Press Releases

Laws exist to keep our families safe, and all Idahoans should be able to trust local governments to uphold the rule of law. Today, I supported two important pieces of legislation-the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, to cut off federal funds for cities that encourage illegal immigrants to seek refuge in their communities, and Kate’s Law, to increase penalties for illegal immigrants who commit crimes when they reenter the United States. It is unacceptable that an estimated 350 cities across our nation are harboring illegal aliens, in complete violation of our immigration laws, and undermining the safety of our communities.

I want to underscore the necessity of moving Judge Nye's nomination along. I know things around here don’t move quickly, and I also know that they are governed by longstanding traditions, but Senator Crapo and I have worked diligently to attempt to fill this seat. We have enthusiastic support from Senator Crapo and myself, and also from President Obama. We would urge passage of this nomination as quickly as possible and I think you’ll be well pleased with Judge Nye when you hear him testify here.

No one wants potential terrorists or those who wish us harm to have access to a weapon, but in keeping weapons out of these people’s hands it is vital we guarantee law-abiding Americans’ rights are not denied without due process. I believe Senators Grassley and Cornyn both offered amendments that thoughtfully balanced the protection of constitutional rights with the need to improve public safety. Their legislation would update and improve our current processes, provide necessary judicial oversight, and defend against an administration that would attempt to overreach its authority.

After a long and very thorough process, Senator Crapo, the Obama Administration, and I agreed on Judge Nye to be considered as the next federal district court judge in Idaho. Judge Nye is a sound and principled jurist and I look forward to this next step of the process as he sits before the Judiciary Committee.

Protecting our critical energy infrastructure systems is one of the most pressing security challenges facing the United States today. The continual emergence of threats and vulnerabilities to digital systems has created significant weaknesses that require a large-scale, national effort to address, which is the intent of this legislation. The Idaho National Lab has the unique assets and expertise needed to drive the innovations this legislation aims to create and we are fortunate to have their leadership on this critical issue.

We need to permanently end fire borrowing so that our federal land management agencies no longer have to steal funding from other programs. This is not a partisan issue and this is not a western issue. Siphoning money from the recreation budget affects every forest in the country, not just the forest that is on fire. This discussion draft is a step in the right direction to actively manage our forests so we can thin the threat before a disaster ensues.

Interning in the U.S. Senate is an excellent way to learn about the legislative branch of government and to see where much of our nation’s early history took place. Brennan and Kellen have served Idaho well and they show great promise.

Thousands of small businesses rely on our patent system to protect the core of their business and it is imperative that small inventors continue to have faith in that system. This legislation will equip America’s small business owners with the tools and information necessary to obtain and protect their patents.

The passage of this bill ensures that the more than a half-of-a-million sportsmen and sportswomen in the state of Idaho can enjoy greater access to our public lands. Hunting and fishing give us a great reason to be in the great outdoors and a great reason to hand down traditions, and I am glad to say that the passage of these sportsmen’s provisions will ensure the protection of hunting and fishing rights for Idahoans while working to conserve our treasured lands for future generations.

National Lab Day is a function of the National Lab Caucus that was formed by Senator Durbin and myself, and there were many reasons why we formed the lab caucus, not the least of which is the important work the labs do that affects not only our country but the world. The national labs improve our lives, our economics, and our security – and I am thankful to Secretary Moniz for doing the job of running the national labs and being a great friend of the Idaho National Lab and Idaho.