LAUNCH funding passes the House, clears significant hurdle
![Governor with students_2](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/IDGOVOFFICE/2023/07/7942188/5340320/wasd3_crop.jpg) On Thursday, the Idaho House of Representatives passed funding for the Idaho LAUNCH program, which now goes to the Senate.
A key initiative of my 'Idaho First' plan last year, LAUNCH offers graduating high school seniors up to $8,000 in grants to enter an education or training program that aligns with an in-demand career.
The widely popular program has received over 13,500 applications from Idaho high school seniors.
With LAUNCH, Idaho is also taking unprecedented steps to prepare our young people for a lifetime of prosperity. This game-changing initiative prioritizes the future of young Idahoans, our businesses, and our economy!
I am proud to join my legislative partners in recognizing what truly matters to Idahoans!
"HB 722 provides nearly $80 million for Launch grants. Bill sponsor Rep. James Petzke, R-Meridian, said it will cover 8,875 students.
“There was really only one thing we had to decide,” Petzke said. “And that was how many students should end up getting these Launch grants?”
As of March 13, 13,598 students had begun their Launch grant application, and 12,520 applications had been submitted, according to Madison Hardy, Little’s spokesperson.
During Thursday’s debate, multiple legislators spoke about families they knew who had applied and were accepted to their program of choice, but would be unable to attend the program without the grant.
Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, supported the bill. McCann, who serves on the Workforce Development Council, said only 38% of high school seniors in Idaho go on to higher education, but with Launch, that could increase to 65%.
“This is an Idaho program for Idaho kids that will get training, get jobs and come back as higher paid folks who will be paying taxes,” McCann said."
Gov. Little signs IDAHO WORKS bill, fights invasive quagga mussels
On Tuesday, I signed a key funding bill from my IDAHO WORKS plan to support the State of Idaho’s fight against invasive quagga mussels in Idaho waterways.
Senate Bill 1372 adds $6.6 million to increase the Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s (ISDA) ongoing prevention and monitoring of invasive species and future preparedness for rapid response.
An unchecked spread of quagga mussels has the potential to cost Idaho hundreds of millions of dollars in direct and indirect costs. The IDAHO WORKS bill I signed today increases our manpower and resources to keep invasive species OUT of our precious water.
Quagga mussels are an extremely invasive species that spread rapidly and can harm irrigation, hydropower, fisheries, agriculture, the recreating public, Idaho’s critical infrastructure, and private property, and kill off native species of fish and other aquatic wildlife.
The added resources from the IDAHO WORKS plan will help Idaho manage the potential crisis aggressively so we don’t lose control.
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READ: Idaho Congressional Delegation proposes WAIVER Act, supports Idaho veterans
Our veterans fought to defend our nation and our freedoms. The WAIVER Act ensures we can provide the care and services they DESERVE.
Thank you, Senator Crapo, Senator Risch, Congressman Fulcher, and Congressman Simpson, for fighting for our veterans!
"Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson has introduced a bill in Congress to allow veterans home projects across the country to proceed without having to comply with materials sourcing requirements.
The Waiving Arbitrary and Inconsistent Veterans Home Requirements, or WAIVER, Act would provide waivers for veterans home construction projects in Idaho and other states that were approved prior to the passage of the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA). BABAA, passed in 2021 as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, requires government buildings to be built with materials from U.S. manufacturers and supply chains.
Though BABAA already contains a carve-out for projects approved before it was passed, only two states have received a waiver, as previously reported.
“It’s important for the VA to follow through with this waiver commitment so we can fulfill the promises made to those who served in our nation’s uniform,” Simpson said in an emailed press release. “I’m calling on the VA to work with me on a solution for these projects and critically important services for Idaho Veterans.”
Idaho has three veterans home projects in the works: building a replacement Boise veterans home facility and remodeling its Pocatello and Lewiston facilities, as previously reported.
But the Boise project has lost its conditional approval due to not being able to show by Feb. 26 that all of its construction materials would be sourced from U.S. manufacturers, even though the project was approved ahead of BABAA passing, said Tracy Schaner, deputy chief of the Idaho Division of Veterans Services and current president of the National Association of State Veterans Homes."
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Christening the new USS Idaho!
![USS Idaho](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/IDGOVOFFICE/2024/03/9200350/5340323/uss-idaho_crop.jpeg) The U.S. Navy just gained another Gem! It was an honor to attend the USS Idaho’s christening this weekend. Idaho has a proud history of supporting our armed forces, especially the US Navy.
Thank you to all our armed forces, and God Bless!
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