Congressman Tony Gonzales Secures Funds for Rural and Agriculture Communities in Appropriation Bill

I secured critical funds for agriculture and rural communities in Texas’s 23^rd District in the FY 2022 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill. 

Between the COVID-19 pandemic, severe weather, and the crisis at our southern border, our farmers, ranchers, producers and rural areas have faced a variety of challenges over the last year. I am excited to see the inclusion of many helpful initiatives to our agricultural and rural communities in this bill.

I worked to secure funds for following Community Project Funding request:

• $562,500 for the Medina County Senior Center: The current senior center is from the 1940s and operates out of the old Hondo Regional Airport and is infested with asbestos and faulty infrastructure. A new facility will be used to provide meals to seniors through the Meals on Wheels partnership, and other important resources. 

A new senior center in Medina County will allow the senior community to have better access to Meals on Wheels and other critical programs available to them. I am thrilled to see the new senior center be included into this Appropriations bill and look forward to seeing all the various ways the community will utilize the building.

Additionally, I helped to include the following language and funds to help farmers, ranchers, producers and rural communities across the district: 

• Secured Report Language to help eradicate Cattle Fever Tick. 
• Secured Report Language to help with Feral Swine (Wild Hogs) eradication and damage control. 
• $20,157,000 level funding for the Circuit Rider Program, a program that provides assistance to rural water systems.
• $6,000,000 to help assist businesses with ten or fewer employees in rural communities.