New session brings same challenges for conservatives

A new session of Congress has begun, and unsurprisingly, conservatives face many of the same challenges as we did last Congress.

I spent much of the last two years pushing back on the Biden administration’s reckless taxing, spending and red tape. Faced with the highest inflation in half a century, the worst thing we could possibly do is tax more, spend more and pile even heavier regulations on private businesses. And yet, that’s exactly what my Democrat colleagues want to do. This Congress, I will once again fight against these disastrous policies.

In addition to getting America’s fiscal house in order, I am also using my senior membership on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to work on issues that have an on-the-ground impact in Idaho, including federal land management. The federal government manages over 44% of Bonner County, so it is vital the Forest Service is implementing active forest management policies that reduce fire risk and improve forest health — not to mention provide jobs in rural communities. Clearly, there is a need for more fuel reduction in our national forests, and getting those policies in place is a priority for me.

For instance, the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) program has been very successful in improving management of national forests, and we should be supporting and expanding this program. With GNA, the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) can undertake timber sale contracting and other work in our national forests where the federal government does not have capacity. That way, more work can be done on national forests in a more efficient manner.

The Forest Service in North Idaho, especially in Bonner County, embraced the possibilities of this partnership. Through GNA, IDL has completed more forest restoration projects in the Panhandle National Forest — such as fuel reduction and road repair — than in all the state’s other national forests combined. This has produced healthier forests in addition to supporting jobs in the timber industry.

While the Good Neighbor Authority works well, I am committed to improving the law to make it easier for tribes and counties, who also have an interest in improving forest health, to undertake these projects too. With the Farm Bill expiring at the end of this year, I am exploring ways to improve the program for greater use in Idaho.

Given Idaho’s significant amount of federal land, which is not taxable, funding for local school districts and counties is affected. As a result, the traditional revenue streams for schools, roads, and emergency services are not available. Historically, this was accounted for by providing counties with a proportion of timber revenue collected from federal land. Unfortunately, a prolonged decline in timber dollars has meant this funding also drastically decreased. To reconcile the federal government’s obligation to rural counties, I have long supported and advocated for the Secure Rural Schools program. Sen. Mike Crapo and I were able to reauthorize this important legislation, and I will continue to fight for Secure Rural Schools until the federal timber harvest can return to historic levels.

Like each year I have served this great state, this session of Congress is a renewed opportunity to ensure the needs of Idahoans are met and your priorities are advocated for in the United States Senate. It is truly an honor and privilege to represent Idaho.

Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, represents Idaho in the U.S. Senate. He can be reached at risch.senate.gov.