[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 8, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H5343-H5344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1100
          FARM BILL IMPACT SERIES NUMBER 10: RURAL DEVELOPMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Kansas (Mr. Mann) for 5 minutes.
  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

[[Page H5344]]

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

  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.

                          ____________________