Rep. Cole Votes for Agriculture Funding Bill

WASHINGTON – Congressman Tom Cole voted last night for the Agriculture appropriations bill for FY 2007 (H.R. 5384) to support our nation’s farmers and ranchers and provide needed funding for important nutrition programs and public health research.

This legislation also included funding for the Boll Weevil Eradiation Program for states, including Oklahoma, whose crops have been infested with boll weevils. H.R. 5384 also includes funding for the Rural Water Associations Circuit Rider grant and loan program which is especially important to rural water systems in Oklahoma. Congressman Cole, along with the Oklahoma delegation, sent a letter to the committee to support these two programs.

“Oklahoma's farmers and ranchers have had a particularly difficult season this year. Because of spending constraints, this legislation does not take care of every problem facing them, but I believe it does provide some help," Congressman Tom Cole said. "I will be working this year to help find other ways to meet the specific needs of farmers, ranchers and others in rural Oklahoma."

The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2007 provides funding for the Farm Service Agency, agricultural research, conservation operations and for the Rural Community Advancement Program. The bill also provides critical funding for food and safety programs, the Food and Drug Administration, Child Nutrition Programs and Avian Flu/Pandemic countermeasures and preparedness.

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