Press Releases

“This is hopefully a positive step toward returning wolf management to the states and I applaud Secretary Salazar’s continued effort to delist wolves. Having said that, I am concerned this plan relies on too many variables and there’s no indication it will be approved by the courts. The history of wolf agreements is littered with assurances and promises that have not been kept. We need the federal government totally removed from the wolf issue. Idaho has proven it can manage a wolf population and I will continue to fight to allow Idaho to manage wolves without federal interference.”

“This legislation would prohibit the EPA from fining small communities that are unable to comply with new water quality standards. Many of these communities cannot afford costly upgrades to their water systems without technical assistance and financial aid. If the EPA does not make that assistance available, they will be prohibited from levying fines and penalties on these small towns. We want to protect small and rural communities from this latest unfunded mandate handed down by the EPA.”

“Idaho’s history in nuclear technology and the INL’s position as the nation’s preeminent nuclear energy research lab makes us a natural leader in this public-private endeavor.”

“The ‘gainful employment’ rules could deny hundreds of thousands of students access to the training and skills development they need to secure a job in today’s troubled economy. It would particularly have a negative impact on the health field where nearly half of all workers are educated at proprietary institutions.”

“Today’s vote was yet another chance to show we are serious about addressing the skyrocketing debt this country faces. Without a constitutional requirement to balance the budget, politicians will never make the tough choices needed to seriously address our budget problems. Small cuts in spending will be made here and there, but they will not be enough to retire a $14 trillion debt. Minor tweaks are nothing more than trimming the bushes when the house is on fire.”

“Idaho has lost a great statesman with the passing of Senator Jim McClure. He was a principled conservative who could work with all people to find solutions to difficult issues. Jim McClure was a charter member of the Senate Steering Committee. He strongly believed in the conservative principles of our country and I am proud to serve as his successor on the steering committee. Jim McClure loved serving the people of Idaho and will be fondly remembered as one of Idaho’s great elected officials. Vicki and I send our condolences to his wife, Louise, and the McClure family in the

“I urge President Obama to instruct our Ambassador to the U.N. to object to any resolutions that single-out and condemn Israeli actions. The United Nations has routinely advocated anti-Israel and anti-Semitic hate. Israel and the Palestinians need to work out this issue without interference by the U.N. Only through direct bilateral negotiations, supported by all sides, will Israel and the Palestinians be able to find an agreement that allows them to live in peace and security.”

“The American people have been loud and clear in their calls for getting our fiscal house in order. It is hard to understand how a budget that borrows 42 cents of every dollar spent and lacks any proposal to significantly change our spending habits in the future comes anywhere close to what Idahoans and Americans want from their government."

“As the ranking member of the Foreign Relations subcommittee that oversees Egypt and the Middle East, I have closely watched the calls for change and I applaud the Egyptian people for the courage to exercise their right to speak freely and the peacefulness of their demonstrations. This is a historic moment in Egypt and shows that, even in the Middle East, people desire freedom."

“The Florida ruling calls further into question the legitimacy of the health care law, yet the Administration is pushing forward with the implementation of this monstrosity at a tremendous cost to the states, small businesses and the American people. It is simply irresponsible to waste billions of dollars that we don’t have on a plan that could ultimately be ruled unconstitutional.”