Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jim Risch selected three college students from the state of Idaho to serve as interns in his Washington, D.C. office this summer. The interns have had the opportunity to engage at the national level of government while assisting with constituent services and legislative research. “Interning in the U.S. Senate is […]

Judge Nye is a sound and principled jurist and I applaud my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee for unanimously voting to move his nomination to the Senate floor for a final vote. I will continue to work with my colleagues to have Judge Nye’s nomination confirmed as expeditiously as possible. The people of Idaho are depending on it.

Washington, DC – Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), and Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) introduced The Wildfire Mitigation Assistance Act to provide more funding to mitigate the effects of wildfires and prevent future fires. The bill treats wildfires in the same manner as other natural disasters by […]

WASHINGTON – As Congress considers measures to prevent the Zika virus threat, Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are calling on President Obama to support relief from the overregulation of pesticide users, including mosquito control authorities, in order to more effectively address current and future threats to public health. While the Senate is considering legislation […]

I supported the FAA reauthorization because it gives critical certainty to aviators, airports, and consumers across the board. The inclusion of reforms that reduce government regulations on pilots is especially important to Idaho’s general aviation community. In addition, terror attacks across the world have made the safety and security of our airports an even greater priority. While there is still more to do, this bill goes further in making American travelers safer at home and abroad. What we’ve passed today represents a comprehensive approach to solving our the transportation needs as we look toward the future.

This legislation ensures that we take the necessary steps to defend ourselves against potentially catastrophic threats by establishing a coordinated effort to help protect essential infrastructures. I'm proud that solutions to many of these infrastructure and security challenges are being developed in my home state at the Idaho National Lab. For those of you have not had the opportunity to visit the Idaho National Lab, it is a world leader in critical infrastructure and control systems research. Leading the reinvention of infrastructure security, the Lab is developing techniques that can account for both physical and cyber threats. I have no

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.