United States Senator Mike Crapo - Idaho

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**DROPPING IN THIS ISSUE:**

- Idaho COVID-19 Federal Funding

-
Pandemic Relief Should be Bipartisan

- Working Hard for Idahoans
as Finance Committee Ranking Member

- Reflecting on Banking
Committee Chairmanship

- Military Monday







*Idaho
COVID-19 Federal Funding*

This past year has been challenging for all of
us.
According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget [link
1],Congress has allocated nearly $4 trillion in support, of which at
least $2.7 trillion (over two-thirds) has been committed or disbursed,
and significant portions of congressionally-appropriated money has yet
to be spent or obligated.
Because of the robust federal response,
and a relatively strong economic recovery, some local governments are
doing much better than expected.
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation [link
2] has compiled data on how much federal funding Idaho and other
states have received to date.
According to its data, Idaho has received
$9.047 million in COVID-19 federal funding, or about $5,062 per
capita.
Idaho has put $772 million toward unemployment assistance and
compensation; $2,942 million toward the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP);
and $462 million for educational support.
Thanks to good governance
and sound fiscal policies, Idaho's economy entered this crisis from a
position of strength, ending 2020 with a record budget
surplus.
However, our fight against COVID-19 is not over.
We have considerable work
ahead to fully recover from the coronavirus, and more targeted relief
may be needed yet.
As we continue to work together on tough issues, I
am confident Americans will once again prevail over our
challenges.

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*Pandemic Relief Should Be Bipartisan*

Over the last
year, Congress has come together multiple times to pass massive,
bipartisan bills totaling trillions of dollars in relief measures to back the
medical response and help American families and businesses weather the
pandemic.
I have been encouraged by this bipartisan approach, and
recent economic projections [link 3] from the Congressional Budget
Office, which estimates that already-enacted pandemic-related provisions,
built upon the strong fiscal policy foundation we already have in
place, will provide a robust economic recovery, with growth of 3.7 percent
over the course of 2021.
It is disappointing that the new Senate
Majority has decided to move forward with a budget resolution to pass
quickly proposals that have failed to garner broad bipartisan support in
the past, instead of focusing on policies that will boost vaccine
distribution and help get people back to work and our kids safely back to
school. The proposed budget directs the Finance Committee, which has
jurisdiction over major direct spending programs and all revenue and
debt limit legislation, to increase the deficit by a *staggering $1.3
trillion*, without even determining or deliberating what polices would
have the biggest impact in growing our economy.

I voted against the
Fiscal Year (FY 2021) Budget Resolution the Senate passed by a vote of
51 to 50 on February 5, 2021, because it does not pave the way for
fiscally responsible, bipartisan budgeting enabling targeted COVID relief
and economic growth.
As we have done in the past, Congress should be
working together [link 4] on targeted COVID relief for families
affected by the pandemic, and pro-growth policies that will allow employers
to reopen and rehire.

*Working Hard for Idahoans as Finance
Committee Ranking Member*

Serving on the Senate Finance Committee has
given me the opportunity to help make a positive difference in shaping
important policy affecting the lives of Idahoans and all Americans.
The
Committee's extensive jurisdiction includes federal tax policy;
federal social safety net and health care programs; and implementation of
reciprocal foreign trade agreements.
I always look for opportunities
to simplify our tax code, create jobs and help Idahoans save for
retirement.
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowered rates for American
workers and businesses, and spurred record growth and low unemployment.
It
is concerning that, at the onset of this new Congress, our country
may be heading in a direction that will result in higher taxes, fewer
jobs and a record deficit.
My latest column [link 5] outlines, that as
the lead Republican on the Finance Committee, I will work to protect
and build off the successes of the 2017 tax reform law and promote
other economic recovery efforts.

*Reflecting on Banking Committee
Chairmanship*

In the 116th Congress, I had the great honor of serving my
second term as the Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, which
has broad jurisdiction over the financial system, from housing to
sanctions to transit.
Much of the term was focused on the implementation
and oversight of laws passed in the previous congressional session and
on several important reauthorizations.
However, as the pandemic spread
rapidly across the world, Congress was tasked with confronting an
unexpected challenge unlike many have experienced in this lifetime.
As
head of the Banking Committee, I helped lead negotiations in crafting
major legislation to stabilize markets, facilitate credit flow and
provide liquidity to limit the economic shock caused by the COVID-19
pandemic.
Read my column [link 6] for a brief review of these and other
actions of the Committee over the past Congress.

*Military
Monday*

This month, I honored retired Navy Officer Zach Tudor.
Mr. Tudor
first enlisted in 1976 before commissioning as a submarine Limited Duty
Officer.
Before retiring, Tudor traveled all over the world.
On the
USS Boston's sea trials, he got to meet Admiral Rickover.
Mr. Tudor
received many awards during his time in the Navy.
I have had the
opportunity to spend some time with Zach, who now serves as an Associate
Laboratory Director at the Idaho National Laboratory, and commend him for
his continued service to our nation.
This month, Mr. Tudor received
another prestigious and well deserved recognition from the INL--the
Career Achievement in Government Award [link 7].
Thank you, Zach, for
your service to our nation and your continued service to Idaho.
Read
more about all of my past Military Monday honorees [link 8] on my
website.



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Contact Information:

Website:


Offices:
239 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington D.C., 20510
Phone:
(202) 224-6142

Idaho Falls
410 Memorial Drive
Suite 205
Idaho
Falls, ID 83402
Phone: (208) 522-9779

Boise
251 East Front
Street
Suite 205
Boise, ID 83702
Phone: (208) 334-1776

Lewiston

313 'D' Street
Suite 105
Lewiston, ID 83501
Phone: (208)
743-1492

Caldwell
524 East Cleveland Blvd.
Suite 220
Caldwell, ID
83605
Phone: (208) 455-0360

Pocatello
275 South 5th
Avenue
Suite 100
Pocatello, ID 83201
Phone: (208) 236-6775

Coeur d' Alene

610 Hubbard Street
Suite 209
Coeur d' Alene, ID 83814
Phone:
(208) 664-5490

Twin Falls
202 Falls Avenue
Suite 2
Twin Falls,
ID 83301
Phone: (208) 734-2515

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