Pulaski Times

Senator Amy Klobuchar, serving as the Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, has led fellow Democrats in addressing concerns over a funding freeze initiated by the Trump Administration. The group sent a letter to Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Gary Washington, seeking clarification on this issue.

The letter highlighted the uncertainty faced by farmers, ranchers, schools, and state governments due to conflicting information regarding programs and activities affected by the orders. "Over the past week, farmers, ranchers, schools, and state governments have contacted our offices in search of clarity on programs, websites, offices, and activities impacted by these orders," wrote the Senators. They emphasized that "conflicting information from the administration has added to the uncertainty."

The Senators requested detailed descriptions of actions taken by the USDA related to program pauses or terminations and asked for legal justifications for halting any congressionally appropriated funding. The letter further sought a timeline for when affected parties might receive updates about their funding status.

Klobuchar was joined by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tina Smith (D-MN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

The full content of their correspondence is available for public viewing.