Category: Legislative Updates

New House Speaker Not Known on the Farm

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by LICA-National

The House’s new speaker, Mike Johnson, isn’t well known in farm country, or most of the rest of the nation for that matter. But Rep. Frank Lucas, a former chairman of the House Ag Committee, says Lucas is a likable, low-key conservative who should be able to unite House Republicans.

“I think he can pull us together. He's a real conservative, so we're back on track. We're headed forward again, I think,” Lucas, R-Okla., said in an interview with Agri-Pulse Newsmakers.

Lucas describes Johnson as “very positive, very pleasant,” temperamentally different than some of the GOP firebrands. “He doesn't have the scars and scratches and calluses other members have, but that's OK,” Lucas said.

By the way: Some 61 House Republicans sent a letter to Johnson Thursday urging “swift passage” of a new farm bill. “More than 92 percent of our nation’s planted acres are represented by Republican Members,” the letter says.

How Financial World Views New House Speaker

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by LICA-National

Plenty of people in Washington and senators have been googling Mike Johnson since he ascended to the speaker’s office this week. Bank lobbyists have been doing the same. The 51-year-old Republican from Louisiana is a mystery to the financial world’s most influential advocates. More than one lobbyist we asked described Johnson as a “black box.” “General sentiment in our world is that he is a totally unknown figure,” one official working for a top bank trade group said. That being said, Johnson’s no stranger to their campaign contributions. Whether it is banking, health, foreign affairs or any other issue before Congress, many believe fresh leadership in the House can unify the majority actively deal with the Senate and Administration on critical issues before the Congress.

EPA and Army Corps Sign Coordination Memos on WOTUS

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by LICA-National

In September, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released two joint coordination memorandums on jurisdictional determinations 1) under the 2023 waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule (as amended in September) and 2) under the “pre-2015 regulatory regime” that is in effect in the 27 states where the Biden Administration’s rule is on hold. The memos outline similar processes for coordination, wherein EPA plays an active role. Neither memo provides insight on how the agencies will determine jurisdiction nor how they will implement the relatively permanent test.


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Go or No Go: My Take on Farm Bill Reauthorization

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by LICA-National

Limited floor time for debate and bill consideration is a common rationale for Congress not to consider must pass bills like the appropriations and farm bills. The unexpected leadership battle in the House – hopefully resolved by the time you are reading this – has delayed the House from formally meeting. Now the tragic war in the Middle East will push other issues to the back burner as the Administration and the Congress determine the best response.


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Contractor Study Optimistic About Market

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by LICA-National

According to a report released in September by Procore Technologies, and the Associated General Contractors of America, 78% of civil and infrastructure construction firms expect their project backlog to increase or remain the same over the next year as new federal infrastructure funding ramps up. The report, Top Civil & Infrastructure Trends: Today's Industry Challenges and Opportunities, found that many firms are worried that labor shortages and productivity challenges could undermine their success with these projects.

Visit https://www.procore.com/ebooks/agc-civil-and-infrastructure-report to get a copy of the report.

Study Shows Positive Impact of Soil Health Management Systems

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by LICA-National

The Soil Health Institute and National Association of Conservation Districts announced the results of a nationwide study that demonstrates how improving soil health can help farmers build resilience and improve profitability across a diversity of soil types, geographies, and cropping systems.


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