By Congressman Mike Simpson
Dear Friend,
I hope everyone had a Happy Fourth of July! It was a busy week here in our nation’s capital. You may have heard something about President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. I was pleased to see this bill get signed by President Trump just in time for Independence Day. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about this critical piece of legislation, when, in fact, there are numerous wins for Idaho in the bill.
As Idaho’s only appropriator, I have a unique opportunity to fight for Idaho’s priorities and ensure Idahoans’ hard-earned tax dollars return to Idaho. I have been proud to do just that on the House Appropriations Committee, securing critical funding for Idaho projects. The Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Bill was recently approved by the House Appropriations Committee. Four of the Community Funding Projects that I submitted were included in this measure.
God bless America. In addition to celebrating our great country this week, we also celebrated 135 years of Idaho! From its natural beauty to the people who call it home, I hope you all had the opportunity to celebrate everything that makes the Gem State great!
Passing the One Big Beautiful Bill
This week, I proudly voted in favor of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a legislative vehicle for advancing President Trump’s full policy agenda. This legislation is the America-First policy agenda that Idahoans and Americans nationwide voted for in November. The One Big Beautiful Bill:
✅Lowers taxes
✅Secures the border
✅Cuts red tape
✅Reduces government spending
✅Invests in America’s defense
✅Restores American energy dominance
I am also pleased that the out-of-touch provision to sell off public lands was withdrawn before returning to the House. Land selloffs are not part of the Trump agenda, and I was proud to fight for that in the House.
Advancing Funding for Critical Idaho Projects
Despite claims that Community Project Funding projects are “wasteful earmarks,” this gives me the opportunity to bring Idaho tax dollars back home for Idaho priorities. These projects fill a clear and present need in communities across Idaho and enjoy broad community support.
For example, four of the projects that were recently approved by the House Appropriations Committee are for:
✅ Funding for Bingham’s Groundwater District
✅ Funding for a new fire station in Buhl
✅ Funding for the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment site
✅ Funding for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Magic Valley-Jerome Expansion Project
I have been proud to secure Community Project Funding for our communities throughout the years, including projects such as the new Fort Hall Fire Station, for which I successfully secured funding in FY22.
Celebrating 135 Years of Idaho
From the Sawtooth Mountains to Redfish Lake, and from our agricultural communities to the small towns that are the heart of Idaho, our state is truly special. I’m proud to call Idaho home.
It was sure lovely to return to Idaho this week after passing the One Big Beautiful Bill!
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.
