Press Releases
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) today urged the Biden administration’s U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to withdraw its proposed changes to the National Apprenticeship System. The partisan rule—entitled “the National Apprenticeship System Enhancements”–would impose significant regulatory burdens on apprenticeship programs nationwide. It introduces a rigid mandate for […]
WASHINGTON —U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), along with Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), all members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, introduced the Geothermal Energy Optimization (GEO) Act to accelerate the adoption of geothermal energy nationwide. Next-generation geothermal technologies offer several unique advantages that distinguish it from […]
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in an effort to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from enforcing a new rule tightening fine particulate matter (PM2.5) standards, which would further halt the growth of America’s manufacturing industry. Senator McConnell, along with 45 Senate Republicans, introduced a […]
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch, senior member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, announced the selection of Tracy General Store in Almo as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for March 2024. The Tracy General Store will be recognized for its contribution to the Southern Idaho community in […]
WASHINGTON –Today, U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced the Laken Riley Act, which would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting offenses and mandate these aliens be detained until they are removed from the United […]
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) released the following statement about the appropriations bills package the Senate considered today. “This spending package is disappointing—it comes more than five months into the fiscal year, is jammed full of earmarks and the left’s political priorities and fails to move towards reducing our national debt. This is not fiscal conservatism, and, as such, I cannot vote for it.” Several unnecessary earmarks hidden within the appropriations […]
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) released the following statement at the conclusion of tonight’s State of the Union address: “In tonight’s speech, President Biden doubled down on his open border policy and again tried to blame Congress. Congress did its job many years ago when it passed the law prohibiting anyone from entering America […]
Legislation requires VA Secretary to grant waivers for projects approved prior to Build America, Buy America enactment WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Jim Risch introduced legislation to ensure Idaho’s veterans’ facilities can update their facilities as intended. The Waiving Arbitrary and Inconsistent Veteran home Eligibility Requirements (WAIVER) Act, introduced today, is a legislative fix to the Build America, Buy […]
WASHINGTON—Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) with several colleagues introduced the Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2024, which would revert the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) to the December 2023 rate through the end of the 2025 growing season. An increased AEWR went into effect on January 1, 2024. Nationally, […]
WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) today sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan urging the agency to withdraw a proposed rule covering wastewater discharged by meat and poultry processors. “Given the technical complexity and high costs of wastewater treatment alterations, coupled with […]