Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) is leading a bipartisan, bicameral effort urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to open relief programs to producers in the western United States who have lost crops and culled herds because of recent drought, wildfires, or extreme heat.
Due to the severity of the ongoing situation, we believe that additional federal assistance will be needed beyond what can be offered through current USDA drought relief programs,” the lawmakers wrote. “Therefore, in an effort to provide financial and other assistance to these producers, we respectfully request USDA explore all potential flexibilities for additional relief within existing programs and identify other options to deliver federal relief to producers in our states so they have the resources to overcome the extreme drought.”
The letter encourages USDA to work with Congress to provide technical assistance as lawmakers craft additional authorities and appropriations to address the 2020 and 2021 seasons that include drought, wildfire, and excessive heat-related losses.
Representative DelBene is joined on the letter by Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Patty Murray (D-WA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jeffrey Merkley (D-OR), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), John Hoeven (R-ND), James Risch (R-ID), Jon Tester (D-MT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Representatives Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Mike Simpson (ID-02), Kelly Armstrong (ND-At-Large), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Ami Bera (CA-07), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Liz Cheney (WY-At-Large), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Derek Kilmer (WA-06), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Doris Matsui (CA-06), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Jerry McNerney (CA-09), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Devin Nunes (CA-22), Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), Matt Rosendale (MT-At-Large), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), Adam Smith (WA-09), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), and Mike Thompson (CA-05).
News Release, Senator Cramer’s Press Office
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