Press Releases
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators for Idaho Jim Risch and Mike Crapo today joined Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and 16 of their Senate colleagues in writing a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice requesting that the department investigate potential anticompetitive activities in the highly concentrated beef packing sector. “Recent pricing discrepancies between fed cattle and boxed […]
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today introduced the Energy Infrastructure Protection Act, a bill to boost protections for critical electric infrastructure. The bill updates provisions in the Federal Power Act and restricts federal disclosures of certain sensitive energy information. “It’s crucial that the federal government and electric industry work in tandem […]
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), offered his condolences to the family of Idaho State Representative Thyra Stevenson upon learning of her passing earlier today: “Vicki and I are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Rep. Thyra Stevenson this morning,” said Risch. “Thyra was a dedicated public servant for Nez Perce and Lewis Counties, […]
WASHINGTON – On Monday, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced $470 million in food purchases under Section 32 funding to occur in the third quarter of the 2020 fiscal year. Section 32 funds are used for a number of purposes to support the agricultural supply chain. As part of the announcement, Secretary Perdue designated $50 million in surplus potato […]
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, issued the following statement after the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced it will begin accepting new Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications to assist farmers, ranchers, and small agricultural businesses. “As the devastating impacts of the […]
BOISE, Idaho — U.S. Senator Jim Risch, member and former chairman of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, joined 21 of his Senate colleagues in a bipartisan letter to Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and Jovita Carranza, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), urging the agencies to provide […]
Idaho counties will receive $23.9 million in federal funds for schools BOISE, Idaho – Members of Idaho’s congressional delegation and State Treasurer Julie Ellsworth say Idaho counties will receive a total of $23.9 million in payments this year under the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. The funds are administered through the U.S. Forest Service and based on […]
BOISE, Idaho – Representative Mike Simpson co-led a bipartisan letter signed by 126 members in the U.S. House of Representatives, including Representative Russ Fulcher. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch joined the same effort in the U.S. Senate requesting the President to eliminate payment limits for specialty crop, livestock, and dairy producers before the final Coronavirus Food […]
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), and Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) led a bipartisan group of 22 other senators on a letter calling for the Senate to finally provide much-needed financial certainty during the COVID-19 crisis for rural communities to ensure long-term funding needed for essential services. In […]
BOISE, Idaho – Today, U.S. Senator Jim Risch released the following statement commending the Senate’s passage of “Phase 3.5” of emergency coronavirus legislation to replenish the Paycheck Protection Program and provide additional relief to health care providers: “Small businesses need every possible tool in the toolbox to weather the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Paycheck Protection Program […]