Mike’s commonsense approach and collaborative, creative problem-solving have enabled him to achieve lasting solutions to issues of importance to Idahoans and the nation. Mike ranks 13th in overall Senate seniority in the 117th Congress.
Idaho farmers and ranchers produce more than 140 different commodities. As a lifelong Idahoan and through my previous work on the Senate Agriculture Committee, I know the challenges facing families who make their living from the land and feed the world’s population. Congress should enact responsible legislation that protects this crucial industry and allows it to grow. Agriculture is a mutli-billion dollar industry in Idaho and it is important for our farmers, ranchers, producers and growers that strong agriculture sector remain part of Idaho’s and America's economy.
Idaho’s agriculture community is influenced by a wide variety of factors that affect the costs of production. As a member of the Senate Finance and the Senate Banking Committees, I am able to advocate for the interests of Idaho’s agricultural community on important issues such as fair trade agreements and taxes. With 95 percent of the world’s consumers living outside the United States, any trade agreements negotiated must be mutually beneficial and provide increased market access for U.S. products and commodities and reduced tariffs. To keep Idaho’s agriculture strong, I am focused as Chairman of the Banking Committee and a member of the Finance Committee on ensuring that our farmers and ranchers have can access credit and the tools to manage financial risk and promote incentives to expand the transportation networks supporting all aspects of production and harvest
The Farm Bill, which is typically reauthorized every five years and establishes our nation’s agriculture policy, offers prime opportunities to advance the needs of food producers in Idaho and across the country. Throughout my tenure in the U.S. Senate, I have advocated for strong Farm Bill provisions to ensure farmers and ranchers have a reasonable safety net to cope with the inherent risks associated with production agriculture. Additionally, I have championed Farm Bill provisions that meet the needs of key Idaho interests, including preservation of the U.S. sugar program, expanded research opportunities for specialty crops, and initiatives aimed at improving forest health. The Farm Bill also contains some of our nation’s primary conservation programs. Farmers depend on a healthy environment and providing the tools that preserve and enhance land and water resources have also been among my efforts to promote a thriving agriculture industry in Idaho.
Other key issues important to Idaho agriculture that I have been proud to work on and support include:
It is important that we in Congress work together to advocate for Idaho’s agricultural community on issues and regulations that prevent or restrict land use and water. Efforts at the federal level to increase control over Idaho’s water or resources should be rebuffed. Further, Congress must ensure that any regulation effecting our agriculture sector is driven by sound science and not personal agenda. These are the factors that guide my work to strengthen Idaho’s agriculture industry.
Banks and credit unions play a vital role in the development of Idaho’s economy. By issuing loans and other credit and capital products, businesses are able to grow their operations and hire more people. For families, these services are essential for everyday needs, paying for college, and saving for retirement.
As a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, I will continue to drive an agenda that reforms and modernizes our financial sector to handle the challenges of a rapidly changing banking, finance and housing market. I am focused on economic growth, especially for small- and medium-sized businesses, while also protecting consumers and taxpayers against the risks that have caused past economic collapses.
In reforming our financial markets, we cannot continue to implement expansive, one-size-fits-all regulations. Together, the hundreds of Dodd-Frank rules and regulations are far too complex, offering confusing and often contradictory standards. The resulting cumulative impact and regulatory uncertainty keeps private sector money on the sidelines that could be better utilized in creating jobs and improving the economy. In 2018, Congress successfully passed and the President signed into law the first major financial regulatory reform bill since Dodd-Frank’s implementation, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (S. 2155), which I led and sponsored as Chairman of the Banking Committee. This bill was the result of a years-long process of bipartisan negotiations, and one of the few pieces of legislation ushered through Congress through regular order.
This Banking Committee bill right-sizes regulations for smaller financial institutions, freeing up resources and making it easier for them extend credit, loans, mortgages and other products or services to consumers and communities. It also increases important consumer protections for veterans, senior citizens, victims of fraud, and those who fall on tough financial times. The reforms included in this law will help tailor the current regulatory landscape while ensuring safety and soundness of the financial system. This was an important first step in right-sizing regulation, and I will continue to look for more bipartisan opportunities to reduce red tape on Main Street and promote economic growth.
When it comes to housing finance, our current system is unsustainable, leaves taxpayers exposed to potentially trillions of dollars in liabilities, and has left the mortgage market in a state of limbo, forcing private capital out of the market. I am committed to advocating for reforms that will protect taxpayers, end the government conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and promote the re-entry of private capital into our housing finance system.
Our nation faces many threats but perhaps the biggest is our growing, unsustainable national debt. Now exceeding $21 trillion, our debt is hurting our ability to prepare and respond to threats and crises, invest in infrastructure and other priorities, and grow jobs. During my visits to all 200 incorporated cities in Idaho, every meeting opened with a sober conversation about our debt and deficits. It is an urgent issue for many Idahoans who agree we must reduce our spending and balance the federal budget.
As a senior member of the Senate Budget, and Senate Finance Committees, I have authored and supported common-sense fiscal policies that seek to end the downward spiral to insolvency in which we currently find ourselves. These measures include a balanced budget amendment to our Constitution, increased oversight of budget requests and comprehensive reforms to major mandatory programs that are currently on track to be insolvent within a generation if they are not reformed.
I am proud to have been an original member of the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, sometimes referred to as the Bowles-Simpson Commission and the Senate’s “Gang of Six” deficit reduction committee. Working with both Republicans and Democrats, the Commission examined all aspects of our nation’s budget and tax code and proposed recommendations to Congress and to then-President Obama for consideration.
Addressing our national debt remains a top priority for me in the Senate. Working collaboratively with my colleagues, I continue to press for reforms that place us on a long-term, sustainable fiscal path.
Many of you know that I employ the model of collaboration in my work in Congress and on the ground in Idaho. You’ll see the word collaboration in my news releases and in my actions; in Congressional negotiations and on the ground in Idaho. The process of collaboration often succeeds as a way of achieving consensus on difficult public policy matters.
Whether it has to do with decades-old public lands management disputes in Idaho or finding ways to eliminate our national debt and deficit and restore jobs and our economy for families all over the nation, finding a way to work together is always the solution.
Regardless of where and what the issue might be, I absolutely believe that working together does not require a sacrifice of principle but does require a commitment to problem-solving and a willingness to understand each other’s objectives. Inevitably, at several points along the collaborative path there will be strong disagreements, and the successful collaborative efforts have in common that the participants refuse to quit.
In Idaho over the past decade, we have succeeded with public lands projects such as the Owyhee Initiative and are hard at work on others, such as the Clearwater Basin Collaborative, the Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative (KVRI), the Payette Forest Coalition, the Boise Forest Coalition and others.
In Congress, I have collaborative efforts underway. I was appointed as the Ranking Member of the new Senate Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth. I also was an original member of the Simpson-Bowles Commission and the Senate’s Gang of Six (now Eight) seeking to find a permanent solution to our debt issues.
Many very difficult issues remain nationally, regionally and within Idaho, such as anadromous fish recovery, sage grouse management and others. It is my hope that the interests involved in each of these issues and more will increasingly embrace the collaborative model.
My staff and I are always available to work with any group as we proceed together in solving Idaho’s and the nation’s problems.
The Constitution and our nation’s other founding charters guarantee Americans their civil liberties and restrain the powers of the central government. All Americans are entitled to receive equal justice under the law, without personal distinction, and protection from a capricious and arbitrary federal government. Our legal system, exercised through our courts, have the responsibility to preserve our constitutional rights from an unrestrained government and to ensure speedy and fair justice when needed.
As the third, co-equal branch of government, the judiciary holds the power to interpret laws, intentionally distinct from the Constitutional power bestowed to the legislature to write laws and the executive to enforce them. This separation of powers plays an important role in the system of checks and balances envisioned by the founders of our nation.
Too often, closely divided federal courts have issued rulings that challenge the foundational responsibility entrusted to the other branches. Public confidence in our legal system is best preserved when courts act with modesty and the clear meaning of the law. Personal and political interference in jurisprudence can shake the public’s faith in the legal system as an impartial protector of our rights and upholder of justice.
Our chief executive and legislators are ultimately accountable to the American people and should remain so. Federal judges are appointed for life in good service to insulate them from swings in public sentiment and to permit an impartial judiciary. Judges at all levels must follow our Constitution in their decision-making and resist the temptation to make policy. I have consistently voted against the confirmation of nominees who demonstrate an activist role for the bench and I will continue to oppose activist nominees whose philosophy runs counter to a strict construction of the Constitution. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I support nominees to the courts that respect, not make, laws and will work to find solutions to Idaho’s overburdened judicial system.
Idaho is home to a rich diversity of culture, including our Native American population, Hispanic, Latino, Basque, African and Asian Americans. It is this wealth of diversity that makes Idaho one of the most desirable places to live and helps explain why it is the fastest growing state in the union. From wandering fur-trappers to courageous pioneers and farmers to those seeking the pristine air and water, settlers in Idaho come from many areas. In addition to migrants from East of the Mississippi and Europe, Idaho has enjoyed settlers from Canada, Asia, Central and South America who have helped enrich the fabric that is Idaho.
I am proud of the rich texture that defines Idaho and her people. As a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, I have detailed Native American issues on the Native American issues page on my website. You may also visit the Senate’s committee page for more information here.
Idaho’s Hispanic and Latino population continues to grow. Our Latino population is now the second-highest in Idaho. As a member of the Senate’s Banking and Finance Committees, I have worked with Idaho financial institutions to develop a Hispanic Financial Literacy Program. Idaho Latinos have sometimes suffered from language barriers when establishing credit or attempting to purchase a home. These outreach efforts cut though the red tape and barriers and make it easier for Latinos and Hispanics to enjoy the purchasing and investment benefits of other Idahoans.
I worked with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to secure seed funding that helped to open Idaho’s first Hispanic cultural center. The Idaho Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho in Nampa was a showcase for Latino talent and outreach.
I have consistently maintained that there is a real need for a rational immigration policy. As additional immigration proposals are considered in Congress, I will continue to press for an immigration policy that is built on the principles of border security, reforms our broken guest worker program, does not grant blanket amnesty and protects American jobs.
The first responsibility of any government and a fundamental principle established in the U.S. Constitution is to protect and defend its citizens. For years, the United States has maintained the world’s preeminent fighting force made up of thousands of men and women who volunteer to serve our country in the Armed Forces.
Idaho has been home to Mountain Home Air Force Base (MHAFB) and the Idaho National Guard for over 60 years. During this time, MHAFB has hosted many diverse missions of the Air Force including special and covert operations; combat and reconnaissance operations; fighter operations; electronic combat; and ballistic missile defense. The Idaho National Guard at Gowen Field also traces its roots to World War II. Gowen Field is home to the Idaho Army National Guard and the Idaho Air National Guard as well as reserve units of the Army, Navy and Marines. There is no question that Idaho’s military community plays a critical role in protecting our nation.
As threats to our nation grow ever more complex and unpredictable, the federal government must have the tools in place to identify, track and prevent threats to our homeland. I will work to ensure our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and National Guard soldiers have the tools and resources necessary to secure the homeland and execute their missions successfully.
Preventing domestic violence must start early by promoting positive and safe dating relationships. It is imperative that the government help provide every opportunity for victims to overcome instances of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. I have been and will continue to be a committed advocate of victims’ rights. Domestic and sexual violence has claimed too many victims, even here in Idaho.
Dating violence is a horrendous epidemic in this country – where one in every three teenagers reports experiencing physical or emotional abuse in a relationship. This issue continues to remain personal to me, as I have seen firsthand the terrible impact domestic violence can have on victims in Idaho.
Since 1994, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has helped victims and families in our communities by making substantial progress toward ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Despite VAWA’s remarkable work, many victims cannot access services because many programs lack sufficient resources to provide the basic services that these victims desperately need.
In 2013, I was the lead Republican sponsor on legislation to reauthorize VAWA. The law extends the many successes of the previous VAWA legislation as well as improves upon provisions in order to correspond to our evolving society.
Together, we can work to develop policies and efforts that support prevention by promoting healthy relationships, responding to dating abuse, and reaching out through creative and effective social marketing campaigns. Everyone can help make a difference in combating the domestic violence that tears so many families and communities apart.
Our economy works best when government provides the proper framework so that each American can pursue their own American dream. Because our economy is dependent upon many factors such as fair tax rates, international trade and federal budget goals and realities, the government must reduce regulatory burdens on businesses and industry and allow free market principals to be the drivers of our economy.
Growth and job creation are at the top of nearly everyone's concerns. Tax policy factors into economic growth, and I want to make certain that Idahoans and Idaho businesses can flourish. As a ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, I am dedicated to reforming the tax code to lower the burden on all Americans and to making the tax code fairer, flatter and simpler. Whether we cut taxes across-the-board, adopt a flat income tax or other reform measures, it is imperative we act to improve and modernize our outdated tax system.
I support free and fair trade and have confidence in the ability of Idaho and U.S. agriculture, business, and industry to compete in an ever-competitive, global economy. However, trade must be on a level playing field if it is to work properly for both consumers and exporters. When we open our markets, our trading partners must also reduce trade barriers and open their own markets to our goods and services. We can be tough and fair on trade by strongly and appropriately enforcing our trade remedy laws to ensure our producers are protected from unfair foreign practices.
Our economy has the potential to reach higher levels of growth to deliver rewards for everyone. I will always work to support and implement free market policies that reduce regulation, lower taxes and create the conditions for sustained growth and innovation.
I was educated in public schools in Idaho Falls. I know the important role that a quality primary and secondary education can provide for a lifetime of learning and success. I also know that an education is more than schools and colleges. For many, it includes other learning such as trade schools and professional training that can prepare students for rewarding careers.
In Congress, I have consistently worked to enact laws that achieve increased support for public education and preserve decision-making authority for states, local communities and especially local school boards. It is important that a strong foundation for education begin at the local level and not in Washington. We do not need a “national school board.”
I will continue to be a strong advocate of local and state oversight of our schools. Together, parents, teachers and administrators know Idaho’s students best and should work collaboratively to solve problems and produce results for communities across the state.
Idaho, and the nation, require stable, affordable sources of energy to power daily life. It is essential for our economy to be productive and competitive and for the most basic of daily tasks. In order to meet our growing energy demands, our nation must pursue energy from many sources, not just traditional fossil fuels like oil, petroleum or natural gas. Hydroelectric, nuclear, geothermal, solar and other alternative energies are important to supporting our nation’s ability to meet its needs and provide for its energy independence.
Advances in energy efficiency technologies are also an important part of any domestic energy policy. Idaho has been at the front lines of innovation and creativity in the energy space for decades. It was in Idaho that the world’s first usable electricity from nuclear energy was generated at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The INL is a national treasure. I support the lab and I will work to ensure the lab is at the forefront of innovation and public-private partnerships for years to come.
In my work in the Senate, I consistently seek out opportunities to promote a national energy policy that will lead us to less dependence on foreign sources. As technology impacting energy production and storage continues to progress, I will continue to support programs that expand and improve our nation's energy portfolio.
Idaho is fortunate to be home to some of our nation’s most unique landscapes and vast natural resources. I grew up among our public lands and learned to appreciate the tremendous blessing they are to not just Idaho, but to our nation. Public lands offer all of us an improved quality of life. Their natural beauty provides cleaner air and water, habitat to support abundant wildlife and opportunities for environmental, recreational and economic enrichment. I remain dedicated to protecting our environment in a manner that ensures the vitality of our forests and rangelands, ensures the rights of property owners and addresses the economic needs of our rural communities. Conservation and economic progress do not need to be at odds, but clearly conservation must be a component of successful environment and natural resource policy. Through a common sense approach of collaboration and cooperation, we can achieve workable solutions to some of the most challenging issues involving our land, environment and natural resources that balance the clear need for ecological health, adhere to multiple-use principles and achieve economic vitality.
The Owyhee Initiative, signed into law in 2009, is a great example of the success of utilizing collaboration to resolve public lands issues. Eight years of hard work and long hours by Owyhee County Commissioners, the Owyhee Initiative work group, and many others, put to rest decades of conflicts in Southwest Idaho and fostered agreement among recreational groups, ranchers, conservation groups, local residents, elected leaders and others. I am proud to have shepherded this agreement through Congress and into law, and commend the participants in the process. The success of the Owyhee Initiative should serve as a model for other agreements throughout the West.
We have a responsibility to ensure that our local communities are heard in the formulation of decisions that impact the land on which they live and depend. Measures that empower state and local officials, and private stakeholders to lead in the decision-making processes pertaining to our public lands help to avoid the drawn-out conflicts and costly litigation that we see all too often in communities throughout the West. I will continue to work to enact land management policies that ensure the strength of our natural environment, maintain public access and ensure resilient, self-sustaining economies for our rural counties for years to come.
Ensuring access to effective and affordable health care is one of the greatest challenges facing the health profession, insurers, and local, state and federal governments. The burden that high insurance and medical costs places on working families and seniors with fixed incomes needs to be addressed. In the 114th Congress, we must take steps to make health care more affordable, cover the uninsured and strengthen the safety net for those who fall through the cracks.
As a cancer survivor, I know how important affordable, quality care is to Idaho families. Congress must take a number of steps to address this issue including promoting prevention and wellness, modernizing federal tax rules for health coverage, encouraging states to design health solutions for their citizens, and improving access to information on the price and quality of health services. While the government can play a role in providing and regulating health care, ultimately both consumers and providers should be free from excessive government interference with their health care choices. Instead of giving the government more power over health care, individual patients must be given more control, choice, and information to make their health care decisions. When individual patients have these choices, they will reward innovative providers and insurers who reduce costs and improve quality.
Promoting quality care for all citizens must remain a priority of the 114th Congress. Please know that I will continue to work with my Senate colleagues to reform our system of health care so that all Idahoans can receive the care they need.
Our foreign policy must place the interests of the United States and the American people at the forefront. While cooperation and good relations with other countries can help advance the critical interests of the United States, any serious foreign policy proposals requires a careful and well-reasoned approach to ensure it leads to the success of the United States. Proposals in foreign affairs must remain consistent with our national security interests, protect our citizens, and reflect the goals of the American people.
At the core of the national character of the United States stand two principles: One, we are a nation of immigrants; within our borders every culture and ethnicity in the world is represented. Almost all who live here can easily trace their ancestry to a foreign country. Two, we are a peace-loving and law-abiding society. The United States, more than any other country, has a stable political and economic system because we respect the rule of law that maintains the peace and prosperity we enjoy.
I have consistently maintained that there is a real need for a rational immigration policy. As additional immigration proposals are considered in Congress, I will continue to press for an immigration policy that is built on several important principles:
Following terrorist attacks within the United States and overseas in recent years, I fully understand the urgency to enact a vigorous response to the growing threat of terror within our borders. National security and the safety of the American people must remain paramount in debating any immigration program reforms. Such needed improvements include increased scrutiny of those entering the United States and closer examination and vetting of individuals prior to arriving at our borders. Such measures, coupled with close cooperation between U.S. and foreign intelligence services will greatly increase the ability of law enforcement to stop terrorists’ ability to act.
I am proud of Idaho's vibrant history. Part of what makes up Idaho's culture is that it is home to five Native American Tribes: the Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai, Nez Perce, Shoshone-Bannock, and Shoshone-Paiute. They contribute to the richness of Idaho's history and are each important to its future.
Thousands of Native Americans lived in the territory that would eventually become Idaho. We owe much of our heritage to those who came before us. I often have the opportunity to collaborate with Idaho Tribal leaders and members on a variety of federal issues and Bureau of Indian Affairs programs. In Idaho, the partnership and counsel of Tribal officials is vital to a number of resource and economic issues, ranging from salmon to land use to our environment.
The 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Over the years, this amendment has brought much discussion, but it has remained part of our Constitution since it was ratified along with the first ten Amendments (the Bill of Rights) effective December 15, 1791. In June 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that there is an individual right to keep and bear arms, as outlined in the 2nd Amendment. To read the decision in District of Columbia v Heller, please click here (PDF format).
As such, I am a strong supporter of the rights provided under the 2nd Amendment and do not support gun control. We must protect and preserve our constitutional right to bear arms. I firmly believe this provision prohibits the federal government from denying citizens this right. I will not support any legislation that requires a waiting period for the purchase of a firearm, bans the ownership of firearms, promotes or requires the rationing or taxation of firearms or the taxation of ammunition.
Gun control advocates continue to seek creative methods of advancing their agenda, both through legislation and litigation. I will continue to oppose all efforts to weaken Second Amendment rights.
Congress has undertaken the monumental task of preserving the Social Security system for current beneficiaries and future generations. Many Americans depend on Social Security, and we must not waste more time to prevent the program’s insolvency.
The Social Security program provides benefits to millions of senior citizens and the disabled, and the solutions to preserving it are increasingly difficult as more time is wasted. As life expectancy rises, available Social Security reserve funds will be depleted more quickly. Congress must act quickly to protect Social Security and implement needed reforms to make it permanently solvent.
Current policy has made the program unsustainable. We must examine a wide array of proposals to strengthen Social Security and continue to seek methods of improving the Social Security system for those who are now on it and those who will depend on it in the future.
Reforming our tax code has been a priority of mine throughout my service as your Senator and has been decades in the making. In December 2017, Congress seized the opportunity to pass meaningful tax reform known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The reforms passed by Congress will produce growth not seen in generations with Idahoans in every income group seeing a reduction in their tax burdens. The largest percentage reductions benefit those in lower and middle-income tax categories. Additionally, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduces the tax burden on individuals and families, strengthens America’s economy, helps us build ourselves out of our fiscal crisis, and will give Idahoans access to stronger wages and stronger job growth.
Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a typical family of four will get a $2,059 tax cut. Lower-middle and middle income families can save time and money on tax preparation due to the near doubling of the standard deduction and other simplifications. According to more than 100 economists, “economic growth will accelerate” under the tax relief legislation passed by Congress, which will give Americans access to higher wages, greater job opportunities and a more vibrant economy.
If Congress had not acted to reform out outdated tax system, the Congressional Budget Office projected that our economy would struggle along at just 1.9 percent annual growth for the next decade, well below our historic average. This stagnates wages and wealth creation and is simply unacceptable. If we want to balance our budget, provide the necessary resources for our national defense and protect our safety net programs from looming insolvency, we need an economy growing at more than that measly rate. Our old tax code was unfair, complex, expensive to comply with, and anti-competitive to our own business interests. The tax relief passed by Congress will reshape our tax policy to the benefit of Idaho’s taxpayers help make the United States more competitive.
Lower Taxes for All Americans
Americans in every income group will see significant reductions, not increases, in their tax burden, with those in lower-middle and middle-income categories seeing the greatest percentage reduction, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation, the official revenue scorekeeper for Congress. Lower income earners will continue to pay zero percent and those with children will see a larger tax credit of $1,400 per child. The Tax Foundation also analyzed the effects of tax reform on various model families with different incomes and found “a reduction in tax liability for every scenario we modeled, with some of the largest cuts accruing to moderate-income families with children.”
New Jobs & Growth
The National Taxpayers Union finds tax reform will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs. The Tax Foundation estimates 1.5 percent higher wages and 339,000 new jobs. In a survey by the National Association of Manufacturers, almost 54 percent of small and large manufacturers said they would hire more workers, and nearly half said they would increase employee wages and benefits as a result of tax reform.
Deficit Reduction
Despite claims to the contrary, the reforms to our tax system will address our growing debt and deficits thanks to how the policy affects jobs, wages and investments when estimating revenue. The U.S. Department of the Treasury estimates that under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in place, revenues will increase by $1.8 trillion over ten years with only an annual 2.9 percent economic growth rate; the rate of economic growth can and will be higher than that estimate. With an economic growth rate of 2.4 percent, the legislation signed by the president will be revenue neutral.
Improved Competitiveness
American businesses are taxed at the highest rate in the industrialized world. This has resulted in 4,700 companies leaving the U.S. in the past 13 years, according to the Business Roundtable. The tax relief legislation reverses that trend, creating a more competitive tax code that better enables capital formation resulting in new companies being formed, staying here and expanding job opportunities. The Council of Economic Advisers reports significantly reducing the tax burden on American businesses would increase average household income in the U.S. by, “very conservatively $4,000 annually.”
Healthy transportation infrastructure is vital in Idaho and across the nation, promoting economic growth and improving personal mobility and quality of life. Strong surface transportation systems are not only central to the success of commerce, moving goods and products from farms and factories to stores and consumers, but also enable us to move safely and efficiently to school, work, around town and around the state and country.
On a more general level, any effort to address our nation’s transportation infrastructure needs must be developed in a way that invests in the needs of rural states. Idaho is central to interstate travel and commerce in the Pacific Northwest. I am committed to ensuring that the federal highway program makes a substantial net investment in Idaho’s roads and highways and fully support state and locally-based decision-making in that process. The Idaho Transportation Department is distinctively able to effectively and responsibly allocate resources under their purview, targeting investment in projects where our communities need them most.
Our nation is greatly indebted to those who served in the Armed Forces to protect and defend our country. Our veterans are a national treasure, and we must keep our commitment to these brave men and women. I have been honored to meet many of the veterans who call Idaho home, and their experiences inform my work on veterans’ issues in the Senate.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is one of the mechanisms through which the federal government keeps its commitment to veterans. The VA provides health care to many veterans and is also responsible for administering pensions and other benefits and services for veterans. While the VA has adapted over the years to meet increasing demand for its services, more must be done to ensure the agency can continue to provide for our veterans in future. The VA’s number one priority should be ensuring that our veterans receive the best-available care and high quality services while also maintaining excellent customer service.
In recent years, I have conducted a survey of Idaho veterans, their families and their caretakers to learn more about the challenges they face and how the federal government can better meet their needs. Each survey has improved my understanding of what is and is not working at the VA and has directly shaped legislation I introduced in the Senate to reform the VA. Based on the results of the surveys, I have continued to work to make many of the changes identified by Idaho’s veteran community. As we confront new challenges related to veterans’ benefits, I will continue to focus my efforts on reforms that make a difference in the lives of Idaho’s veterans.
As another way to recognize veterans and their accomplishments, I established the Idaho Spirit of Freedom Award in 2002 to honor veterans and volunteers who assist our veterans for their service to our nation. The statewide nomination process includes input from a number of partners, including the Idaho Division of Veteran’s Affairs, the Idaho State Veterans’ Homes (ISVH), the VA Regional Office, the VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Boise, as well as the commanders of chartered veterans’ service organizations in Idaho. This is just one step I have taken to honor Idaho’s veterans, and I will continue to approach my work in the Senate with longstanding respect and admiration for America’s service members.
Want to nominate someone for recognition who has made a significant contribution as a veteran or for veterans in Idaho? Please contact the staff in one of my offices.