and its veterans.\u201d\n\nThe Warhawk Air Museum showcases veteran and military history dating back to World War I. It will soon break ground on another wing of the museum to honor the post-9/11 Global War on Terrorism. Its mission is to \u201cEducate visitors about the cost of freedom and honor those who paid its price.\u201d The museum\u2019s 72 volunteers range in age from 20 to 92, including 48 of whom are veterans of the United States Armed Forces.\n\nThe Spirit of Idaho Award was created by Crapo in 2000 to honor the acts of service by Idahoans for their commitment to improving their community and serving their fellow citizens. Crapo has presented more than 600 Spirit of Idaho Awards since the award\u2019s inception.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/realclearmarkets-a-call-to-extend-the-2017-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act", "RealClearMarkets: A Call to Extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act", "2024-08-20", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "As the Democratic National Convention kicks off, the Biden-Harris administration is forced to defend four years of reckless spending and the ensuing inflation crisis. With no way to justify the prices crushing American families, the DNC platform targets the Trump tax cuts, promising another Democrat term will \u201cmake the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share.\u201d Vice President Harris has said that she would raise the corporate tax rate; she has previously supported repealing Republicans\u2019 tax cuts altogether.\n\nWith many of the Republican-enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provisions set to expire at the end of 2025, and amid Democrats\u2019 continued attacks on many of those provisions, now is a good time to evaluate how the bill really worked. How did its changes actually affect the tax bills of American families and businesses? What happens to those tax bills if the tax cuts expire next year? The answers may surprise you.\n\nTCJA lowered tax rates across the board for all Americans, not just--as opponents of the bill suggest--for the uber wealthy. The majority of TCJA\u2019s benefits accrued to working middle class families, who on average received a tax cut ranging from $1,500 to $3,000. Between the bill\u2019s passage in 2017 and 2021, the bottom 50 percent of earners received the largest reduction in average tax rates at 17.3 percent. The top 5 percent of earners received a 1.7 percent average tax rate reduction, while some in the top 1 percent actually saw their taxes go up. The TCJA also doubled the standard deduction and the child tax credit, delivered additional help to lower-income workers, and provided tax relief to America\u2019s entrepreneurs and small businesses.\n\nThe effects of pro-growth tax reform were almost immediate. Not only did taxpayers get to keep more of their hard-earned money, but a growing economy helped median household income reach an all-time high of $68,703 in 2019, almost a seven percent increase over the previous year. The labor market improved, and workers saw wage growth of about $1,400 in annual earnings compared to the pre-TCJA wage trend. As workers\u2019 earnings increased, more people also participated in the labor market. The unemployment rate fell dramatically to 3.5 percent--the lowest in 50 years.\n\nAnd what about tax breaks for big corporations? While the TCJA reduced corporate tax rates from 35 percent to 21 percent, it did so for the vast majority of corporations, large and small. Businesses paid a price for the lower rate; namely, by expanding the tax base and modifying or eliminating many corporate tax provisions.\n\nBefore TCJA, the U.S. had the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world. Lowering the corporate rate to 21 percent put the U.S. at roughly the average rate among developed countries and our trading partners. The TCJA\u2019s corporate tax rate reduction helped make American workers and businesses competitive in the global market.\n\nA competitive corporate rate, combined with incentivizing businesses to bring foreign earnings back to America, dramatically increased domestic investment and lowered the number of foreign acquisitions of American companies. Many U.S. businesses that had moved their headquarters overseas came back home. International tax provisions also prompted companies to bring their valuable intellectual property back to the U.S., further boosting jobs and raising revenue. Since the TCJA\u2019s passage, not a single U.S. company has moved its headquarters abroad for tax purposes, creating more opportunities for Americans.\n\nUltimately, the biggest winners of a lower corporate tax rate are middle-class Americans. Research shows that corporate tax increases get passed on to workers, consumers and retirees, and according to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation, the majority of that burden hits households making less than $400,000 per year. Inversely, with a lower corporate tax rate and within the first two years of implementation of TCJA, U.S. companies added 4.7 million new jobs and real median household incomes grew by more than $5,000. Many groups that historically faced economic disadvantages also benefited from the strong economy. The post-TCJA unemployment rate for African-Americans, Hispanics and those without a high school degree fell to historic lows.\n\nUnder Republican leadership, all Americans reaped the benefits of a flourishing economy, yet Democrats have declared that they want to let TCJA expire. Its expiration would mean a sharp tax hike for almost every American. Recent analysis shows that about two-thirds of the TCJA\u2019s expiring individual tax cuts benefit those making less than $400,000 per year, who would see a $2 trillion tax hike. The average family of four making $75,000 could expect a tax increase of at least $1,500 or more. Their child tax credit will also be cut in half. All this, while most Americans are paying more than $1,000 more each month compared to January 2021, thanks to persistently-high inflation caused by Democrats\u2019 excessive spending and other misguided policies. If Democrats let the Trump tax cuts expire, they will be imposing a multi-trillion dollar tax hike on American families, workers and businesses.\n\nOur current tax system can undoubtedly be improved, and building upon the TCJA\u2019s foundation should be the topic of serious discussion as we head into 2025. But we cannot have this conversation without an honest and empirical assessment of TCJA\u2019s impact. In this election and in the year ahead we must prevent tax hikes on hardworking families and ensure America remains the most attractive place in the world to do business.\n\nSen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) is the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-joins-legislation-to-preserve-national-security-prevent-the-chinese-communist-party-from-purchasing-american-land", "Crapo Joins Legislation to Preserve National Security, Prevent the Chinese Communist Party from Purchasing American Land", "2024-08-14", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) in introducing the No American Land for Communist China Act to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from purchasing land adjacent to federal lands. This legislation will protect western states from the threat of the CCP buying up lands next to federal lands which could harm critical mineral and energy production taking place on those lands. The bill would prohibit any agent or business affiliated with the CCP from purchasing land adjacent to federal land in the United States.\n\nSenators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) and Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) also co-sponsored the legislation.\n\n\u201cAllowing the CCP to purchase western lands poses a plethora of risks including threats to our national security and encroachment on America\u2019s natural resources. This legislation protects Idaho and our western neighbors from threats seen and unseen,\u201d said Crapo.\n\n\u201cThe people of Wyoming should not have to worry about the CCP buying up western land in order to spy on the federal government or undermine our domestic energy and critical mineral production,\u201d said Lummis. \u201cAllowing foreign adversaries to purchase our land is like welcoming a fox into the hen house, and I am introducing this legislation to preserve our national security and prevent the CCP from acquiring American land to spy on our government.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe people of Wyoming work hard each day to protect and manage lands throughout our state. Wyoming and the West are the center of critical energy and mineral production for our nation. We cannot open the door to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and put our domestic energy production at risk,\u201d said Barrasso. \u201cLetting the CCP buy up and use our western lands is dangerous, reckless, and a serious threat to our national, economic, and energy security.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe purchase of American land by the Chinese Communist Party drains our country of resources and puts our national security at risk. We should not allow anyone affiliated with the CCP to own a single inch of American soil,\u201d said Cotton.\n\nHouse Western Caucus Chair Dan Newhouse (R-Washington) introduced the companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cThe Chinese Communist Party is at our doorstep, and we best not let them in,\u201d said Newhouse. \u201cI have been closely watching the rise in cases of the CCP\u2019s attempts at undermining our institutions. From spying on sensitive national security sites to buying up American farmland, it is clear we are vulnerable to their malicious efforts. This bill strengthens our domestic defenses and protects critical federal lands against these foreign actors that aim to deepen their already dangerous influence on the world stage. I thank Senator Lummis for introducing the Senate version of my legislation.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-colleagues-urge-usda-to-modernize-process-for-disclosing-foreign-owned-land", "Crapo, Risch, Colleagues Urge USDA to Modernize Process for Disclosing Foreign-Owned Land", "2024-08-13", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) joined a bipartisan group of Senators in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) urging the agency to streamline its process for electronic submission and retention of Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) disclosures. In the letter, the Senators note alleged inaccuracies in information publicly posted by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the problems that arise when this data is incorrect.\n\n\u201cThe current practice of manual data entry, including the re-typing of paper-filed reports into FSA systems, can lead to the publication of problematic and inaccurate information,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cWe\u2019re told there have been instances where energy developers have been incorrectly identified as having ownership interests from sanctioned nations, when in reality the investment originates from U.S. allies. If true, such errors not only create confusion but also undermine the credibility of the data published by the FSA.\u201d\n\nCurrently, these disclosures are completed by hand on physical paper. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 mandated the establishment of a streamlined process for electronic submission and retention of AFIDA disclosures, including an internet database.\n\nCrapo and Risch joined Senators John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), Jodi Ernst (R-Iowa), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) in sending the letter.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-wyden-seek-details-on-ai-safeguards-in-social-security", "Crapo, Wyden Seek Details on AI Safeguards in Social Security", "2024-08-07", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) sent a letter to Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Martin O\u2019Malley, requesting information about the Administration\u2019s use of artificial intelligence (AI), especially in decisions about benefit eligibility or payment amounts. The letter builds on Crapo and Wyden\u2019s ongoing oversight of federal agencies\u2019 use of AI to ensure it is used appropriately.\n\nThe SSA, which is responsible for distributing more than $1 trillion in Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income payments to millions of seniors, individuals with disabilities and their families each year, has used AI systems for more than 20 years. These systems help with important tasks such as reviewing and expediting certain disability claims, identifying possible fraud or abuse and flagging cases with high expected overpayment for additional review. However, as the senators noted in their letter, AI is not a cure-all that can address all challenges facing the agency.\n\n\u201cWithout the proper structure and guidelines for the procurement, deployment, and monitoring of AI systems, SSA\u2019s use of AI could reduce the effectiveness of its benefit administration processes, exacerbate improper payments, and jeopardize beneficiaries\u2019 financial security,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cTo mitigate the risks associated with deploying AI across its programs, SSA must have strong governance frameworks in place that, among other important aspects, clarify the role of human discretion.\u201d\n\nCrapo and Wyden requested Commissioner O\u2019Malley provide information on the SSA\u2019s use of AI, including SSA\u2019s risk management frameworks for AI, positions for qualified personnel to develop and oversee AI and the processes used to expedite disability determinations and appeals.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/bicameral-leaders-call-for-review-of-cost-shifting-drug-price-policy", "Bicameral Leaders Call for Review of Cost-Shifting Drug Price Policy", "2024-08-06", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--Lawmakers are calling on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the Medicare Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration recently announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), noting its dubious legality and the danger it poses to health care affordability for seniors. The effort comes as part of a letter to GAO from U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington).\n\nThrough new taxpayer-financed policy adjustments, the demonstration seemingly intends to deflate seniors\u2019 premiums that are otherwise slated to increase dramatically following the counterintuitive, haphazardly-written Inflation Reduction Act\u2019s drug price provisions. However, the agency has not produced any budgetary analysis and appears to lack a clear statutory basis or credible research goals for the proposal. Crapo, Smith and McMorris Rodgers request GAO review the demonstration\u2019s legality under section 402 of the Social Security Amendments of 1967; what budgetary analysis CMS undertook in developing the demonstration; and the estimated budgetary impact of the demonstration.\n\nFrom the letter:\n\n\u201cWe write to request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct an expedited review of the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration, as announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 29, 2024. In response to the Inflation Reduction Act\u2019s (IRA) problematic design features and rushed legislative process, the proposed demonstration employs arbitrary policy levers to achieve short-term objectives. The initiative lacks any budgetary analysis, clear statutory basis, or credible research goals. The integrity of the Medicare program and the taxpayer dollars that finance its benefits demand more than partisan aspirations to justify extra-statutory, eleventh-hour policy changes.\n\n. . .\n\n\u201c[T]he policies advanced through the recently announced demonstration would simply shift costs from plan sponsors and enrollees to taxpayers, obscuring the law\u2019s impacts without addressing their underlying drivers. Moreover, consideration of these types of programmatic changes should fall within the purview of the legislative branch. Instead, however, this agency action seeks to sidestep Congress, waiving statutory directives under the guise of a \u2018demonstration project,\u2019 with no meaningful research aims, budgetary assessments, or empirical rigor.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter here or below:\n\nDear Comptroller General Dodaro:\n\nWe write to request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct an expedited review of the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration, as announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 29, 2024.[1] In response to the Inflation Reduction Act\u2019s (IRA) problematic design features and rushed legislative process, the proposed demonstration employs arbitrary policy levers to achieve short-term objectives. The initiative lacks any budgetary analysis, clear statutory basis, or credible research goals. The integrity of the Medicare program and the taxpayer dollars that finance its benefits demand more than partisan aspirations to justify extra-statutory, eleventh-hour policy changes.\n\nPrior to the IRA\u2019s enactment, numerous policymakers, economists, and patient advocates warned of the law\u2019s potential for triggering harmful consequences, including cost hikes for seniors and working families.[2] Since the implementation of the IRA\u2019s drug pricing measures began, seniors have experienced reduced choices and increased medication coverage costs.\n\nMedicare beneficiaries have seen a significant decrease in the number of plan options available, with prescription drug plan (PDP) offerings declining by 25 percent since 2020.[3] Certain large insurers have announced their intent to exit the PDP market segment entirely.[4] For the plan options that remain, seniors face substantial premium increases.[5] Next year, as IRA implementation continues to progress, these financial effects will become all the more drastic, with a slated year-over-year National Average Monthly Bid Amount hike of nearly 180 percent.[6] Underscoring the law\u2019s market distortions and disruptions, 11 of the 14 national PDPs have already seen a reduction in non-low-income subsidy enrollment since 2023.\n\nThese trends warrant careful examination by Congress. Like many other aspects of the IRA, the law\u2019s restructuring of Part D has arguably undermined competitive dynamics and constrained seniors\u2019 choices. That said, the policies advanced through the recently announced demonstration would simply shift costs from plan sponsors and enrollees to taxpayers, obscuring the law\u2019s impacts without addressing their underlying drivers. Moreover, consideration of these types of programmatic changes should fall within the purview of the legislative branch. Instead, however, this agency action seeks to sidestep Congress, waiving statutory directives under the guise of a \u201cdemonstration project,\u201d with no meaningful research aims, budgetary assessments, or empirical rigor.\n\nOur committees have worked on a bipartisan basis, through regular order, to advance policies intended to improve prescription drug access and affordability. The Part D program should serve the needs of all seniors, and high out-of-pocket costs and premiums present barriers for far too many Americans. These challenges require durable solutions that comport with existing procedures, authorities, and laws.\n\nWith these considerations in mind, we request that GAO\u2019s review of the demonstration addresses the following questions:\n\nIs the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration consistent with the legal authority specified under section 402(a)(1)(A) of the Social Security Amendments of 1967, as amended and applied to Part D?\n\nWhat budgetary analysis did CMS undertake in developing the demonstration, and what is the estimated budgetary impact of the demonstration?\n\nAs GAO has noted in the past, \u201c[the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)] generally does require [section 402(a)(1)(A)] demonstrations to be budget neutral.\u201d[7] Does this demonstration conform to the principles of budget neutrality, and if not, why has OMB not applied its general budget-neutrality requirements in this case?\n\nHow does this demonstration compare to previous demonstrations implemented under section 402(a)(1)(A) in terms of size, scope, and budgetary impact?\n\nHow does the timeline for participation in the demonstration compare to previous timelines for opting in to demonstrations previously implemented under 402(a)(1)(A)?\n\nTo what extent will the design of the demonstration enable CMS to achieve its stated research goals?\n\nIf you have questions about this request, please contact Conor Sheehey of the Senate Finance\n\nCommittee staff, Preston Bell of the House Ways and Means Committee staff, and Jay Gulshen of the House Energy and Commerce Committee staff.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-blackburn-to-ncaa-keep-biological-men-out-of-womens-sports", "Crapo, Risch, Blackburn to NCAA: Keep Biological Men Out of Women\u2019s Sports", "2024-08-06", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Boise, Idaho--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) led a letter urging National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker to update their student-athlete policy to ensure only biologically female students can participate in women\u2019s sports.\n\n\u201cIn April of this year, the NAIA Council of Presidents unanimously approved a new policy prohibiting the participation of males in women\u2019s sports. Similarly, in June of this year, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Lia Thomas lacked standing to challenge World Aquatic\u2019s policy barring Thomas from competing in the women\u2019s category for the Olympics. These decisions are rooted in the fundamental knowledge that\u2014while each individual should have access to sports\u2014men and women have biological differences that must be respected,\u201d wrote the Senators. \u201c\u2026The very bedrock of sport is the exhibition of a commitment to excellence, grace under pressure, and fair play among competitors\u2014all of which is threatened absent an even playing field. Women deserve that even playing field and chance to compete, one that can only be achieved by ensuring that only females compete in women\u2019s sports. We urge you to follow the lead of the NAIA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport and adopt policies that protect women\u2019s sports.\u201d\n\nThe letter was also signed by Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Braun (R-Indiana), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and Rick Scott (R-Florida)", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-hickenlooper-introduce-bill-to-preserve-night-sky-from-interference-aid-research", "Crapo, Hickenlooper Introduce Bill to Preserve Night Sky from Interference, Aid Research", "2024-08-05", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado) introduced the bipartisan Dark and Quiet Skies Act to preserve the night sky from unintentional light and radio interference that disrupts industry and academic space research.\n\n\u201cThe peace and splendor of Idaho\u2019s wilderness at night is something to behold. With the advancement of space technology, these truly majestic spaces are becoming fewer. Establishing a Center of Excellence for Dark and Quiet Skies is a cause worth pursuing,\u201d said Crapo.\n\n\u201cLight and radio pollution from satellites are keeping space\u2019s mysteries beyond our reach,\u201d said Hickenlooper. \u201cPreserving the darkness of the night sky will amplify our research.\u201d\n\nScientific and amateur space observations can be disrupted by the light and radio transmission of passing satellites. In the last five years, the number of satellites in orbit increased from 2,200 to over 9,000 satellites. Current estimates predict there will be over 500,000 by 2030.\n\nThe Dark and Quiet Skies Act would create a Center of Excellence overseen by National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop best practices to reduce light and noise interference. The Center would boost collaboration between the astronomical community, industry and Federal agencies to protect federally-funded scientific research that observes the sky and celestial bodies.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-46-senate-gop-colleagues-to-biden-harris-administration-delaying-weapons-to-israel-undermines-our-ally-accommodates-iran", "Crapo, Risch, 46 Senate GOP Colleagues to Biden-Harris Administration: Delaying Weapons to Israel Undermines Our Ally, Accommodates Iran", "2024-08-02", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) led 45 Senate Republican colleagues in sending a letter to the Biden Administration, protesting its partial arms embargo against Israel. The Senators urged the White House to cease accommodating Iran, stop jeopardizing the lives of American servicemembers, and to deliver the necessary weapons systems to Israel.\n\n\u201cWhen Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly raised the weapons hold in June, your administration adamantly denied the accusation. You ignored Congressional inquiries, including a May 6, 2024, letter from Senator Marshall, a May 6, 2024, letter from Senator Ernst, a May 14, 2024, letter from Senator Risch and a June 20, 2024, letter from Senator Cotton. All the while, you were deliberately delaying the delivery of weapons, ammunition, and equipment to Israel. These include 120 mm tank ammunition, 120 mm mortar ammunition, light tactical vehicles, air-to-air missiles, F-15s, F-35 engines, joint direct attack munition kits, 2,000-pound bombs, rifles, and guided missile systems,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\nAdditional signatories included Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Senators Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Dan Sullivan (R-Alabama), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Todd Young (R-Indiana).\n\nA copy of the letter can be found here and below:\n\nDear President Biden:\n\nThis weekend, Hezbollah fired Iranian-made missiles into northern Israel, murdering 12 children and injuring dozens in the single deadliest attack on that part of the country since October 7. The ultimate responsibility for this attack rests with Hezbollah and the ayatollahs in Iran. However, while Tehran financed the attack and Hezbollah conducted it, your fear of escalation has left Israel exposed and our enemies emboldened.\n\nWe write once again to protest your administration\u2019s partial arms embargo against Israel. The actions of the Biden-Harris administration run counter to our long history of robust military cooperation with Israel and cast doubt upon the reliability of the United States as a long-term security partner. Your actions also violate the will of Congress as expressed in the recent supplemental that funded emergency military support to Israel.\n\nWhen Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly raised the weapons hold in June, your administration adamantly denied the accusation. You ignored Congressional inquiries, including a May 6, 2024, letter from Senator Marshall, a May 6, 2024, letter from Senator Ernst, a May 14, 2024, letter from Senator Risch and a June 20, 2024, letter from Senator Cotton. All the while, you were deliberately delaying the delivery of weapons, ammunition, and equipment to Israel. These include 120 mm tank ammunition, 120 mm mortar ammunition, light tactical vehicles, air-to-air missiles, F-15s, F-35 engines, joint direct attack munition kits, 2,000 pound bombs, rifles, and guided missile systems.\n\nWhile your administration delays, Hamas continues to wage war against Israel, the Houthis continue to attack in the Red Sea, and Hezbollah continues its onslaught in northern Israel. Your stalling tactics are endangering our greatest ally in the Middle East and jeopardizing the lives of our American servicemembers stationed in the region. We urge you to use every available emergency authority to expedite the physical delivery of all weapons and ammunition to Israel that have been approved by Congress.\n\nYour administration must stop accommodating Iran and its terrorist allies now.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-applaud-senate-passage-of-act-granting-idaho-a-third-federal-judge", "Crapo, Risch Applaud Senate Passage of Act Granting Idaho a Third Federal Judge", "2024-08-02", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) applaud the Senate\u2019s unanimous passage of the Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved (JUDGES) Act of 2024. Crapo and Risch are co-sponsors, and introduced similar legislation, S. 7, that would create an additional federal district judgeship in Idaho.\n\nThe JUDGES Act of 2024 would address judicial emergencies and shortages across the country by increasing the number of federal district judges in the most overworked regions of the country, including adding a federal judgeship for Idaho. Idaho is one of only three states (along with North Dakota and Vermont) with only two authorized judgeships.\n\n\u201cIt is past time an additional judgeship was added in Idaho to meet the needs of an ever-growing population and legal caseload,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cA third district judge addresses a deficiency in the legal system that has been looming since the last federal judgeship in Idaho was established 70 years ago.\u201d\n\n\u201cWith Idaho\u2019s growing population, our overworked legal system is in desperate need of an additional district judge,\u201d said Risch. \u201cI am pleased to see the Senate pass commonsense legislation to authorize new judgeships to help administer efficient and effective justice in our state.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is also co-sponsored by Senators Todd Young (R-Indiana), Chris Coons (D-Delaware), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Alex Padilla (D-California), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-New Mexico), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia), Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Rick Scott (R-Florida) and Laphonza Butler (D-California).\n\nThe bipartisan legislation will now head to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-funeral-for-recovered-mia-world-war-ii-servicemember-from-lewiston", "Crapo Statement on Funeral for Recovered MIA World War II Servicemember from Lewiston", "2024-08-02", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the following statement in honor of today\u2019s funeral for Lieutenant Allan Wesley Knepper, a World War II servicemember previously listed as Missing In Action (MIA), whose remains were finally identified and returned to his family.\n\n\u201cIt is momentous that Lieutenant Knepper was finally laid to rest at home in Lewiston today. In this final chapter of his life, service and death, I solemnly honor his memory and legacy. He made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation in World War II, and his story is one of heroism. I remain resolute in my support for continued efforts to bring home all missing servicemembers--they are not forgotten.\u201d\n\n2nd Lt. Knepper at the time of his service. Photo provided by the DPAA.\n\nThe Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced on July 11, 2024, it had accounted for 2nd Lt. Knepper on August 10, 2023.\n\nLt. Knepper was a pilot with the 49th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group, in the North African and Mediterranean Theater of World War II. He was declared MIA on July 10, 1943, after his aircraft encountered anti-aircraft fire and crashed while battling enemy forces. The DPAA worked between 2015 and 2023 to research, investigate and excavate a crash site near Caltagirone, Italy, to positively identify Lt. Knepper\u2019s remains.\n\nHis interment with full military honors occurred at 10:00 AM on Friday, August 2, at Normal Hill Cemetery in Lewiston.\n\nSenator Crapo has made an enduring commitment to account for those missing, including his sponsorship of the Bring Our Heroes Home Act, which would eliminate obstacles preventing families and caseworkers from accessing the records needed for recovering America\u2019s POWs and MIA.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-backs-risch-bill-to-prohibit-state-excise-taxes-on-firearms", "Crapo Backs Risch Bill to Prohibit State Excise Taxes on Firearms", "2024-08-01", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and U.S. Representative Darrell Issa (R-California) in introducing the Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act. This bill would prohibit states from implementing excise taxes on firearms and ammunition to fund gun control programs.\n\n\u201cSome states are unfairly using tax policy to push an ill-founded, anti-gun agenda on gun owners,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cTax laws should not unfairly target law-abiding citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights.\u201d\n\n\u201cDemocrats\u2019 latest attack on the Second Amendment looks like an excessive excise tax to fund gun control initiatives,\u201d said Risch. \u201cThe Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act ensures states do not place a significant financial burden on law-abiding gun owners to advance their anti-Second Amendment agenda.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor years, extreme state policies and governors, including from my home state, have targeted the fundamental Second Amendment rights of our fellow Americans. California\u2019s new imposition of a \u2018sin tax\u2019 on firearms and ammunition equates a core constitutional freedom with gambling or drug use. Enough is enough. That\u2019s why Senator Risch and I are joining forces to introduce this key legislation and stop any state tax that seeks to raise the price of self-defense out of reach for any American,\u201d said Issa.\n\nAs of July 1, 2024, California implemented a new 10-11 percent excise tax on firearms and ammunition to discourage the purchase of firearms and fund gun control programs. These added fees now double the tax on gun and ammunition purchases. Colorado, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Washington and New York have proposed similar taxes.\n\nCrapo, Risch and Issa are joined by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) and U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (R-North Carolina) in introducing the legislation.\n\nThe Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act has received support from the Congressional Sportsmen\u2019s Foundation, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and National Rifle Association (NRA).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-on-sham-vote-on-tax-bill", "Crapo on Sham Vote on Tax Bill", "2024-08-01", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, delivered remarks on the Democrats\u2019 blatant attempt to score political points by scheduling a vote on a tax bill less than twenty-four hours before the August state-work period. Crapo reiterated that Senate Republicans continue to have concerns with the policy, urged his colleagues to separately pass the bipartisan provisions in the bill, and reaffirmed his willingness to negotiate a child tax credit solution that a majority of Republicans can support.\n\nExcerpts of Senator Crapo\u2019s remarks are below, a copy of his full remarks can be found here, and video can be found here.\n\nTo watch Crapo\u2019s full remarks, click HERE or the image above.\n\n\u201cIn today\u2019s attempt to score political points, Democrats are moving to a bill, H.R. 7024, that has been languishing for six months in the hopes of fabricating a narrative that Republicans don\u2019t support small businesses, children or alleviating poverty. However, if my Democrat colleagues were serious about delivering relief to small businesses and working families, they would have worked with Senate Republicans in earnest on a solution that would gain broad support among our members.\n\n\u201cFor those who accuse Republicans of not caring about children, I would remind my colleagues that it was Republicans who created the child tax credit. It was intended to provide tax relief to working families. Yet more than $30 billion of the cost to expand the child tax credit in this bill\u2014about 91 percent\u2014would go to individuals who pay no federal income tax. That isn\u2019t tax relief \u2013 it\u2019s a subsidy.\n\n\u201cWhile Senate Republicans have also been accused of playing politics, the timing of today\u2019s vote\u2014coupled with the lack of meaningful engagement since January to reach a compromise\u2014confirms that the strategy was always a take-it-or-leave-it proposition in the Senate.\n\n\u201cIf my Democrat colleagues want to show that they are serious about supporting small businesses, providing disaster tax relief, alleviating double taxation on activity between the U.S. and Taiwan, and eliminating fraud in the ERTC program\u2014all bipartisan\u2014then I call on them to separately pass Senator Young and Senator Hassan\u2019s bipartisan American Innovation and Jobs Act that would reinstate R&D expensing; the bipartisan Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2024; the bipartisan and bicameral U.S.-Taiwan Expedited Double Tax Relief Act; and Senator Tillis\u2019 bill to end the ERTC program.\n\n\u201cOn the child tax credit, it bears repeating that Republicans doubled the credit amount from $1,000 to $2,000 in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and provided additional help to low-income families by lowering the phase-in floor and increasing the refundability of the credit. If Democrats are serious about helping these working families, I am ready to push for an extension of those changes beyond 2025.\n\n\u201cI have maintained a willingness to negotiate a bill that provides meaningful tax relief to Americans now\u2014a bill that a majority of Republicans in this chamber can support\u2014but today\u2019s senseless show vote further demonstrates that Democrats are not serious about doing so.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-at-hearing-on-local-economic-development", "Crapo Statement at Hearing on Local Economic Development", "2024-07-31", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing entitled \u201cTax Tools for Local Economic Development.\u201d\n\nAs prepared for delivery:\n\n\u201cThank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to work with you on this bipartisan topic.\n\n\u201cExploring incentives that encourage local economic growth is incredibly important as we begin to consider extending Republicans\u2019 2017 tax law, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.\n\n\u201cWhile the TCJA contained a litany of pro-growth tax policies, one policy that is relevant for today\u2019s hearing is the opportunity zones program.\n\n\u201cOpportunity zones have demonstrated notable success in driving investment into distressed areas. By offering tax incentives for investments in opportunity funds, private capital has flowed into areas that did not receive such levels of investment before the TCJA was enacted.\n\n\u201cIn Idaho, within just the first two years of the opportunity zones program, 54 percent of the state\u2019s opportunity zones saw investments. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, by the end of 2022, Idaho had received $130 million in opportunity zone investment. Without the TCJA, these investments may have remained on the sidelines.\n\n\u201cAcross the country, investments are being made in rural areas and economically distressed communities that need it most. According to research conducted by two Treasury Department economists and compiled by the Economic Innovation Group, in the first two years of the program, the average opportunity zone that received investment was in the 87th percentile for poverty, 81st percentile for average median household income and the 80th percentile for unemployment.\n\n\u201cWhile the opportunity zone program has come a long way, there is still more to be done. Senator Scott continues to be a leader on this issue, just as he was when we were writing the TCJA. He and Senator Booker previously introduced legislation to extend and improve the program, including by requiring reports so Congress can monitor how investments in opportunity zones are working.\n\n\u201cOne of our witnesses today, Shay Hawkins, was a member of Senator Scott\u2019s staff in 2017. He was instrumental in developing the opportunity zones program and he is here today to share his expertise as President of the Opportunity Funds Association. Mr. Hawkins, I look forward to hearing from you today about how improving and extending the program will ensure that private investment continues to flow to distressed communities.\n\n\u201cOpportunity zones, the new markets tax credit, the historic tax credit, tax-exempt bonds and the low-income housing tax credit all spur local economic development. And we can see tangible results in communities around the country.\n\n\u201cIn Twin Falls, Idaho, two local developers opened one of our state\u2019s first opportunity zone projects: the Second South Market food hall. Located in a 1920s-era warehouse, the Second South Market houses local food vendors and is the first of its kind in Idaho.\n\n\u201cIn Mountain Home, Idaho, the Desert Sage Health Center recently opened a new 30,000 square foot primary care facility. It will serve a more rural part of my state and was made possible due to a new markets tax credit investment.\n\n\u201cThere are many other examples of projects in Idaho and across the country that demonstrate how these incentives are being put to work.\n\n\u201cSeveral members of this committee have been working across the aisle to promote these other incentives. For example, Senators Daines and Cardin have introduced legislation to permanently extend the new markets tax credit, and Senators Cassidy, Cardin, Collins and Cantwell have introduced legislation to expand the historic tax credit.\n\n\u201cI look forward to discussing existing policies and new ideas, including how these tax tools are working, how they can be improved and how Congress can continue to support local economic development in a fiscally-responsible way.\n\n\u201cThank you to our witnesses for being here today, and thank you for holding this hearing, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-tillis-senate-banking-republicans-demand-withdrawal-of-fdics-new-corporate-governance-guidelines", "Crapo, Tillis, Senate Banking Republicans Demand Withdrawal of FDIC\u2019s New Corporate Governance Guidelines", "2024-07-31", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), alongside Republican Senate Banking Committee colleagues, recently sent a letter to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Martin Gruenberg exposing the many flaws in the agency's new corporate governance and risk management guidelines that would harm the safety and soundness of the U.S. financial system.\n\n\u201cWe write to you today regarding the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)\u2019s notice of proposed rulemaking and issuance of guidelines entitled \u201cGuidelines Establishing Standards for Corporate Governance and Risk Management for Covered Institutions with Total Consolidated Assets of $10 Billion or More\u201d (the Proposal). Specifically, we are concerned that the rulemaking contains a multitude of issues and flaws that collectively will hinder, not improve, safety and soundness within the U.S. financial system,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\n\u201cSafety and soundness is the cornerstone regulatory principle of the U.S. banking system. To maintain this principle, financial institutions and financial regulators alike must operate under clear and well-defined regulatory frameworks. As the banking failures of 2023 showed, ineffective risk management by financial institutions paired with ineffective risk supervision by financial regulators are key areas from which potential hazards may arise. The failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in particular, where bank management\u2019s perilous concentration and interest-rate strategies were met with sluggish and lackluster responses by financial regulators, underscores the necessity for regulatory constructs to emphasize clear and direct accountability standards for both bank management and regulators. Unfortunately, the Proposal, as drafted, indicates the FDIC is preparing to move in the opposite direction,\u201d the Senators continued.\n\n\u201cWhile we agree that sound corporate governance is a necessity, the Proposal represents a significantly flawed approach to prudential regulation that seeks to micromanage Board affairs in a manner that will inject unnecessary uncertainty in key bank management activities. It will unduly burden banks that serve and operate in small and rural communities. And, perhaps most concerningly, the Proposal lacks consensus support among FDIC leadership, is out of step with other prudential regulators, and actively opposed by state supervisors. For these reasons, we respectfully request the FDIC withdraw the Proposal,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nThe letter was also signed by Senators Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), JD Vance (R-Ohio), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) and Steve Daines (R-Montana).\n\nBackground:\n\nSpecifically, the FDIC Corporate Governance Proposal:\n\nSeeks to impose a litany of requirements on bank Board of Directors that functionally remove the distinction between senior management and bank Boards.\n\nWould require bank Boards \u201censure\u201d and \u201cconfirm\u201d bank safety and soundness, effective risk governance, and legal compliance.\n\nWould require Banks to abide by Board composition standards that are out-of-touch and unrealistic, especially for smaller institutions.\n\nEffectively micro-manages bank activities and blurs the lines between Board matters and duties of senior management.\n\nContradicts numerous state corporate governance laws, creating regulatory imbalance or even regulatory arbitrage.\n\nRule is actively opposed by numerous stakeholders and other financial regulators, such as the Conference of State Bank Supervisors and several state banking commissioners.\n\nAnalysis of feedback received during the Proposal\u2019s Notice and Comment period indicates that 92% of posted comments either opposed the Proposal entirely or raised substantial concerns.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-lankford-call-out-olympic-committee-for-mocking-christian-faith", "Crapo, Risch, Lankford Call Out Olympic Committee for Mocking Christian Faith", "2024-07-30", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach following the vulgar depiction of the Last Supper that took place during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.\n\n\u201cWe write in response to the vulgar mockery of the Christian faith on display at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The Games should unite people of every country, race, and creed. There is no place for anti-Christian bigotry at an event designed to bring the world together. The Games should celebrate the athletes, not denigrate anyone\u2019s faith. We urge you to take immediate action by amending Rule 55 of the Olympic Charter to ensure that no faiths are the subject of mockery as part of the opening or closing ceremonies ever again,\u201d wrote the Members.\n\n\u201cThe International Olympic Committee (IOC) should formally condemn the mockery that occurred in Paris of one of the most sacred moments of the Christian faith. Then, the IOC should make formal changes to ensure this kind of divisive display is not repeated to ensure that Coubertin\u2019s vision for the Games may continue to thrive. Every person, from every nation and every faith, should be encouraged to enjoy the Olympics without being belittled or mocked. Thank you for your attention to this matter,\u201d the Members continued.\n\nSenators Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-Louisiana), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) and Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) also signed the letter.\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-cortez-masto-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-increase-paid-military-leave-for-reserve-servicemembers", "Crapo, Cortez Masto Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Paid Military Leave for Reserve Servicemembers", "2024-07-25", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) introduced the Supporting Employees in the Guard and Reserve Act to ensure reserve servicemembers can attend critical military trainings and fulfill their duties without losing pay. This bipartisan bill will increase the number of days of paid military leave available to federal employees who are also reserve servicemembers, including those in the National Guard, the Army Reserve and the Air Force Reserve.\n\n\u201cAs global threats against the United States increase, it is critical we maintain a strong and resilient military,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cFurther supporting National Guard and Reserves recruitment within the civilian workforce will better equip our nation\u2019s military to protect our country at home and abroad.\u201d\n\n\u201cReserve servicemembers in Nevada make countless sacrifices to serve our nation, and they deserve easy access to support, resources, and training,\u201d said Cortez Masto. \u201cThis legislation will update military leave policies to help ensure employees aren\u2019t punished for their service to our country, and I\u2019ll keep working across the aisle to strengthen our national security.\u201d\n\nCurrently, a reservist must attend military trainings for 12 weekends and 14 days of annual training at a minimum. However, federal leave policies often only allow for about two weeks of military leave annually. This bipartisan legislation would increase the number of paid military leave days available to federal employees who are also reserve servicemembers from 15 days to 20 days, with additional days rolling over to the following year. Increasing the number of days for military leave will help recruit and retain reserve servicemembers and provide them greater economic stability.\n\nU.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pennsylvania) has introduced similar companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Supporting Employees in the Guard and Reserve Act has also been introduced as an amendment to the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-joins-effort-to-counter-hate-against-israel", "Crapo Joins Effort to Counter Hate Against Israel", "2024-07-25", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and 10 additional colleagues in introducing the Countering Hate Against Israel by Federal Contractors Act, which would prohibit the federal government from contracting with entities who boycott the State of Israel. Idaho and 36 other states have passed laws or regulations opposing the boycott, divestment, or sanction (BDS) of Israel.\n\n\u201cOur federal contracting process needs to reject and remain free of bigotry in all of its forms,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cProhibiting anti-Israel businesses from receiving taxpayer dollars sends a strong message that the United States does not stand with any organization promoting antisemitism.\u201d\n\n\u201cAntisemitism has no place in America. Businesses who boycott Israel only seek to normalize antisemitism and delegitimize our greatest friend and partner in the Middle East. Not a single taxpayer dollar ought to go to any entity engaged in this hateful behavior,\u201d said Risch. \u201cWith the Countering Hate Against Israel by Federal Contractors Act, we will ensure those seeking to do business with our government do not engage in acts of hate and antisemitism against the Israeli people.\u201d\n\nU.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Rick Scott (R-Florida), and John Thune (R-South Dakota) joined in introducing the legislation.\n\nThe Countering Hate Against Israel by Federal Contractors Act has received support from Christians United for Israel (CUFI).\n\n\u201cAmerican taxpayer dollars should not be subsidizing the effort to achieve with boycotts what Hamas seeks with bombs: the destruction of the state of Israel. Thirty-seven states have enacted similar policies to this legislation and it is well past time that the federal government joins them. The vast majority of American people stand with Israel, and we have a right to ensure our government's policies match our values. The signal to every boardroom should be heard loud and clear: if you give into the antisemitic BDS movement, the federal government will not do business with you,\u201d said CUFI Action Fund Chairwoman Sandra Parker.\n\n?###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-on-israel-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahus-remarks-to-congress", "Crapo Statement on Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s Remarks to Congress", "2024-07-24", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) released the following statement after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress:\n\n\u201cPrime Minister Netanyahu\u2019s address to Congress today reinforced our continued need to support Israel\u2019s right to defend itself against existential threats by Iranian-backed terrorists. Israel is a critical ally of the United States in an otherwise volatile region. We must continue to back efforts to bring every remaining hostage--especially American citizens--home and free from the barbaric captivity of Hamas and its allies. It is more important than ever that the United States support our allies and diplomatic partners.\u201d\n\nSenator Crapo has been a steadfast, staunch supporter of Israel. Since the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, Senator Crapo has:\n\nJoined in introducing the Israel Security Assistance Support Act that would force the Biden Administration to send critical weapons to Israel;\n\nSigned a Senate Resolution that condemns any action by the Biden Administration to withhold or restrict weapons for Israel;\n\nCo-sponsored a bill to ban U.S. funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) permanently;\n\nJoined colleagues in sending a letter to the United States Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) urging her to bring forward a resolution to designate Iranian-backed Hamas as a terrorist organization;\n\nSupported a unanimously-passed Senate Resolution calling for the strengthening of economic ties between the U.S. and Israel;\n\nSent a letter to President Biden calling on him to enforce current law and act against Iran\u2019s illicit oil trade through sanctions;\n\nCo-sponsored the Revoke Iranian Funding Act to freeze $6 billion of Iranian funds and prevent the Iranian regime from accessing and using the funds held in Qatar to finance terrorist attacks against Israel or any other nation;\n\nCo-sponsored a resolution reiterating Israel\u2019s right to self-defense and condemning statements from U.S. lawmakers which interfere in Israel\u2019s sovereign electoral process;\n\nCo-sponsored resolutions condemning the rise of antisemitism that has taken place on college campuses across the nation; and\n\nCo-sponsored numerous pieces of legislation to counter antisemitism and prohibit students who have participated in the unlawful, pro-Hamas encampments and riots from receiving federal financial assistance.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-warner-adeyemo-celebrate-two-year-anniversary-of-the-economic-opportunity-coalition", "Crapo, Warner, Adeyemo Celebrate Two-Year Anniversary of the Economic Opportunity Coalition", "2024-07-23", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "New York, NY--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Mark Warner (D-Virginia), co-chairs of the Community Development Finance Caucus, along with U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo, today held an event at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the Economic Opportunity Coalition (EOC) and new deposit commitments from companies including BNY, Google, KKR, and VISA. This event follows last week\u2019s announcement that Exelon Corporation, Edison International, and Southern Company have joined the procurement pledge to expand opportunities for small and historically underutilized companies.\n\n\u201cCDFIs are necessary for those outside the financial mainstream to gain self-sufficiency,\u201d said Sen. Crapo. \u201cThis announcement is another step forward in the goal of CDFIs supporting new and innovative approaches to spurring economic growth and access to capital in underserved communities. I applaud the buy-in from the financial sector as Coalition members continue to support public-private partnerships that empower small businesses.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn only two years, the Economic Opportunity Coalition has made historic strides to sync our tremendous progress on CDFIs with the tremendous resources of the banking and corporate world,\u201d said Sen. Warner. \u201cAs the EOC continues to grow and unlock billions more in investments, it\u2019s clear that we\u2019re bound for even more progress on getting capital to underserved communities across America. I look forward to continuing to work alongside the EOC and maintaining our strong legislative momentum in the Senate on this deeply important priority.\u201d\n\n\u201cExpanding access to capital is key to creating economic opportunity for all communities,\u201d said Adeyemo. \u201cCommunity lenders have received historic levels of public and private support during the Biden-Harris Administration, and Economic Opportunity Coalition investments are helping small businesses grow and hire nationwide. The Treasury Department looks forward to continuing to work with leading U.S. companies to put additional commitments to work in communities across the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday, I am pleased by the continued support for the EOC\u2019s deposits initiatives provided by our members,\u201d said Christopher Weaver, Executive Director of the Economic Opportunity Coalition. \u201cThe additional deposits announced today are another important milestone for the EOC, and we could not have achieved it without the committed support of our members. I thank all our partners for continuing to work with us, and look forward to building on the achievements announced today, as we strive to build and grow our deposits commitments as a means of wealth creation opportunities for underserved individuals, businesses, and communities.\u201d\n\nToday\u2019s event honoring new members to the Economic Opportunity Coalition and a new round of deposits follows a June 2023 announcement that the Economic Opportunity Coalition secured $1 billion in committed deposits in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in order to expand their lending power for underserved communities and small businesses.\n\nIn the past several years, Crapo and Warner have led efforts to grow the lending capacity of CDFIs. Crapo and Warner secured a record $12 billion federal investment to help underserved communities access capital as part of the bipartisan COVID relief package approved by Congress at the end of 2020. They also lead the Community Development Finance Caucus, a bipartisan group of 26 senators--13 Democrats and 13 Republicans--that coordinate to support and expand funding for CDFIs across the country. The senators also champion comprehensive legislation to support CDFIs, including the Scaling Community Lenders Act, bipartisan legislation to unlock more sources of liquidity for CDFIs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-grassley-ernst-lead-effort-to-safeguard-federal-support-for-crime-victims", "Crapo, Risch, Grassley, Ernst Lead Effort to Safeguard Federal Support for Crime Victims", "2024-07-22", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), are conducting congressional oversight to ensure the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) maintains adequate funding to compensate crime victims. Recent DOJ data reveals the agency has redirected money intended for the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), which is already running a historically low balance.\n\n\u201cCongress has acted time and again to ensure that the CVF has adequate funding streams; yet, the Justice Department apparently hasn\u2019t done the work necessary to ensure funds that should be deposited in the CVF are, in fact, deposited. Simply put, this is absolutely unacceptable,\u201d the Senators wrote in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland.\n\n\u201cThe Justice Department\u2019s lack of oversight and responsibility to ensure criminal fines and penalties from criminal [deferred prosecution agreements], [non-prosecution agreements], guilty pleas, and convictions are deposited into the CVF as required by statute has created a lack of resources to fund victim assistance and compensation programs around the country. The decreasing CVF balance and deposits [have] put service providers across the country at significant risk of having to cut both programs and staff that support victims and survivors of crime,\u201d the Senators continued.\n\nCongress, as part of the 1984 Victims of Crimes Act, established the CVF to provide states grants to cover the cost of victim recovery resources, including counseling services, legal assistance, funeral expenses and more. The CVF is a taxpayer-neutral fund; its balance is comprised of fines and penalties collected through federal criminal convictions, deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements and settlements.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-welcomes-interns-for-summer-2024-term", "Crapo Welcomes Interns for Summer 2024 Term", "2024-07-22", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--Six interns have joined U.S. Senator Mike Crapo\u2019s (R-Idaho) Washington, D.C., Lewiston and Boise offices for the summer 2024 term.\n\n\u201cI applaud the enthusiasm of these young people as they take an interest in public service,\u201d Crapo said. \u201cThrough their internships they foster real-world skills in a new environment, gaining experience in policymaking, constituent services and communications.\u201d\n\nThree interns will serve in the Washington, D.C., office:\n\nHelen Goodyear is a Sun Valley, Idaho, native and attends University of Virginia. She is studying public policy and leadership.\n\nCarter Jasper attends University of Montana. He is studying political science.\n\nCaroline Lucia attends Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. She is majoring in finance.\n\nTwo interns will serve in the Boise office:\n\nMatthew Candau attends University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is studying international relations and economics.\n\nPeyton Jungert attends Boise State University. He is studying biology and is on the pre-law track.\n\nOne intern will serve in the Lewiston office:\n\nAdriana Enriquez-Gonzalez attends Lewis-Clark State College. She is studying justice studies with a law and legal systems emphasis.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-announces-finance-committee-staff-updates", "Crapo Announces Finance Committee Staff Updates", "2024-07-18", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) today announced the following staff updates:\n\nAndrew Dell\u2019Orto, Policy Advisor\n\nAndrew joins the Committee from Blackstone, where he worked in government relations conducting due diligence and in-depth policy analysis on global and domestic political and regulatory issues. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.) in Government from Georgetown University.\n\nPhoebe Keller, Communications Advisor\n\nPhoebe joins the Committee media team from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where she served as the Managing Director of Media Relations. At AEI, she worked with AEI scholars to promote their research across issue areas including foreign policy, defense, and tax and economic issues, among others. Before joining AEI, she was a press intern at the Supreme Court of the United States and the managing editor of her college newspaper, the Cornell Daily Sun. Phoebe earned her B.A. from Cornell University, double-majoring in Government and History.\n\nAmy Nabozny, Health Policy Advisor\n\nAmy joins the Committee from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), where she previously worked for Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) on public health care issues, among others. Before the HELP Committee, she served as a Legislative Assistant and Legislative Correspondent for Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), working on health care issues. Amy earned her B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, double-majoring in Government and History.\n\nEric Oman, Senior Tax Policy Advisor\n\nEric, a Finance Committee veteran, returns to the Committee from the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee. Eric previously worked on the Senate Finance Committee under Ranking Member Crapo, as well as under Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and also served as a tax and budget policy advisor to Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming). In addition to government service, he has held positions at a Fortune 500 high-tech company and a Big 4 accounting firm, focusing on legislative, regulatory and administrative developments on federal, international and state tax provisions. Eric holds a Master of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Indiana University, and is a certified public accountant (CPA).\n\nSee here for a full list of Crapo Finance Committee staff.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:32:29Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-wyden-lead-bipartisan-senators-in-urging-usda-action-to-protect-americas-potato-crops", "Crapo, Wyden Lead Bipartisan Senators in Urging USDA Action to Protect America\u2019s Potato Crops", "2024-07-16", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--In a bipartisan letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack, U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) led Senate colleagues in expressing concern about the potential for potato wart to spread from potato imports originating on Canada\u2019s Prince Edward Island (PEI) to U.S. farms and production facilities, and urging the implementation of additional mitigation measures to prevent introduction into the United States.\n\nPotato wart is a highly destructive disease that can spread via infected potatoes and soil, reduce crop yields and make potatoes unmarketable domestically or internationally. There is currently no treatment available to eliminate it from contaminated farmland where it can persist in the soil for decades.\n\nIn the letter, the senators caution: \u201cIf potato wart should enter the United States, our farmers and the communities they support will be economically devastated. Given that twenty percent of our potato crop\u2014valued at over $2 billion\u2014is exported, we cannot allow introduction of a disease that would shut off access to international markets, and also curtail domestic production and sales.\u201d\n\nThey express concern that, despite current USDA regulations identifying soil testing as the most effective tool to detect potato wart, the USDA does not require testing of PEI fields prior to potatoes being cleared for export to the U.S.\n\nIn order to protect this crucial American crop and those who depend on it for salary or sustenance, the senators urge the USDA to take swift action to mitigate the potato wart risk associated with imports from PEI by taking three actions:\n\nRestrict bulk shipments into the United States to smaller-size packages: Bulk shipments of potatoes into the United States are often broken down into smaller sizes at intermediate facilities within the United States prior to being shipped across the country. During this repacking process, a substantial amount of waste is generated, which can then transmit the potato wart disease. USDA should limit these large bulk shipments to smaller sizes (20 pounds or less) so that any waste that occurs during the repacking process is significantly retained in Canada.\n\nLimit large retail shipments and ensure consumers know they are for consumption rather than cultivation: The U.S. potato industry is concerned that sales of retail (table stock) potatoes may result in consumers unknowingly planting infected potatoes in home gardens without proper mitigation strategies unintentionally spreading potato wart. USDA should limit retail shipments to consumer pack sizes and take steps to ensure the American public is fully informed of the risks associated with cultivation.\n\nControl the waste generated by processing facilities: Potato processing generates a significant amount of waste product, which, again, can transmit the potato wart disease. Any processing facilities using PEI potatoes should operate under the supervision of USDA and include the treatment of biohazard waste. Such compliance agreements should prohibit the conversion of waste potatoes into livestock feed because the process could embed potato wart into agricultural land.\n\nIn addition to Crapo and Wyden, the letter is signed by Senators Boozman (R-Arkansas), Collins (R-Maine), Cramer (R-North Dakota), Daines (R-Montana), Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Risch (R-Idaho), Bennett (D-Colorado), Cantwell (D-Washington), Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), Hickenlooper (D-Colorado), King (I-Maine), Merkley (D-Oregon), Murray (D-Washington), Stabenow (D-Michigan) and Tester (D-Montana).\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-kelly-applaud-fighter-force-recapitalization-inclusion-in-fy-2025-ndaa", "Crapo, Kelly Applaud Fighter Force Recapitalization Inclusion in FY 2025 NDAA", "2024-07-12", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) are applauding the inclusion of language based on the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act in the Senate version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Senate Armed Services Committee announced the Committee voted 22-3 to advance the FY 2025 NDAA.\n\nKelly secured the language in the Senate Armed Services Committee\u2019s FY 2025 NDAA. Crapo and Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado) introduced the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act in July 2023.\n\nThe language requires the Secretary of the Air Force, in consultation with the Director of the Air National Guard (ANG), to develop and implement a plan to sustain and recapitalize the 25 fighter squadrons of the ANG. This language is mirrored after the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act, which prevents the closure of ANG fighter squadrons at a time when pilot and maintenance manning are at critically low levels.\n\n\u201cInclusion of this language protects squadrons--such as the Idaho Air National Guard\u2019s 190th Fighter Squadron--from force reductions,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cPreserving our National Guard fighter squadrons means our nation will continue to be well-prepared amid increasing national security threats.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs we modernize our Air Force to meet the growing threats we face, we also need to modernize our Air National Guard. This will give us the roadmap we need to support the Air National Guard\u2019s continued role in providing tactical airlift, air refueling, natural disaster, and other reserve and support capabilities in Arizona and across the country,\u201d said Kelly.\n\nSince 1987, the Air Force fighter fleet has been reduced by 60 percent. The ANG represents 27 percent of the Air Force fighter force and is responsible for 94 percent of homeland defense missions. Unfortunately, the Air Force is moving to divest many of the ANG legacy equipment, including A-10s, F-15Cs and older F-16s, without a plan to recapitalize them with advanced aircraft. The Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act will ensure the Air Force maintains 25 ANG fighter squadrons across 22 states, ready to protect Americans at home and abroad. On average, the pilots and maintainers in the ANG are twice as experienced as their active duty counterparts.\n\n\u201cGreat power competition is not a challenge we will face someday in the future; it is a today challenge. Fighter Force preservation and recapitalization language in the 2025 NDAA is good for our nation and good for the Air Force.\u201d said Maj Gen Tim Donnellan, the adjutant general of Idaho and the commander of the Idaho National Guard. \u201cIdaho is fighter country, and it is essential that we stay in the fight to defend the homeland as a ready and relevant combat squadron of the Air National Guard and USAF to deter and defeat threats to our nation and state. This language is a critical step in the right direction ensuring all components of the Air Force remain One Team\u2013One Fight!\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-hagerty-demand-answers-on-dojs-lack-of-prosecutions-of-aliens-registering-to-vote", "Crapo, Risch, Hagerty Demand Answers on DOJ\u2019s Lack of Prosecutions of Aliens Registering to Vote", "2024-07-12", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee) led their colleagues in demanding answers from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on the U.S. Department of Justice\u2019s (DOJ) efforts to prevent aliens from registering to vote in American elections.\n\n\u201cAs you are likely aware, the United States has experienced a record number of border encounters since President Biden took office\u2014nearly 10 million\u2014many of whom have been released into, or evaded apprehension while entering, the U.S.,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cWe\u2019re writing to inquire regarding the efforts undertaken by your Department to enforce the law that prohibits non-citizens from voting in our elections.\u201d\n\nState officials across the country have recently taken steps to prevent, deter, and investigate cases of illegal voter registration by non-citizens, including in Idaho, South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio and Tennessee.\n\n\u201cPlainly, there are opportunities for and instances of non-citizen voter registration, and so the critical question is whether the laws against doing so are being enforced by your Department,\u201d the lawmakers continued. \u201cThere appear to have been few prosecutions by your Department under these laws, and there is no indication that you have been pursuing cases in places like Georgia and Ohio where aliens have been caught registering or voting.\u201d\n\nCo-signers of the letter include U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) and JD Vance (R-Ohio), along with 42 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-join-legislation-to-allow-interstate-firearm-sales", "Crapo, Risch Join Legislation to Allow Interstate Firearm Sales", "2024-07-10", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined Senator Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) in introducing the bicameral Firearms Interstate Commerce Reform Act (FICRA) to modernize and streamline the legal framework governing interstate firearms transactions. Federal regulations prohibit the sale or delivery of any firearm to an individual who does not reside in the state in which the licensee\u2019s place of business is located.\n\nThe legislation would allow interstate firearm transactions, implement permit dealer flexibility, redefine the residency definition for armed forces and federal employees and ensure firearm transactions adhere to the Constitution while complying with state laws and regulations.\n\n\u201cReducing the red tape affecting law-abiding gun owners, buyers and sellers preserves the Second Amendment and streamlines out-of-date systems,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cThis legislation provides a much-needed cleanup of outdated regulations while preserving and respecting state laws.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Second Amendment does not differ from state to state, neither should Idahoans\u2019 ability to purchase firearms nationwide,\u201d said Risch. \u201cFICRA allows Idaho\u2019s law-abiding citizens to purchase and bear arms without the burdensome and outdated regulations that currently limit their purchasing power.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens should not dissipate at state lines,\u201d said Cramer. \u201cFor decades, outdated regulations have placed unnecessary burdens on our nation\u2019s federal firearm purchasing laws. The Firearms Interstate Commerce Reform Act fortifies Second Amendment liberties by ensuring citizens can purchase and bear arms nationwide. It also enhances lawful commerce and supports our military members and their families, all while respecting states\u2019 laws and regulations.\u201d\n\nU.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) introduced companion legislation in May.\n\n\u201cOur federal firearm purchasing process is unnecessarily complicated and is unfair for law-abiding citizens, small businesses, and our service members willing to put their lives on the line for our country,\u201d said Scalise. \u201cThe need to modernize and simplify our federal firearm purchasing laws is long overdue and I\u2019m pleased this bill will finally right this wrong.\u201d\n\nCo-sponsors include Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) and John Thune (R-South Dakota).\n\nThe National Rifle Association (NRA) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) have endorsed the legislation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-wyden-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-improve-unemployment-insurance", "Crapo, Wyden Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Unemployment Insurance", "2024-07-10", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and 10 Senate co-sponsors introduced bipartisan legislation that would make key improvements to the nation\u2019s unemployment insurance system. The legislation, titled the Unemployment Insurance Integrity and Accessibility Act, would focus on program administration and integrity to combat fraud and improve access to benefits for eligible workers.\n\n\u201cThe Covid-19 pandemic showed that unemployment insurance systems were too often unable to keep up with the needs of American workers and too vulnerable to fraud,\u201d said Crapo and Wyden. \u201cThis bipartisan bill will go a long way to making the UI system more accessible to workers who need it and protecting taxpayer dollars by recouping and preventing fraud.\u201d\n\nThe bill is co-sponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), Gary Peters (D-Michigan) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island).\n\nA section-by-section outline of the legislation is available here and bill text is available here. A summary is below:\n\nThe Unemployment Insurance Integrity and Accessibility Act\n\nThe COVID-19 pandemic revealed that the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program was both difficult for workers to access and vulnerable to fraud. The Unemployment Insurance Integrity and Accessibility Act would prevent future UI fraud and help ensure those who defrauded the system during the pandemic are brought to justice. It would also provide relief for claimants who were overpaid and cannot afford repayment or face other hardships, and take steps to make UI systems more accessible to eligible workers.\n\nUnemployment Insurance Fraud and Overpayment Recovery\n\nExtends the federal statute of limitations for pandemic unemployment insurance fraud to 10 years (from 5 years under current law).\n\nAllows states to waive overpayments of pandemic unemployment insurance that have not been recovered as of date of enactment in non-fraud cases where repayment would be contrary to equity and good conscience. States are required to waive these non-fraud overpayments if no overpayment is established by December 31, 2025.\n\nAllows states to retain 5 percent of recovered overpayments of unemployment compensation and 5 percent of employer unemployment taxes collected as part of a state investigation. States may retain up to 25 percent of overpayment recoveries of fraudulent pandemic unemployment overpayments. Allows states to invest retained funds in improving unemployment insurance administration.\n\nUnemployment Insurance Program Integrity\n\nRequires states to crossmatch unemployment compensation claims against the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) to prevent claimants from collecting UI if they are working.\n\nRequires states to utilize systems such as the State Information Data Exchange (SIDES) to allow electronic transmission of accurate claim information between employers and states.\n\nRequires states to use crossmatching systems such as the Integrity Data Hub (IDH) to identify potentially fraudulent unemployment claims.\n\nRequires states to crossmatch unemployment compensation claims against the Social Security Administration\u2019s prisoner database to prevent fraud.\n\nRequires the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations to ensure proper implementation of crossmatching requirements.\n\nUnemployment Insurance Administration and Technology\n\nImplements new access and technology requirements for online claim filing systems and in-person alternatives.\n\nRequires states to provide guidance to employers to facilitate their eligible workers\u2019 access to benefits.\n\nProvides for oversight of federal investments into the administration of UI programs.\n\nA web version of this release is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-at-hearing-on-child-care", "Crapo Statement at Hearing on Child Care", "2024-07-09", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing entitled \u201cExamining the State of Child Care: How Federal Policy Solutions Can Support Families, Close Existing Gaps, and Strengthen Economic Growth.\u201d\n\nAs prepared for delivery:\n\n\u201cThank you, Mr. Chairman.\n\n\u201cMany Americans rely on some form of child care, which not only allows parents to remain in the workforce, but also provides children with critical social and educational development opportunities.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, for some families, child care is either unaffordable or unavailable.\n\n\u201cRecognizing that child care is an essential component to a thriving economy, in 1996, I joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of colleagues in creating the Child Care Entitlement to States (CCES) as part of welfare reform.\n\n\u201cThe law\u2019s targeted financial resources are available to assist working, low-income families in paying for child care.\n\n\u201cThe program recognizes that states are best equipped to design and deliver benefits, and that parents should be empowered to make decisions for their children.\n\n\u201cOne of the core features of the CCES is its reliance on vouchers, which allow families to choose the child care arrangement that best suits their needs.\n\n\u201cFamilies may use these vouchers for a wide variety of options, from child care centers and in-home care to after-school care and faith-based organizations.\n\n\u201cEligible families may be required to share in the cost of child care when able and appropriate, ensuring funds are wisely scaled to meet financial needs.\n\n\u201cAs Congress considers opportunities to increase access to child care, we must carefully evaluate existing programs to understand what works and why gaps persist.\n\n\u201cFederal government mandates on child care provider wages or approved sites of service are not the answer. In fact, spending billions of hardworking taxpayer dollars on these approaches would likely only exacerbate costs, placing child care options even further out of reach for families.\n\n\u201cToday, we will hear from witnesses who will highlight how states can leverage existing programmatic flexibilities to bolster access to services and allow families to drive the child care market.\n\n\u201cI look forward to today\u2019s discussion.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-feenstra-lead-colleagues-in-demanding-that-epa-rescind-electric-vehicle-mandates", "Crapo, Feenstra Lead Colleagues in Demanding that EPA Rescind Electric Vehicle Mandates", "2024-07-03", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) led more than 150 of their colleagues in a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan urging the Biden Administration to overturn its de facto electric mandate on trucks, tractors, buses and semis.\n\nThe final rule, entitled \u201cGreenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles \u2013 Phase 3,\u201d was published on April 22, 2024.\n\n\u201cHeavy-handed, top-down environmental policies do more harm than good. Regulations like these raise costs for Americans, harm farmers and small businesses and push our country toward greater dependence on China,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cWe deserve a choice in the cars and trucks we drive, especially when the consequences of these mandates are so detrimental to the economic success of families, businesses and rural communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Biden administration\u2019s mandate that impacts all trucks, tractors, buses, and semis would strain our supply chains, hurt our farmers, harm our economy, and increase costs for every single American. On top of inflation, poor economic conditions, and other regulations, this de facto EV mandate on our truckers, manufacturers, farmers, and dealers will hike the cost of groceries, utility bills, and everyday goods that American families rely on. It\u2019s also a deliberate attack on liquid fuels \u2013 including homegrown Iowa biofuels \u2013 that are vital to our energy, economic, and national security,\u201d said Feenstra. \u201cI\u2019m glad that over 150 of our colleagues joined us on our mission to overturn this burdensome mandate and maintain choice for both manufacturers, truckers, and consumers alike. This rule represents yet another attempt by the Biden administration to give more power to bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., and I\u2019m proud to lead the effort to oppose President Biden\u2019s power grab. We must let the free market \u2013 not the heavy hand of government \u2013 work as intended.\u201d\n\n\u201cATA remains opposed to EPA\u2019s current GHG3 rule. The current state of available zero-emission technology, very limited heavy-duty charging and refueling infrastructure, and an unstable power grid make the post-2030 targets entirely unachievable,\u201d said Henry Hanscom, Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs at the American Trucking Association. \u201cATA believes the most effective path to fixing the serious flaws in GHG3 is through legislative and administrative means. That\u2019s why we welcome this effort led by Congressman Feenstra and Senator Crapo calling on EPA to withdraw this unworkable rule and review the targets to account for the operational realities of trucking.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis final rule, which encompasses heavy-duty vehicles ranging from delivery trucks and school buses to tractors and semis, would disrupt the heavy-duty truck industry by forcing the broad adoption of heavy-duty zero emission vehicles on an extremely aggressive timeline, despite these vehicles currently being less than 1% of sales,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cAccording to a recent study, it would cost nearly $1 trillion in infrastructure investment alone to fully electrify the U.S. commercial fleet, which does not include the expense of purchasing new semis. Additionally, the cost for an electric semi-truck averages over $400,000 while a comparable diesel Class 8 truck costs around $180,000 \u2013 meaning electric trucks cost an average of 122% more than a normal semi.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur farmers and agricultural industry will be especially hurt by this new mandate. According to the latest agriculture census by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are 3,161,820 trucks (including pickups) on over 1.4 million farms and 3,784,743 tractors on over 1.5 million farms that would see higher equipment costs and tighter margins due to this misguided rule. These numbers also do not account for the small, independent truckers, trucking companies, and truck dealerships throughout the U.S. that will be impacted. Not only would this rule harm consumers, but it would also exacerbate consolidation by effectively forcing our small trucking companies out of business that cannot afford this hasty transition to electric or hydrogen powered trucks,\u201d the lawmakers added.\n\nCrapo introduced the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act, S. 3094, on October 19, 2023, to prohibit the EPA from moving forward with its EV mandate for passenger cars and trucks, or any similar future rules that would limit the availability of new motor vehicles based on that vehicle\u2019s engine type. Crapo and Feenstra also led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the Administration in February, urging it to withdraw that rule.\n\nThe full letter can be found HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-joins-senate-republican-colleagues-in-urging-epa-to-reject-attack-on-railroads", "Crapo Joins Senate Republican Colleagues in Urging EPA to Reject Attack on Railroads", "2024-07-02", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and 30 other Senate Republican colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan voicing their objection to a California climate change regulation targeting railroads. The new restriction would significantly burden commerce and threatens one of America\u2019s cleanest and most efficient modes of transportation\u2014rail.\n\nThe California Air Resources Board (CARB) is seeking a waiver from the EPA to enforce its In-Use Locomotive Regulation (California rule). The rule is not only extremely costly, but infeasible given the current state of technology. The Senators asked the EPA to deny CARB\u2019s request entirely.\n\nThe CARB rule would require zero-emission locomotives beginning in 2030 or 2035, depending on the type, and artificially cap the lifespan of diesel-electric locomotives. Zero-emission battery and hydrogen technology for freight locomotives is not mature, and full overhead electrification would be wildly cost-prohibitive. Because roughly half of all Class I freight locomotives pass through California each year, enforcement of this state rule would have national implications, including by CARB\u2019s own admission, costs of at least $16 billion through 2050.\n\nRailroads are already fuel efficient, which is the result of continued investments in technologies that reduce diesel fuel consumption.\n\n\u201cThe California rule is plainly unworkable,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cRailroads operating diesel-electric locomotives utilize, on average, just one gallon of fuel to move one ton of freight nearly 500 miles. This impressive efficiency is the result of substantial investments, from improved drive technology to increase the pulling capability of locomotives, to the use of software that optimizes operations, to supplementing traditional diesel-electric locomotives with a battery locomotive that can be recharged by storing energy when braking. Still, no economically-viable technology for full zero-emission operation on long haul service exists, short of the immense expense and infeasible logistics of running overhead electric wires across an entire network, which even CARB does not anticipate in its economic impact analysis. The most powerful battery locomotive in the world stores barely one-sixth of the energy a diesel-electric locomotive might use in one long-haul run, and current hydrogen technology lacks sufficient power, fueling infrastructure, and timely fueling capability.\"\n\n\u201cAllowing CARB to enforce the California rule would disrupt interstate commerce and drive prices higher,\u201d the Senators added. \u201cRailroad transportation is vital to our economy, accounting for roughly forty percent of long-distance freight. The costs of the California rule would be staggering: CARB acknowledges an impact on over 11,700 Class I locomotives, which is roughly half of the domestic Class I locomotive fleet, with compliance costs of nearly $16 billion through 2050. The compliance sum is likely an underestimate of total economic impact, since some short line railroads would cease operations entirely. Those costs and resultant reduction in competition would be passed on to shippers who, if not cut off from the railroad network entirely, would in turn pass increased expenses to consumers. This would place greater financial burdens on everyday Americans.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the letter is available HERE.\n\nJoining Crapo and Cruz in sending this letter are Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Thune (R-South Dakota), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Todd Young (R-Indiana), John Kennedy (R-Lousiana), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri) and Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-lankford-urge-biden-to-immediately-rescind-amnesty-executive-order", "Crapo, Risch, Lankford Urge Biden to Immediately Rescind Amnesty Executive Order", "2024-06-24", "2024", "2024-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), along with several colleagues, sent a letter to President Joe Biden to express concerns regarding his Executive Order that would offer amnesty to illegal aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States.\n\n\u201cWe have previously challenged the legality of your Administration\u2019s parole authority and have sought to reform this authority to ensure that decisions regarding parole are restored to Congress\u2019 original intent \u2013 \u2018on a case-by-case basis\u2019 to aliens who are not already present in the US. Under your Administration, the parole authority has been unlawfully used to circumvent screening and vetting, mass parole of illegal aliens after the cartels surge caravans at the border, and to circumvent normal refugee processing. These actions undermine the immigration laws Congress has passed, and they have eroded the rule of law at our southern border,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\n\u201cBorder security is national security, and our adversaries will continue to take advantage of the chaos your Administration created by announcing this policy. We urge you to rescind this policy immediately and focus your efforts on securing our border against the cartels and adversaries who will welcome this chaos,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nU.S. Senators John Thune (R-South Dakota), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Mike Rounds (R-South Daktoa), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virgnia), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) joined Crapo, Risch and Lankford in sending the letter.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:11:47Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-join-bipartisan-bill-to-preserve-jrotc-programs", "Crapo, Risch Join Bipartisan Bill to Preserve JROTC Programs", "2024-06-21", "2024", "2024-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined bipartisan legislation, the Preserving JROTC Programs Act, which would reduce the statutory enrollment requirement for U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers\u2019 Training Corps (JROTC) programs from 100 to 50 students to prevent programs from shuttering. This bill will directly benefit Idaho schools with JROTC programs, one of which is currently on probationary status due to enrollment numbers.\n\n\u201cRecruitment for the armed services benefits from preserving our local JROTC programs,\u201d Crapo said. \u201cThe various JROTC programs across the state teach leadership, critical thinking, citizenship and physical fitness in a real-world training environment. By lowering the enrollment requirement, this bill preserves the service of Idaho\u2019s JROTC programs in small schools or small communities that can continue to benefit from the curricula.\u201d\n\n\u201cA strong military starts with strong values,\u201d said Risch. \u201cJROTC is vital to instilling the values of service and leadership and inspiring the next generation to serve our country. Preserving JROTC and reducing barriers for schools to access these programs will strengthen our nation\u2019s defenses.\u201d\n\nWith the U.S. military facing a historic recruiting crisis, JROTC plays an increasingly important role in instilling values of service and civic participation in young people. According to U.S. Army enlistment data from Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-2021, 44 percent of Regular Army enlistments came from schools with a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) JROTC program. Of these, 21 percent came from schools with an Army JROTC program. According to the U.S. Air Force, approximately 22 percent of students graduating high school with Air Force JROTC experience choose to pursue active-duty Air Force service.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:11:47Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-applaud-senate-passage-of-nuclear-energy-bill", "Crapo, Risch Applaud Senate Passage of Nuclear Energy Bill", "2024-06-20", "2024", "2024-06", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) applauded Senate passage of legislation to boost development and deployment of new nuclear technologies and facilitate American nuclear leadership. The Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act, cosponsored by Crapo and Risch and included as a part of the Fire Grants and Safety Act, passed the Senate with broad support.\n\n\"The Fire Grants and Safety Act funds vital programs for Idaho's EMS and Firefighters in urban, suburban, and rural communities,\" said Crapo. \"Additionally, I am pleased the ADVANCE Act will be enacted through this legislation, as it continues necessary investments in nuclear energy. This strengthens national security, diversifies our energy portfolio and grow the economy.\"\n\n\u201cThe sentiment and demand for nuclear energy is at its highest in decades. We must ensure red tape does not prevent investment and innovation in new technologies,\u201d said Risch. \u201cThe ADVANCE Act\u2019s passage in the Senate will streamline permitting and deployment of advanced nuclear reactors and strengthen our existing fleet.\u201d\n\nThe ADVANCE Act will:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:11:47Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 234, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Senate", "p1": "ID", "p2": "2024"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=ID&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 234, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=ID&year=2024&party=Republican", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=ID&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 234, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=ID&year=2024", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=ID&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "ID", "label": "ID", "count": 234, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&year=2024", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=ID&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "2024", "label": "2024", "count": 234, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=ID", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2024-06-20,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecrapo~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fmedia~2Fnewsreleases~2Fcrapo-risch-applaud-senate-passage-of-nuclear-energy-bill", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=ID&year=2024&_next=2024-06-20%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecrapo~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fmedia~2Fnewsreleases~2Fcrapo-risch-applaud-senate-passage-of-nuclear-energy-bill&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 277.38203573971987, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}