Dear John,
It’s been a busy week in Washington, but I’m back to keep you in the loop on how I am fighting for our conservative values.
In a refreshing display of bipartisanship, congressional Republicans and Democrats came together to avert a catastrophic rail shutdown. This legislation was necessary to avoid a strike that could have upended the economy. Everything from retail to drinking water and farm products would have been affected.
While I voted in favor of averting the strike, I opposed rules that would see the inclusion of paid sick leave. This goes well beyond the bounds of the president's own request. Congress would not only step into the collective bargaining agreement but would now effectively negotiate on behalf of one of the parties. For that reason, I opposed this rule and encouraged my colleagues to do the same.
This week, I was featured in a profile by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), a national trade association representing more than 900 local electric cooperatives. I am proud to co-sponsor the bipartisan Flexible Financing for Rural America Act. This bill would let co-ops refinance their debt from the Rural Utilities Service loans of the U.S. Department of Agriculture at lower interest rates. I will continue to support policies that ensure a reliable blend of resources are available, as co-ops are key members of our communities.
As always, please contact my office if there is anything we can help with. Thank you for your continued support!
