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As the House of Representatives wrapped up its legislative business at the end of July, I had the opportunity to meet with several of my colleagues who represent agricultural districts. The topic of our discussion was the drought that has been plaguing our districts this year. In the weeks since that discussion, I have traveled extensively throughout the 19th District, seen the effects of the drought first-hand, and listened to the concerns of farmers who are working hard to salvage a crop.
As many of you may have already learned, on August 29, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the details of its plan to help areas affected by the drought. This plan refocuses money from existing programs to help drought-stricken farmers. Of particular interest to West Texas producers, money will be available for some cattle producers, and counter-cyclical payments will be accelerated. While this plan will help some folks hit hard by the drought, the plan falls short of what is required to meet the needs of farmers in Texas.
Because there is only so much USDA can do without congressional action, it is clear that a drought assistance package will have to be approved by Congress if farmers are to get the relief they need. So as Congress gets back into action this month, I will immediately begin working with my colleagues to focus on putting together a package that gets much-needed assistance to our farmers and ranchers.
Water Summit
A secure supply of water is vital to the health of West Texas communities. As this on going drought indicates, our region cannot rely on consistent rainfall each year. To counteract this insufficient rainfall, it is imperative that local communities put together water plans that ensure a future water supply. It is for this reason that I worked with the West Central Texas Municipal Water District to organize a summit in Albany this past week. This summit served as a great opportunity for everyone on the local, state and federal levels to enhance our cooperation on water security and plan for the future.
Experience tells us that we are better off when we combine our efforts, rather than work individually. I want to commend the local communities for coming together with the goal of ensuring our region’s future water supply. Meeting this goal requires that the cities and counties, state and local governments, and the federal government work together on finding solutions.
As the federal representative from this area, I commit to continuing to help facilitate cooperation and communication across the region and with state officials and to ensuring that our region gets a fair return on the federal tax dollars we contribute.
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