This week the Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing on rural development and energy issues related to the Farm Bill. Senators discussed several important issues including rural access to broadband, opioid addiction, and Farm Bill programs that promote bio-based manufacturing and renewable energy. The Committee seemed supportive of many of these programs, a contrast to the House of Representatives where the recent appropriations minibus package threatens their funding.
The Senate also unveiled its FY18 budget resolution this week, part of a plan to pass tax reform. The resolution would allow the tax cuts to increase the deficit by $1.5 trillion over a ten year period.
