Wyden, Merkley Sound Alarm on USDA Rural Development Reorganization

Washington, D.C.-U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today said they joined their Senate Democratic colleagues Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Peter Welch, D-Vt., Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, in raising strong concerns about the Trump administration's plan to reorganize the Rural Development mission area at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"Rural Development is a unique division within the Department, supporting agriculture and ensuring that rural communities prosper by administering grants and loans to support rural businesses, providing financial support for rural housing, financing the construction of rural health clinics and daycare centers, and championing critical infrastructure projects for water, electric, or broadband," the senators wrote to USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden. "Rural communities, small businesses, and families will lose access to important services if the proposed reorganization plan moves forward."

This reorganization will force 60% of the Rural Development National Capital Region staff to relocate to St. Louis or Dallas by October 2026 or resign. While framed as bringing resources closer to rural communities, this move will push experienced employees out of the agency and reduce the USDA services that rural Americans rely on, weaken Rural Development and undermine the critical programs rural communities need to thrive.

Along with Wyden, Merkley, Klobuchar, and Welch, the letter was signed by Senators Van Hollen (D-MD), King (I-ME), Slotkin (D-MI), Heinrich (D-NM), Warnock (D-GA), Durbin (D-IL), Murray (D-WA), Bennet (D-CO), Baldwin (D-WI), Warner (D-VA), Booker (D-NJ), Alsobrooks (D-MD), Smith (D-MN), Fetterman (D-PA), Sanders (I-VT), Luján (D-NM), Schiff (D-CA), and Shaheen (D-NH).

The full letter is here.

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