Michael Simpson

Michael Keith Simpson, a Republican, has represented Idaho's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1999. Born in Burley and raised in Blackfoot, Idaho, he earned a Bachelor of Science from Utah State University in 1972 followed by a Doctor of Dental Medicine from Washington University in 1978. Simpson practiced dentistry in his hometown for over two decades while beginning his political career, serving first on the Blackfoot City Council and later in the Idaho House of Representatives. During his tenure in the state legislature from 1984 to 1998, he served as the Speaker of the House for his final six years in the body. In Congress, Simpson is a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies and serves on the subcommittees for Energy and Water Development and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. His legislative record includes a strong emphasis on nuclear energy research, particularly supporting the Idaho National Laboratory, and natural resource management. One of his key accomplishments was the 2015 passage of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act, which established three new wilderness areas in central Idaho after years of local and national negotiation.

Simpson's policy positions generally reflect a focus on fiscal responsibility and the management of Idaho’s natural resources. On healthcare, he has consistently advocated for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, supporting its replacement with market-based reforms and policies aimed at reducing medical liability costs. His economic platform emphasizes tax reductions, including cuts to capital gains and corporate taxes, and he has expressed a preference for infrastructure investment over broad stimulus spending. On energy and environmental issues, Simpson is a prominent supporter of nuclear energy and has collaborated on significant land conservation projects, though he remains a vocal critic of the Green New Deal. Regarding immigration, he supports enhanced border security measures while also advocating for specific legal pathways for agricultural workers through legislation like the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.