WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD News) — The House Appropriations Committee has completed markup of the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration funding bill.
The committee hearing opened with remarks from Congressman Tom Cole: “I call this meeting of the Appropriations Committee to order. I want to welcome everybody to our fourth full committee markup for fiscal year 2027.”
In an exclusive interview with RFD-TV correspondent Frank McCaffrey, Congressman Henry Cuellar discussed some of the priorities included in the legislation.
Cuellar says rural development remains a major focus of the bill, along with continued funding for school lunch programs: “because school lunches, you go to any school, those are not state dollars, those are federal dollars that we pass under the ag approach.”
Congressman Andy Harris of Maryland also praised the legislation in a statement, saying the bill reins in wasteful spending, restores focus to USDA’s core mission, and strengthens support for American agriculture. Harris added that, “under President Trump and Secretary Rollins’ leadership, this bill puts federal resources where they belong: behind the farmers and ranchers who feed, fuel, and help keep our nation strong.”
Cuellar says funding is also being directed toward agricultural disease prevention efforts.
“We put money to make sure that we get money for, you know, to fight,” Cuellar said. “You know, some of the diseases like the citrus, some of the problems that they have down here.”
Lawmakers are also continuing efforts tied to water issues involving Mexico. There’s also a movement to address an issue we’ve been having with our neighbors on the other side of this bridge, south of the border, Mexico. Cuellar says that work is being handled through State, Foreign Operations, and related programs funding.
“The State Foreign Ops has the International Boundary Water Commission,” he explained. “That’s where I put in language to get Mexico to pay back their water a little faster, but also tell the International Boundary Water Commission to start pushing folks that live along the river because we can’t depend on the Rio Grande forever. We got to look at secondary sources of water, and we also got to look at conservation steps on this side and on the Mexican side.”
Frank McCaffrey reporting for RFD NEWS.
