Remarks as prepared for delivery: Good afternoon, and welcome to our witnesses. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge, experiences, and advice on how to best move forward in our mission to ensure those in need have access to SNAP. Based on the title of this hearing, I am hopeful we can use today to discuss not only the Department’s emergency response to COVID-19, but where improvem... Read more »
Today, House Agriculture Republicans introduced the Broadband For Rural America Act, one of several infrastructure proposals from House Republicans that bridge the digital divide for communities nationwide. The proposal from House Agriculture Republicans provides more than $7 billion in authorizations for USDA broadband connectivity programs. Following the introduction of the bill, Republican Lead... Read more »
Throughout my tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, rural broadband has always been a critical need not only for my district, but nationwide in homes across rural America. The urgency has been amplified over the past year thanks to a generational pandemic which has negatively impacted our children’s physical, mental, and social wellbeing and complicated work-from-home situations as schools ... Read more »
Rural broadband has become a popular issue in recent years, but to me, the lack of highspeed internet service is personal. I represent a rural district and live in a community where gaining access to quality, highspeed broadband is difficult. This makes everything from teleworking, e-learning, and streaming my kids’ favorite cartoons or Georgia Bulldogs football games challenging. I am hardly alon... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: I’d like to start by thanking our fellow Committee members for joining us today. And my gratitude to those who are not members of this Committee but who have made agriculture a priority by joining us today. Mr. Chairman, I would be remiss if I did not take this time to also reflect on the Committee’s work in the months ahead. The only legislation to advance throug... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: The 2018 Farm Bill offered important environmental and resource benefits through USDA’s suite of voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs. The conservation title provides an estimated $6 billion per year to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners for the implementation of practices that truly work. Through these voluntary programs, producers can improve s... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Before jumping into today’s hearing, I would like to take a moment to welcome Congresswoman Julia Letlow of Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District. We are honored to have your perspective moving forward on rural America’s most pressing issues, one of which, of course, is broadband connectivity. For years, the digital divide has left many Americans unable to access... Read more »
Today, Republican Leader of the House Agriculture Committee, Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) announced five pieces of legislation to address climate change through natural solutions. Mr. Thompson introduced H.R. 2606, the Sponsoring USDA Sustainability Targets in Agriculture to Incentivize Natural Solutions Act, or SUSTAINS Act. The bill encourages private-sector partnerships for agriculture sustainab... Read more »
Washington, DC — Today, the House Republican Conference ratified Congresswoman Julia Letlow, Ph.D. (LA-05) to serve on the House Committee on Agriculture. Following the announcement, Republican Leader Glenn 'GT' Thompson (PA-15) issued the following statement: "I am honored to welcome Congresswoman Letlow to the House Agriculture Committee. She will be an invaluable addition to our team, and I kn... Read more »
