Secretary Perdue Applauds Broadband Investment Included in Omnibus
(Washington, D.C., March 23, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today applauded the robust investment of $600 million in rural broadband for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which was included in the FY 2018 Omnibus Spending Package. The funding comes at a time when President Donald J. Trump is pursuing an ambitious agenda to rebuild America’s infrastructure, including a special emphasis on rural communities.
“It is unacceptable that millions of people in rural America currently lack access to reliable broadband,” Secretary Perdue said. “I have travelled extensively across the nation and everywhere I go I have heard how important increased broadband is to rural Americans. Reliable and affordable internet e-connectivity truly is the key to productivity in the 21st Century and I’m pleased Congress recognized this need and has provided this critical funding. The inclusion of this money dovetails nicely with President Trump’s bold agenda to restore and expand the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, which will include massive investment in rural America.”
Background:
According to the Federal Communications Commission, 80% of the 24 million American households that do not have reliable, affordable high-speed internet are in rural areas. E-connectivity plays a critical role in establishing quality of life, access to healthcare, effective schools, and other vital services that foster long-term rural prosperity.
The Omnibus bill included $600 million in appropriated funding for a new pilot grant and loan combination program, administered by the USDA, to provide broadband to under-served rural and tribal areas. This investment will leverage nearly $1 billion in total new rural broadband projects.
Additionally, the FY18 Omnibus included robust funding levels for rural infrastructure. The $1 billion in allocated funds will equate to $4.7 billion more rural infrastructure projects than were funded last year. The total FY18 investment in rural communities’ infrastructure through USDA programs will total $13.5 billion. Finally, the Forest Service will also receive a total of $449 million in appropriations for the rehabilitation of its infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and dams.
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Secretary Perdue Praises Section 199A Tax Code Fix in Omnibus
(Washington, D.C., March 23, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement today regarding the fix of Section 199A of the federal tax code found in the omnibus spending bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald J. Trump:
“Fixing Section 199A was a fundamental issue of fairness. We should not be picking winners and losers through the federal tax code by favoring one side over another. During my travels across the country, I met with countless farmers and members of the agriculture community who were affected by this so-called ‘grain glitch.’ I applaud Congress for hearing their voice.”
Background
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in December of 2017 was meant to spur economic growth across the entire American economy, including the agriculture sector, and its positive results can already be felt. However, the unintended consequences of Section 199A, originally designed to preserve benefits for cooperatives and their patrons, disadvantaged the independent operators in the same industry. Many members of the agriculture community began to raise questions about the potential market effects on cooperatives and independent grain-related businesses.
The solution passed by Congress, to equalize federal tax treatment of cooperatives and non-cooperates, is overwhelmingly supported throughout the agriculture community. Secretary Perdue and members of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) leadership, including Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach, have voiced the agriculture community’s concerns throughout the year in statements and speeches across the country.
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Secretary Perdue Statement Regarding the Death of Zell Miller
(Washington, D.C., March 23, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today issued the following statement regarding the passing of Zell Miller:
“Mary and I are saddened to learn of the death of our friend, Zell Miller. A son of the mountains of north Georgia, he dedicated his life to this country, and to Georgia, as a veteran and faithful public servant. His legacy as a state legislator, lieutenant governor, governor, and U.S. senator, particularly in expanding educational opportunities for Georgia students, will resonate for generations to come. We have no doubt that in Heaven, the Marine is having a feisty debate with some of his old friends right now. Mary and I are praying for Shirley, the entire Miller family, and Zell’s many friends. May he rest in peace"
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4 Tips For Men Mentoring Women
During A Sensitive Time In The Workplace
Inappropriate behavior toward women in the workplace has sparked a national conversation about sexual harassment. The #MeToo movement exploded on social media, celebrities were embroiled in allegations of sexual misconduct, employers were sued and employees dismissed.
While this tidal wave of public attention has generated some positive change, business leaders and work-culture observers wonder how the fallout will affect male-female working relationships down the road, such as within the mentoring dynamic.
Peter J. Strauss, a business owner and attorney, thinks it’s time to turn the conversation positive and view how male-female mentoring has successfully impacted careers and companies. This time of raised awareness, he says, provides the chance to improve mentoring and make it even more meaningful.
“As a business owner, I would like to encourage my peers to change the tone of this conversation and focus on the many successful male-female work relationships we have each seen, fostered and benefited from,” says Strauss, (www.peterjstrauss.com), a captive insurance manager and author of The Business Owner’s Definitive Guide to Captive Insurance Companies. “A workplace is super-charged by having a mix of well-mentored men and women.
“At a time when men might be pulling away from mentoring to avoid any hint of impropriety with a female colleague, we need more men to mentor women because they’ll be helping to positively change the workplace.”
Strauss offers four tips to male business leaders when mentoring women:
· Focus on professional progress. Rules for mentoring should be the same for a woman mentoring a man or a man mentoring a woman. “What’s the mentor or mentee’s motivation for entering into this mentoring relationship?” asks Strauss. “You focus on skills, talents, goals and competencies. Feedback is constructive. You keep it real by not veering off the track of professional growth.”
· Think of mutual growth. Well-planned and executed mentoring is a win-win for the mentee and mentor. “The mentor can grow substantially from the relationship as well,” Strauss says. “Focus on developing the women and men on your teams through impactful mentoring that elevates both the mentor and the mentee. As a male business owner, I owe a tremendous amount of my own success to the incredible mentorship of my female colleagues. Male business owners need to seek out their female mentors as they add a different dimension to how we plan, execute and build our businesses.”
· Ask if you’re unsure. Colleagues can help you understand what is considered inappropriate behavior and what is acceptable. “Something that was a compliment years ago might be considered an inappropriate comment today,” Strauss says.
· Practice common courtesy, respect. “Treat a female colleague as you would any other colleague,” Strauss says. “Men should take the extra step of educating themselves on the definition of sexual harassment and what it means to women in a professional setting. Be a good listener and exhibit common courtesy, as you would show any person.”
“Male business leaders have a great opportunity here to be great role models, impactful mentors and help women continue to diversify the talent of their companies,” Strauss says.
About Peter J. Strauss
Peter J. Strauss (www.peterjstrauss.com) is an attorney, captive insurance manager and author of several books, including most recently The Business Owner’s Definitive Guide to Captive Insurance Companies. He is the founder and managing member of The Strauss Law Firm, LLC, on Hilton Head Island, S.C, and also the founder and CEO of Hamilton Captive Management, LLC. A graduate of the New England School of Law, he holds an LL.M. in estate planning from the University of Miami and speaks regularly at public seminars.
