Items Tagged with 'Patrick Leahy'

Vermont Democrat Patrick Leahy, a longtime member and former chair of the Senate Ag Committee who took a special interest in the nation’s dairy and organic policy, plans to retire at the end of his current term.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a fiscal 2022 spending bill for the Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration that includes about $7 billion in disaster assistance and $700 million for USDA’s ReConnect program for rural broadband.

House Democratic leaders are aiming to push through a stopgap spending bill this week after threatening a fight with the White House, and potentially with some of their own rural members, over a plan that could jeopardize farmers’ trade aid payments.

The Senate's nine farm bill negotiators include Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who wants the legislation finalized next month, as well as a Democrat facing a tough re-election race this fall, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2017 - Senate Democrats pushed Agriculture Department officials Thursday to support increased funding to boost rural economic development and fight the opioid crisis. USDA officials also were urged to work within the administration to expand rural broadband access.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2017 – Two Democratic senators have called on President Donald Trump to withdraw the nomination of Sam Clovis to be a USDA undersecretary, saying he has expressed “extremist views” and is “wildly unqualified for the position.”