WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, voted to advance the FY24 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The funding package includes $7 million in Community Project Funding spanning across South and West Texas and over $25 billion in funding that will aid landowners, ranchers, and rural communities across Texas’ 23rd Congressional District and the nation. Congressman Gonzales secured an amendment in the legislation to direct the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reimburse landowners across the southern border for property damages relating to illegal migrant trespassing.
“Rural communities across South and West Texas are bearing the brunt of the crisis at our southern border. One of the top issues I’m hearing about from farmers and ranchers in my district is property damage and crops destroyed by illegal migrants crossing the border. Landowners are on the hook for these damages, and many times the damages are out of budget for them. They have no choice but to pay for these costs to ensure their livelihoods,” said Congressman Gonzales. “Our hardworking farmers and ranchers do not deserve to pay for damages that are no fault of their own. That’s exactly why I advocated for language in the FY24 Appropriations package to reimburse landowners along the southern border for property damages related to illegal migrant trespassing – this is a win for our border communities.”
$7 million in Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding are provisionally set aside for communities across Texas’ 23rd Congressional District. This funding includes $4 million to build a new multi-purpose community center in Natalia, which would serve local law enforcement officers and first responders as a training facility, and as an emergency operating center during times of need.
Congressman Gonzales also secured a total of $3 million in funding for three additional Community Project Funding requests:
- $1,000,000 for Monahans Kids Zone
- $1,000,000 for Texas A&M Uvalde AgriLife Center
- $1,000,000 for the Presidio County water project
The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill advanced by Congressman Gonzales also includes:
- Report language for Colonias and Farmworker Communities – The Committee recognizes the challenges facing colonias and farmworker communities and urges USDA to work with other Federal agencies to identify best practices and other ways to further assist colonias communities and farmworkers. The Committee encourages USDA to explore strategies to adopt and address the unique participation challenges faced by rural communities in the border region colonias communities.
- Report language for rural, border communities – The Committee is concerned that the water and wastewater needs of colonia communities that suffer from high rates of poverty along the southern border are not being adequately addressed. The Committee encourages USDA to support qualified non-profit organizations to provide technical assistance and/or construction projects to help colonias communities with accessing USDA’s water and wastewater programs and services.
- Report language for the ReConnect Program – The Committee provides an additional $260,000,000 for the ReConnect Program to increase access to broadband connectivity in unserved and underserved rural communities, targeting areas of the country with the largest broadband coverages gaps, including those with mountainous terrain.
- Report language for Rural Telehealth – The Committee supports the Memorandum of Understanding entered into on August 31, 2020, establishing a Rural Telehealth Initiative between HHS, the FCC, and USDA. Together, this important initiative can leverage the expertise of each respective agency and improve collaboration amongst entities tasked with addressing rural telehealth access. Agencies involved in this initiative should prioritize opportunities to continue the expansion of telehealth services and close the digital divide.
- Report language regarding U.S., Central America, and Mexico Cooperation – The Committee continues to direct the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to work with its counterparts in Central America and Mexico to improve the efficiency of the agricultural inspection process and agricultural trade facilitation issues.
- $111,771,000 for Cattle Health, to continue funding initiatives related to the eradication of fever ticks for livestock and wildlife hosts, including but not limited to research, data management, infrastructure, and treatment
- $11,500,000 for Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management
- $1,000,000 for Feral Swine Eradication Efforts
- $1,000,000 for Sorghum Grain Quality and Utilization
- $21,817,000 for Circuit Rider Program
- $7,500,000 for Grassroots Source Water Protection Program