Merkley Announces Key Wins for Rural America in Funding Agreement

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today announced key appropriations wins for rural communities in the legislation that will fund the federal government through September. Merkley, the top Democrat on the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, contrasted the successes for rural communities with President Trump’s advocacy for deep cuts to programs that those communities rely on.

“This is a major victory for rural America,” Merkley said. “The president’s proposed budget was a ‘rural America last’ budget. At a time when many Americans are facing unprecedented challenges, Trump’s budget decimated critical programs. “Trump’s budget proposal would have gutted Payments In Lieu of Taxes by $100 million and eliminated the $3 billion Community Development Block Grants program, stripping from Oregon counties critical funding for public safety, social services, transportation, housing and economic development. The Trump budget would have slashed programs, including Essential Air Service, that are vital to keep small, remote airports operating. It would have dramatically defunded programs to get doctors and other health care providers to rural communities. It would have ended grants for rural transportation projects; cut off rural entrepreneurs from loans; and pushed huge costs onto rural water system ratepayers. “The House and Senate working to sustain these programs for fiscal year 2017 is a good sign for bipartisan support; a good sign for these programs’ continued funding in fiscal year 2018; and a significant rejection of Donald Trump’s vision for the direction of America. By working with the true champions for rural America in both parties, we successfully fought for the programs that give Oregonians and Americans from rural communities across the country a solid foundation for economic success.”

Merkley is the only Oregon member of Congress from either chamber since Senator Mark Hatfield to serve on the Appropriations Committee, considered to be one of the most powerful on Capitol Hill. He joined the committee in 2013 so that Oregon would have a strong voice in decisions about the investments our nation should be making.

Victories for rural communities in the 2017 omnibus bill include: