February 2017<\/p>\n
Washington Politics \u2013 Not As Usual<\/strong><\/p>\n Washingtonians are still talking about the phenomenon commonly referred to as \u201cMiddle America\u201d.\u00a0 This is the vast expanse of geography between the coastal metropolises where folks feel ignored and forgotten.\u00a0 Rural economies continue to decline, small town businesses falter, factories shutter, hospitals close, schools consolidate and younger generations move away.\u00a0 Middle America\u2019s citizens turned out to vote for change and against the status quo.\u00a0\u00a0 They voted not so much as Democrats or Republicans but as a common populace looking for hope and opportunity right where they are.<\/p>\n The Trump Administration aims to tackle some mighty big problems and quickly seize on some long-awaited opportunities.\u00a0 These include repeal, replace and transition the Affordable Care Act, control illegal immigration, reform the tax code, renegotiate trade agreements, rebuild the nation\u2019s infrastructure, and reduce federal regulations<\/strong>.\u00a0 National Grange policy is strong on all these issues which will require considerable time and attention from Grange leadership and staff.\u00a0\u00a0 To accomplish most of these feats, the President will have to enter uncharted territory for him\u2026negotiations with Congress.\u00a0 While the President can implement some of his agenda by executive action, the heavy lifting on major issues cannot happen without Congress.<\/p>\n The President\u2019s choice for Secretary of Agriculture, Georgian Sonny Perdue, has good support on both sides of the political aisle and should be easily confirmed.\u00a0 Following Perdue\u2019s confirmation, the Deputy Secretary appointment should come down rather quickly but this position also requires Senate confirmation.\u00a0 Chances are good the Deputy Secretary candidate could come from either California or the Midwest.\u00a0 Nine Under Secretary and Assistant Secretary appointments, all requiring Senate confirmation, will follow.\u00a0 But don\u2019t expect \u00a0USDA appointees to be in place any time soon.\u00a0 They\u2019re caught in a FBI background check logjam that\u2019s government-wide.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The full regiment of top-tier leadership at USDA may not be in place for several months and could stretch well into summer.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n HEALTH CARE<\/strong><\/p>\n Affordable Care Act Executive Order<\/p>\n On Inauguration Day January 20, President Trump issued an executive order signaling his Administration\u2019s priority to roll back major provisions of the ACA.\u00a0 An analysis of the executive order was sent to state masters and legislative directors.<\/p>\n Maintain Patient Protections and Access to Drugs<\/p>\n The National Grange cosigned a letter to incoming Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price asking the Secretary to ensure uninterrupted coverage and access to drugs for patients with preexisting conditions while the ACA is under review.<\/p>\n Rural Hospitals<\/p>\n The Grange is drawing attention to the plight of rural and small town hospitals in the Affordable Care Act revamp.\u00a0 Under the ACA, hospitals saw huge cuts in Medicare reimbursements on the assumption that expanded insurance coverage would pick up the shortfall.\u00a0 Traditionally, rural hospitals treat a larger share of uninsured patients and those who are unable to pay.\u00a0 As Congress moves to create a new patient care system, they must consider restoring Medicare reimbursements to pre-ACA levels.\u00a0 Grange op-eds by Betsy Huber, Cindy Greer (Colorado), Jim Foster (West Virginia), Bob White Ohio), and Dwight Baldwin (Iowa, pending) appeared in numerous state and national media outlets.<\/p>\n Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)<\/p>\n The National Grange joined over a thousand patient groups, healthcare providers, and advocacy organizations to urge Congress to repeal the IPAB provisions in the ACA.\u00a0 The IBAB board is comprised of Presidential appointees charged with making Medicare cuts if spending growth reaches an arbitrary level.\u00a0 Their actions are not subject to administrative or judicial review.\u00a0 The groups are concerned about eroding patient access to quality healthcare.<\/p>\n Patient Access to Medication<\/p>\n The National Grange and twelve state Granges joined a large array of patient groups to urge Congress to oppose a proposal by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to interfere in private negotiations in Medicare Part D.\u00a0 the groups are concerned that that proposals could undermine Part D\u2019s competitive structure and restrict access to drugs for millions of seniors and individuals with disabilities.<\/p>\n RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE<\/strong><\/p>\n The National Grange joined with nearly 100 groups on a letter to President Trump asking for his Administration\u2019s support for rebuilding infrastructure in rural America.\u00a0 The letter pointed past initiatives often focused on urban and suburban infrastructure without addressing the unique needs of rural communities such as highways, bridges, railways, locks and dams, harbors and ports, and expanding broadband connectivity.\u00a0 The President\u2019s plans for public-private investment partnerships to fund infrastructure improvements are not financially feasible for rural infrastructure returns.<\/p>\n \u00a0TRANS PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP (TPP)<\/strong><\/p>\n Following President Trump\u2019s announcement to pull out of the pending TPP, Master Huber issued a rather unique statement that was picked up by numerous media outlets including Bloomberg News, The Progressive Farmer, Farm Policy News, and Kansas Agland among others.\u00a0 The statement said, \u201cWith the Grange\u2019s primary interest in agriculture, food production and the marketing of American products to all available markets, we understand the potential value of the Trans Pacific Partnership to the American producer and our rural economy”.\u00a0 The Grange also represents the interests of rural residents and small community citizens who produce other products and may not expect to fare as well in the proposed TPP agreement. TAX REFORM<\/strong><\/p>\n Stay Tuned<\/p>\n Expect broad and far-reaching tax reform proposals to come from the Senate, the House and the White House in the coming weeks.\u00a0 There will be close similarities and wide differences between some of the provisions contained in each proposal.\u00a0 Support or opposition will, of course, depend upon whose ox is getting gored.<\/p>\n Death Tax Repeal<\/p>\n The Family Business Coalition (National Grange is a member) is again mounting a campaign in Congress to repeal the federal estate tax commonly known as the “death tax”.\u00a0 Many studies show repealing the death tax would spur job creation and grow the economy.\u00a0 Estate taxes amount to approximately one half of one percent of federal revenue.\u00a0 Worst of all, the death tax is the primary cause of breaking up family businesses.<\/p>\n REGULATORY ROLLBACK<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n The executive order issued by President Trump requiring that for every one new regulation issued, at least two prior regulations be identified for elimination has the federal agencies buzzing.\u00a0 Though similar actions have been threatened in the past, this is the first time agencies expect the directive to be enforced.\u00a0 On Capitol Hill, the House has passed and sent to the Senate its \u201cRegulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny\u201d Act (REINS Act, HR 26 and S 21).\u00a0 Under REINS any proposed regulation would die unless both chambers approve the regulation within 20 days.<\/p>\n TELECOMMUNICATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n Broadband Deployment<\/p>\n The new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman, Ajit Pai, has announced an aggressive digital empowerment agenda that includes a commitment for rural areas and small towns to have access to the same powerful high-speed connectivity taken for granted in most urban and suburban communities.\u00a0 National Grange President Betsy Huber wrote an op-ed expressing encouragement to see the FCC considering new and innovative ways to approach the persistent issue of rural broadband expansion.\u00a0 Daily newsletter The Hill in Washington published Betsy\u2019s editorial.<\/p>\n FCC Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee<\/p>\n The National Grange has nominated National Grange President Betsy Huber to serve on this Committee whose charge is to encourage broadband deployment across America.\u00a0 Members are expected to delve into FCC\u2019s pole attachment rules, look at unreasonable regulatory barriers, encourage local governments to adopt deployment-friendly policies, and other reforms.<\/p>\n AT&T Advisory Panel<\/p>\n AT&T has asked National Grange Legislative Director Burton Eller to join its National Consumer Advisory Panel to represent rural and small community residents and engage in dialogue with AT&T executives on consumer, industry and policy issues.<\/p>\n FOOD AND AGRICULTURE<\/strong><\/p>\n Farm Bill Hearings<\/p>\n The kickoff hearing for the 2018 Farm Bill was hosted February 23 on home territory in Kansas by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts.\u00a0 The second Senate Ag hearing will be scheduled in ranking Democrat Debbie Stabenow\u2019s home state of Michigan.\u00a0 The House Agriculture Committee focuses on conservation policy and international market development in initial Farm Bill hearings February 28.\u00a0 Actual legislative language for the 2018 Farm Bill will probably be made public early next year.<\/p>\n Ag Loans<\/p>\n The National Rural Lenders Association, National Association of Credit Specialists, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and the Rural Coalition joined the National Grange to urge the leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to weigh in at the White House and ask that Farm Service loan officers be exempt from the Administration\u2019s hiring freeze.\u00a0 The number of FSA loans processed has increased more than 23% over the last five years while staffing levels of loan officers has decreased by six percent.\u00a0 Further, 2016 marked the third straight year of a depressed agriculture economy.\u00a0 Without sufficient loan servicing, credit delivery to rural America will drag down the farm economy even further.<\/p>\n Dietary Guidelines Built on Alternative Facts?<\/p>\n A report released February 3 by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)says the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services should be more transparent about their process of selecting members of the committee that develops the Dietary Guidelines for Americans document.\u00a0 Members of Congress previously alleged the committee exceeded its scope by straying from traditional nutritional facts to make recommendations on wider policy like sustainability and tax policy.\u00a0 NAS\u2019 report suggested USDA and HHS use third party reviews by an organization or company without political, economic, or ideological identity.\u00a0<\/p>\n Millennials Food Preferences<\/p>\n The 10-to-34-year-old population demographic is rewriting the script in the food sector.\u00a0 Their preference for nonpackaged, less processed, natural, organic, sustainably and locally sourced foods is radically changing food and grocery marketing.\u00a0 Millennials are willing to pay a premium for what they want and the trend is for them to shop for groceries online.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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