[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 123 (Tuesday, July 18, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H3644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CONGRATULATING DR. LALIT VERMA ON HIS RETIREMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Lalit 
Verma on his retirement from the University of Arkansas Biological and 
Agricultural Engineering Department.
  As a proud alumnus of this department myself, it is my pleasure today 
to honor Dr. Verma for his distinguished career at the University of 
Arkansas and everywhere he has studied and taught.
  He started in India and continued his academic career at Montana 
State University and the University of Nebraska. He spent time teaching 
in Bangkok, in South Dakota, and even made his way down to Louisiana 
where he spent time at LSU. Thankfully, he made it to Arkansas, where 
for 23 years, he has left his most significant mark on academia.
  Dr. Verma has done an incredible job leading the department and has 
served in various other organizations, such as ASABE.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Dr. Verma for his distinguished career 
and wish Dr. Verma and his wife Aruna well in their future endeavors 
and as they spend more time with their two grandchildren.


                   Food Animal Veterinarian Shortage

  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, as a top-ranking State in livestock 
production, Arkansas is in need of food animal veterinarians like many 
other places around the country.
  In 2022, 25 counties within my district applied for designated 
shortage area status. Of the 25 counties that applied, only 13 were 
awarded the status. Food animal veterinarians who practice in these 
areas are eligible to apply for the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment 
Program, or VMLRP.
  Food animal veterinarians are on the decline, and this program is 
essential to encourage young Americans to consider practicing food 
animal veterinary.
  With the 2018 Farm Bill set to expire in September of this year, I 
urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to consider the 
importance of the VMLRP Program in addressing the food animal 
veterinarian shortage that poses a concern to my constituents and many 
of my colleagues' constituents, and also it is critical to the food 
supply for our Nation.

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