Mike Simpson

I am hopeful that we can work together, Republicans and Democrats, House and Senate, and the administration, to enact a fiscal year 2021 Energy and Water appropriation bill by the start of the new fiscal year.

A credible nuclear deterrent is essential for our own national security and for the security of allies around the globe.

I am a strong supporter of nuclear energy and its role in providing reliable noncarbon power.

I thank Chairwoman Kaptur for calling this hearing.

What you do is vitally important to this country and the people of this country.

Better collaboration between DOE and NIH can be a win-win for both agencies and both missions.

I hope we will do that for the people of Washington, DC.

It is really an injustice, and it does bring to mind some of the slogans that fired up people in the Revolution.

Ben Franklin said if we don't elect one Member of Parliament, then they have no right to ever put any tax on us.

Protecting big incumbents really is not the right way. National champions, I think, is a proven failure.

The $6 million man is not that far away. Now the $6 million dollar brain, that is a lot further away.

I believe that community college is a great place to obtain the education. I think, again, the funding issue is the problem, making the funding available so that continuing education is acceptable as well as curriculum education.

I appreciate the work you do. It is, like I said, vitally important, and any way we can help, I am more than willing to help.

I thought about trying to change the Federal law so that you have to do reforestation after wildfires because they are obviously just as devastating, if not more impactful than timber harvest.

But it doesn't necessarily go back into the forestry program?

I would like you to be able to use these grants wherever you think is appropriate. I mean this is your country, it is your money, and you ought to be able to use them where you think it would be most efficiently used.

I have always taken the position I don't want the Federal government determining what scope of practice is. That is the State's responsibility.

Instead of trying to find a way to keep things funded during a government shutdown, we should commit to not shutting down the government. Bad policy. Bad politics. Just stupid.

The senior senator from Alaska has spoken publicly to the effect that it is important to have the lease sale as quickly as possible to create new facts on the ground.

I can't breathe in August in Idaho about half the time.

We are having a tough time getting the Forest Service involved in wildfires.

I think historic preservation is vitally important, especially for tribes. We can't lose that history.

Well, it is a really important issue. I will tell you that when I came to Congress 21 years ago...

The answer to that is put out wildfires before they become huge conflagrations, and that is the Forest Service's responsibility.

I have asked for a larger amount of money for this committee because of all the unmet needs.