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October 2006 |
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| Grange Applauds Passage of Card D. Perkins Vocationsl and Technical Education Improvement Act |
The National Grange applauds the United States Congress for passing the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Improvement Act. This legislation, S. 250, passed Congress and is now P.L. 109-270. Grange policy supports the federal government's continued investment in career vocational-technical education by reauthorizing the Act of 1998.
The new law amends the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 by reauthorizing secondary and postsecondary vocational education programs through fiscal year 2011. Additionally, the law updates a number of pertinent definitions including career and technical education, Tech-Prep programs, and career planning. The intent was to modernize the Act reflecting the every changing career opportunities in vocational and technical professions. Finally, the law awards grants for career and technical education activities in rural areas or areas with a high percentage of vocational students.
"With the passage of S. 250, states will be able to continue supporting programs like the FFA that are instrumental in providing students at the secondary and post-secondary levels with the academic, technical, and employability skills necessary to be successful in the workforce," National Grange President William Steel said.
Realizing that vocational education provides future workforces with the necessary academic and vocational skills needed to compete successfully in the world market, the National Grange further encourages states to fund programs that develop competent and assertive agricultural leaders through activities that cultivate interpersonal skills in teamwork, communications, human relations, and social interaction.  |
| National Grange Legislative Director Participates on RFDTV Show |
Leroy Watson, Legislative Director for the National Grange, recently participated in a special live-to-air panel discussion concerning rural broadband deployment on a national Rural Free Delivery television broadcast entitled “Broadband in Rural America.”
 National Grange recognizes that strong rural economies require access to broadband services. In today’s global market, these services are critical in assisting competition between rural areas and their more urban counterparts. Information technology allows small towns to have greater, affordable access to better educational and medical opportunities. Farmers have better access to technical assistance with their crops, equipment repair, and veterinary services. The National Grange is urging Congress to consider adding broadband services to the utilities section of USDA’s Rural Development in the next Farm Bill. Just as rural electric and rural telephone services have been historic missions for the National Grange and rural America, rural broadband is a vital element in rural economic development today.
“This discussion brought to light some of the real issues facing rural America and broadband deployment. I feel privileged to represent the National Grange on such an important discussion program,” said Mr. Watson.
One of the major conclusions made during the program is that sixteen percent of the United States population lives in rural areas consisting of local communities with less than 10,000 people, and these citizens are the most underserved for advanced telecommunication services. Incentives need to be created to increase rural telecommunication infrastructure, making universal telephone service available and affordable in all areas of the country.
Other panelists included Dr. Greg Powell, President, Panola College, Texas; Jill Long Thompson, former US Representative and Undersecretary for Rural Development, USDA and current CEO of a rural and agricultural research and policy think tank; Dan Phythyon, Policy Director for the Alliance for Public Technology; Chris McLean, former Administrator, Rural Utility Service, USDA; and Les Greer, CEO of DTC Communications. Excerpts from the RFDTV show are available for viewing. CLICK HERE. |
| National Grange Urges Support for U.S. - Peru Trade Agreement |
U.S. Peru Trade Coalition, a broad-based group of over 200 U.S. companies and business organizations including National Grange, recently wrote to President Bush urging action and final passage of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) this year. The letter stated that both the national security and economic interests of the United States will be advanced by this landmark agreement with Peru, whose dynamic economy and moderate politics will ensure a strong partnership. To that end, the U. S. Peru Trade Coalition is strongly urging the Administration to send implementing legislation for the PTPA to Congress for consideration. The Coalition went on to state that PTPA would further help strengthen democracy in the Andean region.
U.S. trade with Peru has doubled over the past three years. Two-way commerce reached $7.4 billion in 2005. More than 5,000 U.S. companies export their products to Peru, and over 80% of these are small and medium-sized companies that stand to benefit significantly from PTPA. T he Peruvian Congress has already approved the agreement.
PTPA will advance U.S. security and economic interests by forging a deeper partnership with a valued ally and setting an example for other countries around the world as we pursue our global security and economic goals. Also, the agreement’s strong intellectual property and related enforcement provisions against trafficking in counterfeit or pirated products will help combat organized crime.
PTPA will serve to make this trade relationship a mutually beneficial, reciprocal partnership. In 1991, the United States unilaterally opened its markets to most imports from Peru and its neighbors through the Andean Trade Preference Act, which was renewed and expanded in 2002. As a result, 97% of all imports from Peru already enter the U.S. marketplace duty-free, and the average U.S. duty on imports from Peru is just one-tenth of one percent. By contrast, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) reports that “most of Peru’s average tariff rates range from 12% to 25%.” In other words, Peru enjoys nearly free access to our marketplace while our access to theirs remains limited. PTPA will fix this imbalance. Four-fifths of U.S. consumer and industrial products and two-thirds of current U.S. farm exports will enter Peru duty-free immediately upon entry into force. |
| Watson Addresses Rural Communication Issues with Senate Staff |
Leroy Watson, National Grange Legislative Director, recently gave a power point presentation to a number of Senate staffers concerning rural communication issues. The seminar, entitled “Why Rural Consumers Care, and Why You Should Too: the Case for Telecommunication Reform,” discussed rural American communities and their need for broadband telecommunication services.
Mr. Watson told the group that over 16% of our nation’s population lives in rural areas in 75% of the United States’ land mass. Unfortunately most of these rural communities are underserved for advanced telecommunication services. As a result, public services such as education, healthcare, economic development, public safety, agriculture, natural resource management, and transportation are far below the services offered in urban settings.
A lack of public services in rural areas translates into a higher poverty rate, a lack of education, a reduction of health care services, and a decrease in the number of young, employable individuals in the area. In order to reverse these trends, Mr. Watson made a number of suggestions including removing and avoiding disincentives toward telecommunication investments while increasing incentives for deployment, reducing arbitrary regulations, and increasing government investments. National Grange is hopeful that the quality of life in rural areas will be enhanced through increased economic opportunities, an increase in medical services and education, and allow for a more cost effective local public infrastructure.
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National Grange Respondes to Digital Television Regulations |
The National Grange, along with 21 other organizations, responded to the National Telecommunication and Information Administration’s (NTIA) notice of proposed rulemaking dealing with the nation’s final transition to all-digital television broadcasting in 2009. NTIA is recommending a digital-to-analog converter box coupon program and the group pledged their support for the proposal. The organizations commended the NTIA for their comprehensive approach ensuring free over-the-air television service for all consumers.
Never before in the DTV transition has such a broad-based collaboration of organizations come together with a common purpose and shared sense of commitment to the American consumer. The group of organizations stressed the importance of a comprehensive, coordinated, and harmonized national consumer education effort. In order to demonstrate our commitment to this intensive project, the organizations submitted a set of Principles to Support a Successful DTV Transition. They include: crafting and implementing an effective consumer education strategy; informing the public on how to continue receiving free over-the-air signals after the all digital transition; eliminating duplication of efforts with all Federal agencies; allocating appropriate funding to accomplish this education program; ensuring the converter equipment is easy to install and allowing for excellent reception; making converter coupons easily available to the maximum number of households; and making the converter equipment energy efficient. |
| National Grange Supports American-Made Energy Freedom Act |
National Grange recently distributed a press release strongly supporting legislation currently being considered by Congress to fund alternative, renewable, and advanced energy incentives. HR 5890, sponsored by Representative Devin Nunes (R- CA), and S 3917, sponsored by Senator Richard Burr (R- NC), create a trust fund from lease and royalty revenue generated from oil production in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The program, entitled the American-Made Energy Freedom Act, will generate approximately $40 billion over the next thirty years and will fund a variety of energy initiatives including alternative, renewable, and advanced energy incentives. Specifically the legislation: 1) Develops a production tax credit for cellulosic ethanol (CBE) 2) Extends the $.50/gallon Coal to Liquid (CTL) excise tax credit; 3) Extends solar and fuel cell investment tax credits 4) Provides grants to improve forest biomass for energy generation; 5) Encourages conversion of municipal solid waste into fuel ethanol and other byproducts; 6) Creates a renewable fuel loan and grant program; 7)Encourages innovative energy technologies; 8) Opens ANWR to exploration for energy resources
William Steel, president of National Grange stated; “This legislation creates short term energy relief while providing long term domestic energy solutions.” Steel continued, “The American-Made Energy Freedom Act encourages ingenuity with the goal of increasing domestic fuel production, thus decreasing our dependence on foreign oil.”
Leroy Watson, Legislative Director of National Grange agreed, “Passage of this bill would be the largest investment in American energy in our Nation’s history.” He concluded, “The most amazing aspect of this legislation is that domestic energy production will be encouraged without cost to the taxpayer. The National Grange strongly urges Congress to consider the American-Made Energy Freedom Act in the lame duck session of Congress.”
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| Grange Comments on Cooperative Conservation |
The National Grange wrote to a number of cabinet officials expressing support for the efforts of the Department of Interior, Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration concerning environmental laws. The letter highlighted the importance of cooperative conservation in implementing our country’s environmental policies.
As a member of the National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition (NESARC), the only national organization dedicated to bringing long needed updates to the ESA, National Grange supports the comments filed by NESARC proposing regulatory and administrative improvements to the Act. We encouraged the cabinet officials to review the comments of the coalition and its member organizations thoroughly as the Administration considers specific regulatory changes in implementing the ESA.
In addition to focusing on grassroots National Grange policy, the letter also recommended several additional points to improve the Endangered Species Act. They included: 1) Encourage and facilitate the contribution of States and local governments to the conservation and recovery of species. 2) Promote private stewardship through better coordination of existing federal grants and assistance programs for voluntary conservation activities, providing technical assistance to landowners seeking to protect species on their property and providing for model form agreements, conservation practices guidance and other means to facilitate individual conservation activities. 3)Streamline and improve the consultation process under Section 7 and address the series of court decisions affecting critical elements of Section 7 including the “adverse modification” definition, the appropriate development of the environmental baseline and analysis of impacts, the implementation of consultations under joint counterpart regulations and the proper scope of a consulting agency’s authority to implement the alternatives and measures proposed in a particular biological opinion. 4) Improve the habitat conservation plan (HCP) program to reduce the cost and time involved in developing HCPs and provide for more consistency in the development of mitigation standards and required HCP elements. 5) Provide for more transparency within the scientific review and decision making processes under the ESA and facilitate the collection and use sound data to inform all decisions required under the Act. 6) Respond to, and reconcile, recent federal jurisprudence that provides conflicting guidance to different government agencies and across different Federal Circuits.
The letter concluded by urging the Administration to undertake regulatory improvements to the ESA as soon as possible making it easier for landowners, businesses and other organizations to protect species, respect the needs of private property owners, and encourage collaborative conservation in a manner that ultimately and equally benefits communities, citizens and species. |
| Legislative Round-Up |
| Local Michigan Granges Hold Successful "Meet the Candidates Nights." |
Members of Studley Grange #1174 and Gratiot Grange #1898 each held their own “Meet the Candidates Night.” Local citizens were given the opportunity to speak with numerous candidates including individuals running for County Commissioner, district and circuit court judge, State Representative and Senate, as well as U.S. Congress and U. S. Senate.
All candidates were given the opportunity to discuss their views and opinions on many issues. Grange members hosted both events and participated by preparing refreshments, handing out small prizes to those in attendance, introducing the candidates, and acting as timekeepers to ensure that each candidate an equal opportunity to share their views. Overall, each meeting was considered a great success.
Ethanol Over A Barrel?
By Bob Brown, MI Legislative Director |
Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida, has suggested that the United States abolish the tariff on imported Brazilian ethanol. Governor Bush said that Brazil could manufacture ethanol much more cheaply than our domestic production. He stated that Brazil could furnish the United States with alternative fuel. To me that is jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire! Maybe this is a quick fix but what happens when Brazil gets the United States over a barrel? The United States would still be depending on foreign fuel to supply our energy needs.
I don’t believe that opening the floodgates and letting yet another country control our energy supply is the answer. I feel that our alternative fuel has to come from domestic resources. Let’s use some of our own resources for energy production. I feel we have the knowledge to achieve that goal and I’m sure we can accomplish the task. If we can send a man to the moon and back, we can solve our energy crisis. Remember, we didn’t send a man to the moon in a day or two. It took some time. So will the development of alternative energy take some time, but it can be done.
Farm Bill 2008?
By Jim Miller, Agriculture Director of CO State Grange |
With the failure of the Doha Round negotiations of the World Trade Organization, we are hearing support for a one year extension of 2002 Farm Bill, set to expire in 2007. That would make 2008 the year that Congress would undertake the long and very torturous process of writing a new bill. But 2008 is presidential election year. This hardly strikes me as a good idea. Farm bills are a lot of work during non-election years. To write a farm bill that would impose much needed fiscal restraint and make meaningful structural changes to the price support and conservation programs in a politically charged election year is improbable. What we would most likely see is Congress trying to please every agricultural constituent in hopes of gaining political clout.
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