By Congressman Russ Fulcher
We are one year into President Donald J. Trump’s historic second term. It is an honor to work alongside him and his administration in Congress to deliver real, measurable results for the people of the Gem State. Over the last 365 days, we have eliminated taxes on overtime and tips for hardworking Americans, delivered $185 million to strengthen rural healthcare across Idaho, taken decisive action to secure our borders, and successfully canceled the disastrous Lava Ridge wind project.
As we continue into 2026, I look forward to building on this momentum—fighting for Idaho values, strengthening our communities, and ensuring the voices of Idahoans are heard in Washington, D.C.
We have a lot to cover. As always, thank you for staying engaged, and I hope this e-newsletter provides a beneficial update on what my team and I have been working on as of late.
Legislation That Directly Impacts Idaho
We recently celebrated National Milk Day—an excellent source of nutrition that we here in Idaho can thank our hardworking dairy farmers for.
Children deserve nutrient-packed options at school. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act gives school nutritionists the ability to serve the types of milk students want and enjoy. I proudly supported this legislation on the House floor, and I am pleased to share that President Trump has officially signed it into law!
States—not Washington, D.C., bureaucrats—are best equipped to manage local wildlife.
H.R. 845, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, restores state authority over gray wolf management.
By putting decisions back in the hands of Idaho’s wildlife experts, this legislation provides certainty and protections for ranchers, farmers, and rural landowners.
It has been over 100 years since a U.S. Navy Ship was named after Idaho, but that is changing.
For the next 30+ years, the future USS Idaho will represent our state, citizens, spirit, beauty, and our culture as a flagship Member of the United States Navy Submarine Force.
May God bless the crew, their families, the shipbuilders, and all who support this vessel. To watch my video message, please click here.
Being prepared to detect and combat a dangerous pest outbreak is essential to protecting livestock and ranchers.
I have signed on to the New Screwworm Preparedness Act. This bill takes a practical, proactive approach to strengthening our nation’s readiness and safeguarding America’s food supply.
Legislation With National Impact
The American dream of owning a home has become increasingly unattainable.
I’m pleased to share that H.R. 5184, the Affordable HOMES Act, has passed the House.
This bill helps make homebuilding more affordable and lowers housing costs by terminating duplicative Department of Energy regulations on energy standards that generate unnecessary expenses.
Since the implementation of Obamacare, healthcare costs have increased, on average, by more than 80% and access to care has decreased.
Extending pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies—without reforms—is simply throwing more taxpayer dollars at a known broken healthcare program. We must infuse market forces back into our healthcare system to drive prices down and let patients control their healthcare dollars.
That is exactly what the House Majority is working to accomplish through targeted, commonsense legislation, including the recently passed Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act and my bill, the Removing Insurance Gaps for Health Treatment (RIGHT) Act.
The House has passed H.R. 6938, the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act.
This package achieves meaningful wins for the Gem State.
It rolls back Biden-era regulations on farmers and livestock producers, promotes active land management to strengthen local economies and prevent wildfires, and defends Second Amendment rights by cutting funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This legislation also expands America’s energy portfolio to lower costs by investing in geothermal—a reliable, affordable power source in which Idaho has been a pioneer—and fully funds Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), a program our rural counties are forced to rely upon due to the immense federal land ownership in our state.
As noted above, through H.R. 1, the Working Families Tax Cuts, our communities will receive $185 million annually for the next five years to strengthen rural healthcare—totaling nearly $1 billion.
This initiative will help bolster our healthcare workforce, improve access to care, and prevent chronic disease. I am proud to have supported this landmark legislation. Idaho’s healthcare decisions need to remain in the hands of Idahoans.
The House has sent the SPEED Act to the Senate. To get America building again we must address our outdated permitting bureaucracy.
This bipartisan bill brings the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) into the 21st century—encouraging energy production, U.S. infrastructure projects, and better forest management.
Recently, I voted in favor of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP) Appropriations Act.
This legislation:
- Includes safeguards to shield taxpayers from IRS targeting based on ideological beliefs
- Bolsters cybersecurity infrastructure to prevent hacking by foreign adversaries
- Maintains support for allies to counter the Chinese Communist Party while enhancing transparency efforts.
To read my press release following this vote, click here.
Meetings
My team and I had a great meeting with Agri Beef leadership in Washington, D.C., to discuss the vital role Idaho’s beef producers play in supporting rural communities and strengthening our national economy.
It was wonderful having fellow Idahoan and State Senator, Tammy Nichols, in Washington, D.C., to discuss important issues back home and preserving Idaho’s land for future generations.
Casework Reminder
Since arriving in Congress, I am pleased to share that my terrific casework team has successfully returned over $24 million to hardworking Idahoans. This is money that was owed to constituents but was held up in a federal agency.
If you are a resident of Idaho’s First Congressional District and are unable to get a timely response from a federal agency, or if you feel you have been mistreated, please contact my office. We are here to serve you!
Your opinions, encouragement, and feedback are so important, and they do not go unheard. Each call, email, and letter are considered as I represent you and make decisions on important pieces of legislation.
I will send another update soon. In the meantime, I encourage you to keep in touch by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Sincerely,
About Russ Fulcher
Russ Fulcher is a fourth-generation Idahoan, grew up on a dairy farm in Meridian, Idaho. He was elected to Congress to represent Idaho's first congressional district in 2019 after serving in the Idaho State Senate for ten years. Visit https://fulcher.house.gov/ for more information or to find contact info.
