10/31/2011

NRECA joined with a broad coalition of rural organizations, including several statewide electric cooperative associations and individual electric cooperatives, to urge Senators to vote against Sen. Tom Coburn’s amendment to the FY 2012 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that would reduce rural development funding by $1 billion. These cuts would reduce all rural development programs spending levels, including the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Electric Loan Program and Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program, by approximately 40 percent. Though it is unlikely that RUS electric loan levels would be reduced, such drastic cuts would likely result in staffing reductions, making it harder for RUS to process and review loan applications in a timely manner.