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House Ag Committee Examines Rural Infrastructure Needs

Jul 20, 2017

The House Agriculture Committee held a hearing on rural infrastructure earlier this week.

“From broadband and transportation, to energy, water and research, public investment in infrastructure has been vital to the success and stability of our rural communities and has helped American agriculture thrive,” Chairman K. Michael Conaway said upon announcing the hearing. “As we seek to maintain these successes over the next century, I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about their ideas for strategic investments to grow opportunities in rural America.”

The witnesses at the hearing touched on a range of rural infrastructure issues including transportation, broadband, research facilities, energy and water.  The issues and the testimony reflected the full range of needs being highlighted by the Rebuild Rural Coalition and the core priorities shared by the American Soybean Association (ASA). ASA is contributing a statement for the hearing record that will reiterate the impacts and needs for inland waterways, ports and navigation channels, and rural broadband service.  ASA continues to communicate these priorities to the Trump Administration and congressional policymakers as discussions of a major infrastructure investment initiative are developing.

The list of the panelists and their full testimony can be viewed here.