Agricultural News
Congressman Mullin Touts Need for Local Control in Spending Conservation Dollars
Wed, 25 Feb 2015 05:39:39 CST
Congressman MarkWayne Mullin wants federal funding to have more local control. In speaking at the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) 77th Annual State Meeting, Oklahoma's Second District Congressman shared he believes local officials should administer federal dollars for conservation, similar to funding for education.
"Education is better administrated on local levels, so are our conservation needs," Mullin said. "No one understands it better than those that are living in it. Like I have said many times, no one knows my land better than I do. So why should bureaucrats from Washington D.C. be telling me how to administrate programs, that we know how to do better ourselves."
Sam Knipp of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau interviewed Mullin at the conference. Click or tap on the LISTENBAR below to listen to the full interview.
One of agriculture's biggest federal challenges has been new regulations coming from the Environmental Protection Agency. Mullin said this agency needs to understand this is a partnership, not a dictatorship. He said Oklahomans work in partnership with our neighbors, the state and with conservation programs, but when EPA comes in, its their way or else.
With Republicans leading the House and Senate, Mullin is optimistic Congress will make more progress in dealing with the flood of regulations this year- and Oklahoma's COngressional delegation wll have a chance to make its mark in this arena.. U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe has taken the chairmanship position of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Mullin is serving on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Mullin said look for these committees to work together, as his staff works very close with Senator Inhofe's office. If progress is being made in one committee, Mullin said to look for the other committee to take up the legislation and vice versa. Mullin also believes Congress will be moving at a quicker pace, relative to how slow things have been moving in Congress.
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