Implemented properly. Agriculture, nutrition and Forestry Committee members talked to farmers, Rural Utility Service officials and Healthcare Industry leaders about issues impacting Rural Communities. Including access to Rural Broadband, Water Infrastructure and Health Care Services and agricultural production. Good morning. I call this hearing of the Senate Committee on agriculture and nutrition and forestry to order. Todays hearing advances this committees continued oversight of the department of agricultures implementation of the 2018 farm bill. A principle duty of this committee is to ensure that the department had the authority and resources to provide the agriculture producers with the necessary tools to feed a troubled and hungry world as well as this country. But the responsibility of the committee and the usda does not stop there and it is critical as Partnership Supports businesses and the electric cooperatives and telecom providers, schools and clinics and the product manufacturers and other essential services and providers that serve as the backbone of Rural Communities our farmers and ranchers all call home. Over the past two years, was there a hearing in kansas and michigan and not here in washington and they were representing both the administration and Rural Communities as they discussed changes to the farm bill that would help world development. We listened and we acted by adopting many of these recommendations on the bipartisan 2018 farm bill. On our first panel today we are pleased to have the administrators for the three agencies within the office of Rural Development at the department of agriculture. The Rural Utility Service, the Rural Housing service and the Rural Business cooperative service. This panel will discuss the departments vision for fostering growth and economic prosperities that are out to Rural America, sorely needed and it will highlight the programs made and implementing changes this committee legislated and the role of Energy Titles of the farm bill. For the second panel of witnesses we will hear from a broad set of private sector stakeholders including the ceo of one of mississippis leading Rural Electric cooperatives who works every day to provide essential Utility Services to farmers, ranchers and small town and an iowa farmer, imagine that, joany, an iowa farmer who utilized his resources provided by the department to build an on farm and aerobic digestion system and the Renewable Energy facility, something were doing in dodd city, kansas, by the way, joanie. Wed love to have you out there. Well make you an honorary miss kitty. Nobody remembers that. I understand that, but thats the way it is. A Kentucky Healthcare provider who has leveraged a usa Distance Learning and telemedicine grant to expand Service Capabilities throughout each day. This provides the most vulnerable populations to affordable healthcare and support on fighting the opiate addiction crisis that is plaguing so many of our Rural Communities and finally, the director of Michigan StateUniversity Extension, go green and white who is working with both state and federal stakeholders to find ways to address Mental Health challenges that our farmers face every day and the titles of the farm bill and these programs play a role with the economic tools they need to grow and thrive. I now recognize the distinguished senator from michigan for opening remarks. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Ive been looking forward to this, and welcome to the panelists. This is so important. Everybody knows that Rural America is the backbone of the economy just like the hometown where i grew up in in claire, Northern Michigan and all across the country people in Rural Communities create businesses, family farms and work in manufacturing and really create quality of life for so many families. We should be doing everything we can to celebrate and strengthen our small towns and i know we all believe that around this table. In 2018 in the farm bill we made Smart Investments to grow rural opportunity and ensure every american can enjoy a high quality of life no matter where they live. When i visit rural michigan, one of the top concerns i hear and i know my colleagues here as well is the need to access highspeed internet in order to participate in the 21st century economy. And the farm bill, we increase the funding available for highspeed internet deployment and 15 times higher than the previous amount because it is so central to moving forward. I understand the usda is currently writing new rules for the farm bill improvements and i urge the department to meet his goal to complete the rules by december so that congress can fund this new and improved program. Families in Rural Communities are also concerned about access to healthcare especially with the Mental Health and Opioid Crisis taking a devastating toll on small towns. We addressed this headon through expanded telemedicine and Community Facility investments to provide critical treatment for those who suffer from addiction and mental illness. To ensure that every family has safe Drinking Water, we prioritize world Water Infrastructure investments for small towns dealing with dangerous contaminants bike pfos. Rural communities also need strong, locally owned businesses theyre critical to creating jobs and creating personal, and where we make things and grow thing,ing can ag culture are both at the height of the economy and thats why we support biobased manufacturers and companies are creating new products from american grown crops. We also provided permanent funding for value added grants to help farmers grow their business, whether theyre turning locally grown tomatoes to salsa or corn to ethanol. Investinging in Renewable Energy leads to job creation and helps us address the Climate Crisis. In the 2014 farm bill i included a permanent mandatory funding for the reap program which helps farmer and businesses lower their utility bills through installing Renewable Energy systems and making the efficiency upgrades. From hog producers to organic food grower they have a wide variety of farmers save money and become more efficient. We are also seeing wineries, breweries and restaurants across our states and install solar ways to power their rural Small Businesses. As usda implements the farm bill, we need the administration to step up to strengthen our Rural Economy. Over the past three years its been disheartening to see the Trump Administration continue to target Rural America and the farm bill with cuts. We need to be investing more in rural community, not less. Eliminating Rural Infrastructure moves us in the wrong direction. On the issue of renewable fuels, this administration citizens to continues to let down farmers by caving to demands of the oil industry. Weve seen some discussion of changing that, but ive idea to see this really happening. Additionally, im disappointed that the committee has not received a nominee for an undersecretary for Rural Development. We reestablished this important position in the farm bill to be a staunch advocate for Rural America within the administration. We appreciate all of you and your focus, but we agreed on a bipartisan basis in congress that we needed a focus leader to address all of the concerns facing small towns and Rural Communities. Its great to see how theyre Rural Development administrators here today. I look forward to hearing your perspectives. We appreciate your work. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you, senator. Today i am pleased to welcome the three administrators that oversee the vital agencies within the usda office of Rural Development. Ms. Bette brown is the administrator of the, she joined the usda after 35 years with farm credit of the virginias where she most recently served as chief advocate for the Agricultural Industry and Rural Businesses. Welcome, bette, we appreciate it. Next we have mr. Bruce lammers, the administrators of the Rural Housing service. Mr. Lammers has had more than 35 years of experience leading public, private partnerships at National Committee oriented lending institutions including serving as a former ceo for a bank that was a National Leader in government, guaranteed lending, thank you for joining us today. Lastly, we have mr. Chad rupe who is the administrator of the Rural Utility Service. Prior to coming to washington, mr. Rupe served as the Rural Development state director of wyoming, big sky country from 217 to 219. Before joining the department, mr. Rupe spent more than 13 years in the Banking Industry specializing in commercial lending in wyoming. Notably he began his service to our country in the United States army. So thank you for your service, mr. Rupe. In the interests of time, we have asked the department to provide one Opening Statement on behalf of all three administrators with each available to answer questions from members on the committee. Perha perhaps, i think it would be very advisable if i would now recognize the senator from kentucky, leader, do you plan to introduce your kentucky witness on panel two at this point . Well, i appreciate that opportunity, mr. Chairman, if i may. Well, the senators recognized. I would go right ahead and do it. Senator stabenow expected me to make a speech on him. But instead of speaking on him, im here today to introduce a constitue constituent of mine. As we continue reviewing the implementation of last years farm bill im proud this morning to introduce a kentuckyian who is working to move the ball forward on the legislative Rural Development goals. Michael stanley is the ceo of grace health, a Community Health center providing a wide range of services to more than 35,000 residents of southEastern Kentucky, which is down in the Appalachian Region of my state with a focus on vulnerable and low income kentuckyians, grace health is a an indispensable resource tackling systemic Health Challenges in Rural Communities. No access to health care in places like the Appalachian Region is an important part of the farm bills Rural Development title. Healthy communities are better able to attract investment, encourage job creation and support the farm economy. Unfortunately, too many of my constituents from this beautiful region suffer from Health Challenges, which are compounded by severe physician shortage and all too frequently Substance Abuse. For more than three decades, mike has been working to help them overcome these challenges by leading and expanding Health Care Programs in the eastern part of our state. Hes improving access to services and delivering some rather impressive results. When mike joined grace health in 2012, there were only a couple of dozen employees and two clinics with a Small Service area. Today they have nearly 300 personnel, seven clinic sites across six counties. Mike and his team placed a strong emphasis on bringing medical professionals into previously underserved areas, for example grace health operates almost 40 schoolbased Health Clinics providing kentuckys next generation with medical and dental care, and theyre opening new doors to treatment and longterm recovery in communities devastated by opioid and Substance Abuse. So today mike will shed light on grace healths telehealth programs, which represent a much needed investment into Eastern Kentucky and its future through programs like the usda Distance Learning and telemedicine grants. Mike and his team can continue providing high level care to more patients in hard to reach areas than ever before. These federal grants also give grace health the opportunity to solidify partnerships with other Health Care Providers and development organizations. Mikes experience will be a helpful guide as we evaluate the federal governments policies designed to tap into potential that we have in Rural America. So i look forward to his recommendations to the committee on how we can continue to support his work and help encourage healthy outcomes and Economic Development in Rural Communities, so thank you mr. Chairman, senator stabenow for allowing me to step in and say these give these remarks on behalf of my constituent. Thank you very much. Yes, sir, privilege leader and thank you so much for coming and making that excellent statement. It occurs to me that unless i recognize the distinguished president pro tem of the senate, who is also the chairman of the Senate Finance committee, he always this is the first time i would say to the center for michigan that he hasnt come in first and asked to go first because of his duties elsewhere, and im a little alarmed as to whether or not we should recognize him now or not, but at any rate, senator grassley, do you have anything to say because of your important duties elsewhere . Since i didnt think youd call on me, ive already taken care of it by going to mr. Sievers a very important constituent of mine and telling him in five minutes im going to be leaving to open the senate and then im going to the senator jaudiciary committee to make a quorum to get more judges out, and then im going to come back here and hopefully hell still be on the program and i can ask him some questions, but im glad that the senator from kansas has decided to get the expertise in the number one agricultural state in the state of iowa and invite mr. Sievers in. Thank you for doing that. Did it surprise you i didnt yell at you . Yeah. Are you going to depart immediately, or are we going to have you here for five minutes and then youre going to come back . Im going to stay for five minutes. I see. But ive already been here 15 minutes. I understand that. You were right on time. We appreciate that. As a matter of fact, i noted the that is correct that i couldnt see buddy brown because you were leaning forward, but thats okay, but you might want to be like coop who just left here and just lean back so i could see there we go. Okay. Thank you. Now lets get reorganized if we can. Mr. Rupe, i think i am going to call you first, and i understand you have a prepared statement. Thank you, again, sir, for coming. Good morning, chairman roberts, Ranking Member stabenow, and distinguished members of the committee. My name is chad rupe and i am the administrator for usda Rural Developments rural utilities service. I am accompanied this morning by my colleagues, administrator bette brand, who oversees Rural Business cooperative service and administrator Bruce Lammers who oversees Rural Housing service. The three of us administer unique programs and resources that help bring prosperity and opportunity to rural areas. We are honored to be here with you this morning to share Rural Developments efforts regarding implementation of the 2018 farm bill. R