Regional Leadership Council Meets with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to Discuss Implementation of Legislation to Invest in Rural America

WASHINGTON, DC –  Today, members of the Regional Leadership Council (RLC) and its chair, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), met with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to discuss the implementation of legislation to Invest in America, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) – as well as the jobs and other opportunities that these policies will create in rural communities across the country. From expanding rural broadband and electrification to advancing climate-smart agricultural methods, these laws make a historic investment to help American producers, farmers, and families get ahead. The RLC is ensuring that House Democrats continue to fulfill the promises and build on the progress that they made last Congress to support Americans in every corner of the country – including the farmers and rural communities who feed our nation and fuel our economy.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries created the Regional Leadership Council in January 2023 and appointed Congressman Hoyer to serve as its Chair. In addition to Congressman Hoyer, the council consists of twelve Members who each represent one of the United States' twelve regions. The council is working to ensure that Americans in every corner of the country and in every zip code can access the opportunities created by the historic polices that Democrats secured in the 117th Congress, including the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Honoring Our PACT Act, and many others.

"As my colleagues on the RLC and I discussed with Secretary Vilsack today, American agriculture forms the foundation of our economy," Chairman Hoyer said after the meeting. "From the food on our tables to the materials in our clothes, we depend on rural communities in every region of America for essential goods. That's why Democrats secured transformative investments last Congress to help American farmers and their families make it in America. Whether expanding wastewater and plumbing infrastructure, protecting farms from droughts and wildfires, or improving rural access to high-speed internet, laws like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act will have a positive impact on rural communities throughout America for generations. I look forward to continuing to work with the rest of the RLC and with Secretary Vilsack to ensure that these vital programs and opportunities reach the people who work so hard to provide for themselves, their families, and their country."

"This was a great opportunity to speak with the Regional Leadership Council about USDA’s work to ensure farmers and rural Americans have the tools they need to farm, build businesses, find new market opportunities, and cultivate a good life in the communities they love – all bolstered thanks to President Biden’s Investing In America agenda and the historic investments championed by Democrats in the last Congress," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Conversations like these are especially important as Congress considers the 2023 Farm Bill and seeks new ways increase producer income and build stronger rural communities."