Issue Position: Agriculture and Rural Development

Issue Position

Issue Position: Agriculture and Rural Development

As one of the top agriculture states in the nation, Illinois and its farmers have an important role to play in many elements of American life from the economy to the environment. To help maintain the agricultural strength of our state and our nation, I have supported tax fairness for farmers, improvements in crop insurance, expanded use of clean-burning and environmentally safe ethanol, and increased trade opportunities for agricultural commodities. I have advanced initiatives to strengthen this crucial sector of our economy because boosting the vitality of our nation's rural regions boosts the vitality of our nation as a whole.

Bio-fuels

As the first member of Congress to introduce legislation requiring ethanol to be blended into gasoline, I have been a longstanding champion of biofuels. Increasing our production of biofuels means lessening our dependence on fossil fuels in general, and on imported petroleum in particular. Replacing imported oil with home-grown biofuels, such as ethanol, leads to improved air quality, greater farmer profitability and the creation of jobs and economic development in rural areas.

In addition to ethanol, there is great potential in biodiesel, which can be made from soybean oil, animal fats, yellow grease, and many other feed stocks. Biodiesel burns cleanly, and significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions when compared to diesel fuel. I will continue to push legislation that increases our countrys renewable fuel requirements, and I am confident that Illinois can be one of our nations leaders as we move into a cleaner, more efficient future.

Farm Bill

The Farm Bill is a critical piece of legislation that determines federal policy for farm income support, nutrition, conservation, and many other essential stewardship and land use policies for the next five years.

The last Farm Bill passed by Congress in 2002 made significant improvements in our nations investment in the agriculture sector, conservation, renewable energy, and nutrition. The current Farm Bill debate presents an additional opportunity to expand upon those gains and create the right mix of incentives and support to further propel the agricultural strength of our state and our nation.

I am specifically supportive of efforts to increase funding for conservation, nutrition, and renewable energy programs. I also believe it is important to transition our commodity support programs to a revenue-based model that better targets scare taxpayer resources and protects farmers from both fluctuations in price and yield.

Locks and Dams System Improvements

Many Illinois farmers and businesses ship via barge on the Mississippi River in an effort to keep exports competitive and reduce transportation costs. Unfortunately congestion and transit times have steadily climbed over the years. With old locks half the length of most current barge tows, the backbone of our waterway transportation system is in serious need of modernization.

I have supported bi-partisan legislation to increase lock and dam capacity and improve the ecosystem of the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. Passing this important legislation will mean over 50,000 new jobs for the region, shorter shipping times, and improved business for industry and agriculture along the river.

Broadband

One of my top priorities in the area of rural development is promoting the expansion of high-speed, high-quality Internet service in rural areas. Like good roads, schools, and hospitals, broadband access is a critical piece of infrastructure which impacts local health, educational, and economic outcomes. Internet access also affects our ability to remain nationally competitive; towns and communities without broadband access are at a competitive disadvantage.

I am fighting to bring resources to Illinois to expand existing broadband networks and to create new networks. I am also the lead sponsor of federal legislation to create statewide public/private partnerships to map and provide service to under-served areas. In this era of technology dependence, broadband access is no longer a luxury. It is an economic necessity to which all residents of the state should have access.

Rural Healthcare

Rural residents are more likely to be uninsured than urban residents. One reason is that rural economies frequently depend on institutions and individuals, such as small businesses and the self-employed, who have the most difficulty finding affordable private insurance. I am committed to making private health coverage more affordable for small businesses and the self-employed by allowing them to join together into a larger pool and by providing financial assistance through tax credits.

I am also dedicated to preserving public programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and the Childrens Health Insurance Program, which are vital sources of health coverage for rural areas. Rural health care facilities serve a high proportion of Medicare and Medicaid patients; payments to providers must reflect the challenges of delivering health care in these communities. Rural communities also can have difficulty attracting health care professionals, who are more likely to practice in and around urban areas. I am a strong supporter of Title VII Health Professions programs that address the shortage of health professionals in rural and underserved areas.

Meth and Rural Law Enforcement

The plague of methamphetamine abuse is growing in Illinois and across the nation, posing serious challenges for law enforcement agencies and first responders in rural areas. In recent years, more than half of the children entering foster care in some areas of rural southeastern Illinois were in the program because their families were affected by meth abuse. Meth is tearing apart our families and overwhelming our child welfare network. As a member of the Senates Anti-Meth Caucus, I strongly support programs to provide these regions with the resources they need to keep their communities safe.

In partnership with the Illinois Sheriffs Association, I secured federal funding for an ad campaign to promote awareness and prevention of methamphetamine abuse in southern and central Illinois. I continue to support efforts to make it more difficult for meth "cooks" to obtain the chemicals needed to make meth and have introduced legislation that will make it easier to track purchases of meth ingredients. I have also offered legislation to provide comprehensive family-based substance abuse treatment for pregnant and parenting women suffering from meth addiction. These programs serve the needs of the entire family rather than just the parent, and have a track record of success, increasing long-term sobriety, education enrollment, and gainful employment, while decreasing criminal activity and child development issues.

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