Farm Bill Impact Series Number Rural Development

Floor Speech

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Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, in preparation for reauthorizing the farm bill in 2023, I rise today to deliver the tenth installment of my farm bill impact series where I am highlighting various aspects of the farm bill that deserve this Congress' awareness and support.

Rural Development programs exist within the farm bill because the people of rural America, many of whom work to feed, fuel, and clothe us all, must remain connected to their families, local communities, and the world to do their jobs.

Communities are made up of families, and families in rural areas need well-built affordable housing in order to thrive. USDA Rural Development's Single Family Housing Programs enable families and individuals to buy, build, or repair affordable homes located in rural America. Through these programs, qualifying individuals can finance a new home with no money down or get financial assistance to repair their wells, hookups to rural water, septic, plumbing, heating, air- conditioning, and electrical systems, insulation, and storm shelters or safe rooms.

USDA Rural Development is also committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in rural America, and every strong community needs strong local businesses. The Business and Industry Loan Guarantee program improves the economic health of rural communities by increasing access to business capital through loan guarantees, as well as enabling commercial lenders to provide affordable financing to rural businesses.

In Healy, Kansas, the Sharp Brothers Seed Company has sold native grass seeds since 1958. They needed additional working capital to build up their inventory for a Conservation Reserve Program enrollment, so they used the USDA Rural Development Business and Industry program to secure a $5 million guaranteed loan for additional working capital. This program helped make their operation stronger than ever before, which is good for rural Kansas.

Finally, strengthening rural broadband will help ensure that rural Americans, agricultural producers included, can keep pace with an increasingly tech-driven society and international marketplace. I believe that taxpayer dollars must be spent judiciously on existing broadband programs, and the goals set by the USDA and the FCC must be realistic.

Last summer, the House Agriculture Committee advanced the Broadband Internet Connections for Rural America Act out of committee, which authorizes $43 billion toward critical infrastructure in rural communities. I also joined several of my House Republican colleagues and introduced legislation that would leverage the ReConnect program with some of the 2018 rural broadband investments in rural areas with little or no internet access.

The ReConnect program is an example of a successful public-private partnership. Its matching grants help cover the cost of cable, implementation, and installment for broadband in rural communities. I support whatever directly benefits the resilient people of rural America, because they are the lifeblood of this country. That is why I support the Rural Development programs within the farm bill, and why I am bringing awareness to them now to ensure that these programs remain strong in the 2023 farm bill.

I will be back to the floor soon to deliver another installment of my farm bill impact series and highlight more programs and titles within the bill that I believe Congress must understand and support to ensure that agriculture and rural America thrives in this country. Congratulating Dale Moore on his Retirement

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Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great Kansan, Dale Moore, and to congratulate him on his retirement from a career of dedicated service to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers.

Dale grew up on a livestock, hay, and grain farm in Copeland, Kansas, which lies in my district, the Big First of Kansas. He went to Fort Hays State University, worked for Kansas Pork Producers Council, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and Senator Pat Roberts.

In 2001, President Bush appointed Dale to serve as chief of staff at USDA, after which he served as legislative director for the House Agriculture Committee. Most recently, Dale has been serving as executive vice president at the American Farm Bureau Federation where his presence will be deeply missed.

Dale has tirelessly advocated for agriculture for more than 40 years, and he never forgot his southwest Kansas roots or the values he learned there: hard work, others before self, and personal responsibility.

I am grateful for Dale's leadership and service, and I offer him, his wife, Faith, and their entire family my best wishes as they begin this new adventure.

Congratulations, Dale.

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