Mike Simpson: “They are seeing their water bills go up 300, 400, 500 percent, and a lot of these are senior citizens on a fixed income.”

Rural counties across Idaho depend on the Secure Rural Schools program.

We put a bunch more money into tribal justice, and that’s hard in a year when we’re trying to reduce spending at the federal level.

I’m pleased to see these funds allocated to help Idaho schools, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure projects.

But I’ve said from the beginning: We’re not going to try to balance the budget on the back of the tribes.