McConnell was honored to receive the ‘Friend of the Farm Bureau’ award on Friday from the American Farm Bureau Federation for his work on behalf of Kentucky agriculture during a ceremony at the Kentucky Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky.
Mark Haney, the president of the Kentucky Farm Bureau said: “It comes as no surprise that the American Farm Bureau Federation is presenting Senate Republican Leader McConnell with the 2012 ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’ Award. When agriculture in Kentucky and our nation needs support, Farm Bureau confidently turns to leaders like Senator McConnell. His efforts in Washington to help farmers succeed in a global economy are recognized and appreciated throughout the Commonwealth.”
Upon receiving the award, Senator McConnell said: “I am proud to accept this honor on behalf of the farmers of Kentucky whom I proudly serve in the United States Senate. Kentucky farmers are vitally important to the Commonwealth’s economy, and it’s a privilege to represent them in the Nation’s Capital.”
Sens. McConnell and Paul Urge Gov. Beshear to Request Federal Disaster Declaration to Protect Kentucky Shipping Jobs
Mississippi River water levels, which were already low due to extended drought and have recently been further reduced by the Army Corps of Engineers, continue to be hazardously low. If no action is taken in the coming weeks, commercial traffic on the river could come to a halt, impacting a number of Kentucky jobs in the maritime, energy, agriculture and manufacturing sectors that rely on the Mississippi River to transport goods.
In an effort to prevent this economically devastating scenario from impacting the Commonwealth, Senators McConnell and Paul sent a letter to Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear urging him to use his exclusive authority as a Governor to request a federal disaster declaration that could “trigger a response from the Obama Administration that aids Kentucky communities and families whose livelihoods no doubt would be adversely affected by the shutdown of commercial traffic on the Mississippi River.”
Steve Little, President of Crounse Corporation (a barge company headquartered in Paducah, KY) praised Sen. McConnell's efforts. He said: "Throughout our efforts to keep the Upper Mississippi River open for commerce, Senator McConnell has been vigilant in pressing the bureaucrats to solve this entirely preventable problem. Because the Senator recognizes the value of river transportation to the Commonwealth, as well as to the nation, he has been relentless in his efforts to keep the river open in order to avoid the significant damage to our nation's economy that would result from a closure."
Last week, Senators McConnell and Paul also contacted the Administration requesting that the Army Corps of Engineers take immediate action to address low water levels.
Click HERE to read the letter Senators McConnell and Paul sent to Governor Beshear. Click HERE to read the letter Senators McConnell and Paul sent to the Administration.
McConnell Says ‘No’ to Permanent Debt Ceiling Increase
During floor debates on the fiscal cliff this week, Senate Democrats attempted to give the president unlimited and unchecked authority to raise the nation’s debt ceiling at will. Senator McConnell stopped this power grab.
On Thursday, Senator McConnell said: "I think it’s safe to say at this point that the President isn’t interested in a balanced agreement. He’s not particularly interested in avoiding the fiscal cliff. And he’s clearly not interested in cutting spending.
“What the President’s really interested in, as we all learned yesterday, is getting as much taxpayer money as he can — first by raising taxes on small businesses that he thinks make too much money, and then on everybody else— not so he can lower the debt or the deficit, but so he can spend to his heart’s content.
“For months, the President has been saying all he wants is to raise taxes on the top two percent so he can tackle the debt and the deficit. Yesterday, he finally revealed that’s not really his true intent. By demanding the power to raise the debt limit whenever he wants by as much as he wants, he showed what he’s really after is assuming unprecedented power to spend taxpayer dollars without any limit.
He continued: “And by the way, why on earth would we even consider giving a President who’s brought us four years of trillion dollar deficits unchecked authority to borrow – he’s the last person who should have limitless borrowing power.”
Sen. McConnell meets with University of Kentucky President
Senator McConnell and Eli Capilouto, the President of the University of Kentucky, met this week to discuss deficit reduction and the impact of our nation’s fiscal problems on our younger generation.
Visiting Washington, D.C.
Are you planning a trip to Washington, D.C. in the future? Be sure to check out Senator McConnell’s website HERE to get information on tours of historic landmarks such as the White House, U.S. Capitol, and the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Many tours must be requested several months in advance. We hope you will stop by Senator McConnell’s office while you are in town!
Keeping Up With Senator McConnell
Keep up with the latest news and alerts from our nation's capital as well as updates on things happening back home in Kentucky by becoming a fan of Senator McConnell's Facebook page, and get the latest news from Senator McConnell's press office on Twitter at @McConnellPress.
