By Congressman Mike Simpson
Dear Friend,
Happy Father’s Day to all the incredible fathers out there!
Appropriations season is in full swing! This week included several Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations markups and advancing the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Defense Appropriations Bills. After this week, we held markups for nearly 70% of our annual discretionary budget. I want to highlight the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill specifically, which fully funds our veterans’ health care programs and benefits. You can read more below.
We cannot afford to waste any time in the fight against the fentanyl crisis, which is devastating families and communities across the country. The House passed the HALT Fentanyl Act, legislation that permanently extends President Trump’s 2018 Schedule I classification of fentanyl-related substances and gives law enforcement the tools they need to keep Americans safe from dangerous illicit drugs. I was proud to support this bill and look forward to it finally reaching President Trump’s desk.
Also, I was pleased to present the Congressional Gold Medal to Amelia Crawford, a student at Boise High. The Congressional Award is a non-partisan charity founded by Congress to recognize and promote excellence in young people.
Happy Father’s Day!
Fully Funding Veterans’ Health Care Programs and Benefits
This week, the House Committee on Appropriations voted to advance the Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill. This legislation fully funds veterans’ health care programs and benefits, supports military families, strengthens America’s defense, and supports the Trump administration’s policy initiatives.
As Idaho’s only appropriator, I was proud to support this advancement. I will always do everything I can to support our troops and veterans.
This bill champions America’s veterans by:
- ✅Fully funding veterans’ health care programs
- ✅Fully funding veterans’ benefits and VA programs
- ✅Protecting the 2nd Amendment rights of veterans
You can read more about this advancement here.
Voting to Combat Illegal Fentanyl
As President Trump takes decisive action to halt the flood of this deadly drug pouring across our southern border, Congress is also working to combat this epidemic, remove fentanyl from our streets, and give our brave law enforcement officers the tools they need to save American lives.
This is an important step in combatting this crisis, and I am pleased to see this bill head to President Trump’s desk. Read more about this bill here.
Congratulations, Amelia!
Amelia has demonstrated excellence through her extracurriculars—from placing at State with the swim team to completing a 50-mile backpacking trip in the Idaho Sawtooths.
Best of luck with your future endeavors at Boise State University!
About Mike Simpson
An Idaho native, Mike Simpson was born in Burley and raised in Blackfoot. His political career began in 1980, when he was elected to the Blackfoot City Council. In 1984, he was elected to the Idaho Legislature where he served until 1998, the last six years serving as Speaker. Mike is currently serving his fourteenth term in the House of Representatives for Idaho’s second congressional district. Visit https://simpson.house.gov/ to learn more or find contact info.
