As a member of the Rural Caucus, I remain committed to providing for the most pressing needs of folks living in rural America. The House-approved spending plan provides $73.5 billion over the next 10 years to help farmers by expanding market opportunities, reducing regulatory burdens, and maintaining an adequate safety net for rural producers.

The House budget also provides $880 million for food safety, including enhanced consumer protection efforts, pest and animal disease prevention, and research. This includes record funding for the Food Safety and Inspection Service at $804 million - a $28 million increase over 2002, and a $75 million increase for pest and disease exclusion and monitoring programs.

The House also approved resources to increase healthcare access for those in rural communities. Three hundred fifty billion dollars will be set aside over the next ten years for a Medicare Reform and prescription drug package, which will help fix the reimbursement disparity for rural Medicare providers. This budget also supports rural health centers expanding both the number of facilities and the number of patients each can treat.

I will continue to support rural America through our farmers and by promoting better access to healthcare.