Transcript Highlights:

• Aviation is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize, and this is one of the most practical solutions
• We've invested in more fuel-efficient planes, but we need staff to round out our climate goals for the
• Under the California Constitution to regulate county assessment practices, equalize county assessment
• How many rounds of this tax credit have you done?
• We do online webinars every round that are live, where we also take live questions at the end of each

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on State Administration heard several budget proposals from CDTFA, the Board of Equalization, and the Franchise Tax Board. The first panel focused on cannabis, hemp, flavored tobacco, and related enforcement. CDTFA requested ongoing funding to implement cannabis tax changes, enforce the new intoxicating hemp restrictions and flavored tobacco seizure authority, and continue compliance work. The department said it is targeting illicit product, protecting licensed businesses, and using referrals from the public and lawmakers to focus inspections. The LAO supported some of the proposals but urged the Legislature to treat them as part of a longer-term enforcement strategy and raised concerns about the use of General Fund support for cannabis enforcement. Public testimony on the cannabis item largely supported stronger enforcement and funding for the legal market. The committee also heard CDTFA’s request to reappropriate funds for an upgrade to the CROS tax collection system, which would improve taxpayer services, security, and software maintenance without adding new money. A separate CDTFA proposal would make all delivery network companies, such as DoorDash and Uber Eats, marketplace facilitators for sales tax purposes. CDTFA said the change would reduce confusion for restaurants and improve compliance, while the LAO questioned whether the proposal functioned more like a tax increase because it would also capture service fees. Members raised affordability concerns, but the proposal was framed by the administration as a parity and compliance measure. The subcommittee then considered a governor’s proposal for a sustainable aviation fuel tax credit. Finance argued the credit would help decarbonize aviation and support in-state production, while the LAO recommended rejection, citing cost, uncertainty about environmental benefits, possible diversion of diesel excise tax revenues from transportation programs, and concerns about consistency with voter-approved transportation funding rules. Testimony from airlines, labor unions, airports, and refinery workers strongly supported the credit, emphasizing union jobs, refinery conversions, and emissions reductions, while fuel retailers and some others warned about fiscal risk and higher fuel prices. The chair and some members expressed support for the proposal despite the funding concerns. Finally, the BOE presented an IT modernization project for state-assessed property administration, saying the current system is outdated and manual and that a new system is needed to improve accuracy, cybersecurity, and workflow efficiency, especially with a likely increase in workload from new VoIP assessments. The LAO asked for more justification for the timing, but BOE said the urgency stems from aging systems and growing workload. BOE also requested modest funding to implement SB 293 changes to intergenerational property transfers and wildfire relief guidance, which the LAO did not oppose. The Franchise Tax Board began its presentation on the final phase of its Enterprise Data to Revenue modernization effort, describing the project’s rollout across audit, collections, legal, and filing enforcement workloads and noting it is now in a warranty period.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a college educator and psychotherapist with over 30 years of academic and practice experience combined
• education has never functioned hierarchically because our goal is not to make money but to produce well-rounded
• Thank goodness we have a well-rounded curriculum developed by faculty experts.
• I felt like I wasn't paying for this well-rounded education that I dreamed of when thinking about college
• discussions facilitated by my professors, just like the ones Professor Kafer described in the last round

Bills: SB 37

Keywords: fetal development, education, public health curriculum, middle school, age-appropriate instruction

Transcript Highlights:

• The round one NOFA was released in March 2024.
• This is seen in the ways we practice our service delivery to veterans we serve.
• Of the best practices we've encountered, room shares, family reunification, and community return with
• To date, we've completed eight funding rounds, and we've awarded funds to 98 projects, creating some
• To date, we've completed eight funding rounds, and we've awarded funds to 98 projects, creating 6,683

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Military and Veteran Affairs held an informational hearing focused on the effects of federal budget cuts and policy changes on veterans, military readiness, and California’s veteran support systems. The chair and members emphasized that federal reductions to the VA, Medicaid/Medi-Cal, SNAP, and the federal workforce are disproportionately harming veterans by threatening health care, employment, housing, crisis lines, and suicide prevention services. The chair also highlighted California’s progress on veteran homelessness and the importance of preserving state programs that leverage federal dollars. Major General Matthew Beavers of the California Military Department described the department’s structure, its response to the Los Angeles fire emergency, and concerns that federal cuts could reduce readiness through less training, older equipment, and fewer resources. He also discussed state programs such as Work for Warriors, STARBASE, youth and community schools, and the counterdrug task force, saying they are valuable but vulnerable if funding is redirected away from readiness. Members asked about the impact of federal changes on the Guard and how the Legislature could help, and Beavers said the state should advocate for recapitalized equipment and continued support for key programs. A second panel focused on veterans’ benefits and claims support. CalVet, Los Angeles County, and Swords to Plowshares testified that county veteran service officers, legal aid, and community-based partnerships are essential to helping veterans access VA benefits, especially after the PACT Act expanded eligibility and increased claims volume. Witnesses said these services bring substantial federal dollars back to California, but county offices and legal providers are underfunded and overburdened. Members discussed data sharing, staffing shortages, and the need for more resources to reach veterans who are not connected to VA care. In the final panel on mental health and suicide prevention, CalVet and nonprofit providers described state-funded programs such as the Veterans Support Self-Reliance program and the California Veterans Health Initiative, which place services in permanent supportive housing and provide no-cost counseling statewide. Witnesses said these programs are showing measurable improvements in health, medication adherence, and emergency room use, but they depend on sustained funding and are vulnerable to step-down grants and federal instability. Committee members expressed support for the programs and raised questions about access, staffing, and the role of non-veteran family members in Vet Center services.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll have a round of questions.
• I hope we'll have a second round of questions. I anticipate that. Thank you.
• We're going to have a brief second round.
• Collins, it's always my practice, and almost always my practice in a hearing, to give our witnesses the
• I'm scared in the first two rounds of questioning. Anything you'd like to add to the record today?

Transcript Highlights:

• all of our county faculty and our state specialists with the goal of developing best management practices
• And you know, when they began to monitor what we were doing, I changed my management practices because
• regards to coming out to the Pueblo or to wherever to help us figure out what's what's the best practice
• The big challenge I think is not this year, is in the coming years because the next round of submissions
• Uh, and so we just want to give you a big round of applause. Thank you. Um, OK.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the first year of this round of funding, we were at 32% above grant targets for numbers served.
• 35.919> this in 2024 alone in the first year of this in 2024 alone in the first year of this round
• 04:36.720> were<00:04:36.960> at<00:04:37.120> 32%<00:04:37.960> above round
• of funding we were at 32% above round of funding we were at 32% above Grant<00:04:38.919> targets
• Pagar has just informed me, Senator Eric, that that is a convention most typically practiced in the other

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We look at our policy and practice.
• Are you familiar with that practice?
• So some of this practice is a vestige of a different time.
• And so we began that work, and we've done two rounds of inventory analysis.
• UMass gives us very practical recommendations to fix problems.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration met to approve the May 5 minutes and hear a presentation from the Massachusetts Probation Service. The minutes were approved unanimously, with a request that a member’s closing remarks be added to the record. The commission also noted online participants and confirmed quorum before moving to the presentation. Probation leaders described the agency’s role as the state’s largest post-release supervision system and emphasized its focus on reentry, accountability, and reducing technical violations. They outlined the from-and-after sentencing structure, dual supervision with parole, and efforts to reduce revocations and non-criminal violations. Members asked about racial and ethnic disparity work, and probation said that effort is funded through the trial court and state budget, not federal grants. The presentation highlighted community engagement, simplified and translated probation conditions, workforce diversification, and training aimed at improving trust and access for court users. A major portion of the discussion focused on Community Justice Support Centers, evidence-based programming, and shared services such as housing, MassHealth enrollment, transportation, and behavioral health referrals. Probation said the centers are underutilized but have shown improved outcomes in non-randomized studies, with lower recidivism among participants compared with similar probationers. Members discussed mental health access, veterans identification, medication-assisted treatment, and the importance of state IDs and driver’s licenses for successful reentry. The commission also heard about housing supports, including transitional and sober housing, and a statewide behavioral health initiative for justice-involved individuals. The meeting ended with plans for the next session on July 11 and a motion to adjourn, which passed.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm curious, have the segments instituted any of those as practice already?
• as well. practice as well.
• I also think we sort of mirror CSU's practice on the seismic advisory board.
• But I do think that on new projects, that is a very good practice.
• But going forward, that should just be a standard part of our practice.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had some discussions about practicing good internet hygiene, so things like going on vacation and
• Having that documented and possibly reporting that is a good best practice.
• , achievable...” “...strategic plan framework so that they are practical, achievable, and designed to
• So employing majority and minority administrative assistants as full-time, year-round positions, and
• employing dedicated nonpartisan training and development staff as full-time, year-round positions.

Summary: The Legislative Arrangements and Procedure Committee met with a quorum, approved the prior minutes, and then took up several follow-up items related to legislative security, public records, and the impacts of term limits. The Secretary of State’s office presented draft language to make legislators’ and candidates’ residential addresses confidential in public records, with discussion of who would be covered, how the protection would work, and whether it should expire when a candidate’s term ends. Members raised concerns about unintended consequences, transparency, and whether the public should still be able to see enough information to evaluate residency requirements. Rather than act immediately, the committee set the draft aside for a future meeting and asked for an amendment reflecting the Secretary of State’s suggested changes. The committee also reviewed a security best-practices memo and NCSL materials on capitol security. The memo encouraged legislators to be aware of their surroundings, avoid real-time vacation posting, vary routines, report threats, and follow security alerts. Members discussed a recent incident and the need to improve alert distribution and update contact information so legislators and staff receive notices consistently. The Secretary of State and committee members noted that the alert system may need refinement, including a separate legislative notification channel. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to Garrity Consulting’s final report on how to mitigate the effects of legislative term limits. The consultants summarized interviews, surveys, and focus groups with legislators, the public, and stakeholders, identifying major themes such as loss of institutional knowledge, leadership turnover, staffing pressures, and the need for stronger onboarding and training. Recommendations included considering annual sessions or shifting biennial sessions to even-numbered years, restructuring organizational session, making interim committees more consistent with regular committees, adding office hours, formalizing mentorship and leadership succession planning, expanding staff and professional development resources, creating public-facing educational tools, and improving communication and virtual testimony options. Members generally appreciated the report and its phased implementation roadmap, while also debating the practicality of some recommendations and the tension between making service more demanding and keeping the legislature accessible to new candidates.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please give him a round of applause. You got quits. Chair recognize Mr. Reynolds. Thank you, Mr.
• Let's give everybody a round of applause.
• to prescribing or ordering a controlled substance of dangerous drugs or devised by an advancing practice
• HB 3995 by Chalkslay relating to certain regulation, landscaping, and water conservation practices by
• HB 4061 by Pearson relating to unlawful practice rulings to credit card transactions or for the Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• It's, however, their practices.
• It's however their practices. problem. It's however their practices.
• We also took compensation per round.
• partnerships in which is both practical partnerships in which is both practical and<03:58:28.160
• This is a straightforward, practical bill.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our training center, and they go out behind the gun shop and they fire some rounds into the berm to check
• We start out very vanilla, very vanilla, and we end up with the scenario where we are firing blank rounds
• I'm telling you right now, thousands and thousands of rounds they've given me if I call up... absolutely
• just a few LSU I always have to talk about them I'm telling you right now housands and thousands of rounds
• my follow-up is To say that in every other thing that we do at school, the motto is we're gonna practice

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on Oklahoma school safety from Commissioner Tipton, OSSI director Mike Fike, OACTIC director Alan Young, OSBI lieutenant Isiles Keene, and Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton. The main focus was a statewide school-safety framework built around response, prevention, and recovery. Witnesses described training law enforcement in the LASER active-shooter response model, adding A-TURK training for coordinated law enforcement/fire/EMS response, expanding run-hide-fight and Stop the Bleed instruction for educators and staff, conducting risk and vulnerability assessments, and using the Rave panic-button system and the ProtectOK tip app to speed reporting and dispatch. They also emphasized behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) teams as a prevention tool to identify and support at-risk students before violence occurs. Members asked about administrator and teacher training, school counselor involvement, how apps are deployed on personal versus school devices, and whether schools are actually using the programs. Witnesses said administrators, counselors, and SROs should be part of BTAM, that training is most effective when it is realistic and repeated, and that Rave is geofenced and typically invited onto devices by schools. Several members stressed that school leaders must buy in for safety plans to work, and one member raised concerns about traumatic training and the need for mental-health support as part of prevention. Witnesses said mental-health referral and monitoring are part of BTAM, but the school and local partners must manage the process. OSBI’s lieutenant added broader context, comparing school safety to fire safety and noting that Oklahoma still lacks some statutory requirements for intruder drills and stronger penalties for school threats. He also discussed possible future tools such as surveillance analytics, gunshot detection, ballistic-rated doors and walls, and better access controls, while warning that technology should supplement, not replace, basic safety systems and training. Sheriff Walton closed by describing rural response challenges and his foundation’s effort to place ballistic shields in schools and police cars, arguing that human resources and rapid communication remain the biggest gaps. No votes or formal actions were taken in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• for our team over the past few years, and a great example of how we can put these principles into practice
• In fact, some of our friends are there now, doing their Washington, D.C. weeks and making their rounds
• of grants compared to $120 million for previous rounds of the grant program, this generates more of
• an argument to either relax or eliminate the cap in this current round, just because...
• And so we have very low information about CA RISE, the first round of CA RISE grants in particular, but

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee 5 on State Administration heard presentations from Go-Biz and the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation on the Governor’s budget proposals. Go-Biz described California Jobs First, the state’s 10-year economic development strategy, and emphasized support for small businesses, workforce development, and targeted investment in sectors such as ag tech, life sciences, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. Members raised concerns about federal policy changes, tariffs, tourism, housing, child care, and whether state incentives are truly additive; Go-Biz responded that it tracks federal actions closely, works with chambers and advocates, and uses programs like California Competes to target jobs that would not otherwise come to California. The committee then reviewed the proposal to restore the California Competes grant program with $60 million. Go-Biz said the grant would help businesses that cannot use the nonrefundable tax credit, and explained the program’s five-year contracts, milestone-based awards, and recapture provisions. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the grant could be effective but recommended stronger oversight and clearer eligibility criteria, while also noting the 30% cap in trailer bill language may be too restrictive given the smaller funding level. Public testimony supported the grant and suggested considering refundability or transferability for the tax credit to broaden access for smaller and startup businesses. Members also heard the CHIPS-related proposal for $25 million to support Natcast’s semiconductor design and collaboration facility in Sunnyvale. Go-Biz and public witnesses argued the state investment would help secure a major federal research facility, retain engineering talent, and leverage billions in broader investment, while the LAO recommended rejecting the item because of its dependence on uncertain federal funding and the state’s budget condition. The committee also considered a $17 million continuation of CA RISE, which supports employment social enterprises; Go-Biz and several grantees cited strong job placement and workforce outcomes, while the LAO recommended rejection absent a more rigorous evaluation, noting prior LA RISE evidence did not show long-term employment gains. Finally, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation presented budget requests for IT security and rent increases, and a trailer bill to raise fees across several programs. DFPI said decades-old fee schedules, inflation, and new regulatory responsibilities have created a structural deficit and warned the department could face insolvency without adjustments. The LAO recommended approving the fee increases only on a three-year limited-term basis and asked for more detailed revenue plans for programs not covered by the proposal, so the Legislature can assess actual collections and market impacts before making the changes permanent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 1389 is an elimination of alternative practices funding.
• elimination of alternative practices elimination of alternative practices funding.<00:10:15.200>
• medicine, forced to leave to practice medicine, forced to leave their<00:45:25.040> careers.
• Round Table RX solves two problems at once.
• Round Table RX is a lifeline, a stopgap for patients who have nowhere else to turn.

Bills: HF2435

Keywords: healthcare, dementia services, public health funding, opioid prevention, women's health, community health boards, mental health, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Please, let's join them in a round of applause in honor of Kay. Thank you, thank you, ma'am.
• Please, let's join them in a round of applause in honor of Kay. Thank you, thank you, ma'am.
• career to Ryan LLC, where she most recently served as a principal in the company's U.S. advocacy practice
• career to Ryan LLC, where she most recently served as a principal in the company's U.S. advocacy practice
• Transportation and Development to conduct a review of its public-private partnership contracting practices

Bills: SCR12, HB221, HB509, HCR58, HB75, HB1222, SB121, SB312, SB348, SB485, SCR9, SCR58, SB65, SB215, SB249, SB269, SB282, SB296, SB323, SB363, SB369, SB474, SB490, SB492, SB500, SB514, HCR54, HCR79, HCR87, HCR94, HCR104, HCR32, HB944, HB17, HB41, HB73, HB223, HB244, HB410, HB750, HB759, HB906, HB966, HB1006, HB1009, HB1086, HB1107, HB1112, HB1215, HB1242, SB208, SB217, SB283, SB387, SB389, SB401, SB408, SB469, HB74, HB119, HB368, HB414, HB552, HB732, HB776, HB848, HB870, HB953, HB956, HB1236, SB29, SB42, SB43, SB78, SB149, SB274, SB300, SB341, SB382, SB441, SB449, HB134, HB210, HB258, HB359, HB468, HB784, HB1117

Keywords: logging, recognition, John Keith, environment, safety, Mississippi River bridge, Trump Expressway, transportation, federal funding, Louisiana highways, injection wells, public hearing, geologic sequestration, environmental impact, public comment, Ascension Parish, state capitol, economic development, community partnership, celebration day

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we really want to believe that our treatment providers all follow best practice and the best
• And uh and to be able to do practices.
• that is not following best practice. that is not following best practice.
• <00:58:37.760> of harder for our for the next round of harder for our for the next round of
• that criteria. on the second round. that criteria. on the second round.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Division 3 work session opened with routine announcements, including new and absent members, a tribute to former chair Rep. Jess Edwards, and an explanation that Division 3 is advisory and will make recommendations to full Finance. Chair Mooney also distributed a self-created index to the budget binder and reviewed the committee’s options under House Rule 45. Members discussed scheduling a future visit to the Veterans Home in Tilton, with several October dates unavailable, and the chair said she would circulate possible dates. The committee also reviewed the second-year budget context and sources of funding, including surplus monies, existing and new revenue streams, grants, reappropriations, and the rainy day fund. The committee then took up several retained bills and repeatedly heard that their substance had already been addressed in the budget. House Bill 519, funding the Waypoint Youth and Young Adult Shelter, was moved ITL and passed 10-0. House Bill 547, county reimbursement funds, was also moved ITL and passed 10-0 after members noted the reimbursement had been included in HB 2. House Bill 570, repealing the prescription drug affordability board, was moved ITL and passed 10-0, with minority members saying they still believed the board had value but acknowledging the repeal had already occurred in HB 2. House Bill 704, concerning caregiver respite and senior volunteer programs, received the most discussion. Mr. Ripple explained that most items were already funded or suspended in the budget, leaving only the senior volunteer grant program unfunded. Chair Mooney offered amendment 2963H to fund the RSVP program at $180,000 for one year, contingent on surplus funds, and DHHS witnesses explained that RSVP is a federally funded AmeriCorps program that would be added to existing state licensing structures. The amendment was adopted unanimously, and the bill was reported ought to pass as amended on a 10-0 vote. The committee then heard House Bill 751, which would require licensure of outpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities and create an ombudsman-related complaint process. DHHS witnesses said the bill had been narrowed substantially from an earlier certification model with multiple positions and IT costs to a licensing model using existing department infrastructure, reducing the fiscal note to $211,000 for one position. They also said the ombudsman section was no longer needed because licensed facilities would fall under existing oversight. Members questioned how many facilities exist and whether licensing fees would cover costs; DHHS said it did not know the full provider landscape and that licensing revenue across the board does not cover the department’s costs. Rep. Daniels then proposed amendment 2964H to form a study committee because of the remaining questions and lack of a clear revenue stream, and the committee was still discussing that amendment when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a practice that most communities oppose. It's not currently happening in almost anywhere.
• practice that most communities oppose. practice that most communities oppose.
• If we ... something tangible and practical to something tangible and practical to assist<02:22:31.439
• Now, chances are that whatever comes up the second round, a lot of that can be duplicated.
• <02:40:25.920> Now, to implement this first round. Now, to implement this first round.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it won't taste good if they don't do those sanitary practices.
• There's several organizations that publish, like, best practice guidelines, like the Weston A.
• There's several organizations that publish, like, best practice guidelines... Thank you, Mr.
• Or how does that practice all work?
• You can grow year-round, correct? 365, 24-7. That's the beauty of it.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony from Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm about the impact of Act 698 on raw dairy producers. Ballard said the law allowed his farm to expand from one cow to 12, serve about 150 families, increase sales by roughly $50,000, and sell about $10,000 in raw cheese and other products through retail outlets. He argued the law improved farm income, food security, and local supply, and he asked for an optional state inspection/certification path for raw milk producers so they could access USDA grants and other opportunities available to licensed dairies. Committee members asked about herd management, safety practices, bee production, market channels, and whether such certification should remain voluntary; Ballard said he follows Grade A-style sanitation, chills milk quickly, removes sick cows from production, and supports optional training or inspection but not mandatory regulation. Members also raised food safety concerns, especially for children and pregnant women, and Ballard responded that raw milk producers rely on cleanliness, rapid cooling, consumer feedback, and truth in labeling. He said the health department currently inspects commercial dairies but not raw milk producers who do not sell through a cooperative, and he believed state inspection would help producers distinguish themselves and qualify for funding without changing interstate rules. Several members discussed the balance between consumer choice, safety, and possible “mission creep” if the state created a certification system. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container farming as a response to food insecurity and food deserts. Bolden described a three-year workforce and career-technical program built around retrofitted shipping containers, drones, robotics, agribusiness, and AI, with partnerships involving schools, universities, Farm Bureau, UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other entities. He said the model could create year-round local food production, support school cafeterias and community markets, and generate jobs and economic impact, estimating at least four jobs per container and potentially significant regional economic benefits. Members asked about costs, target communities, energy needs, crop types, and implementation timelines; Bolden said the first containers for school sites could be in place by late summer or early fall, with pilot projects already underway in Arkansas and Orlando. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• What's not working, and how we can move forward with practical, effective solutions.
• Because as we failed to practice resilience, we needed insurers to raise prices, to send signals that
• The National Weather Service's modeling is relied on to pre-position emergency resources year-round.
• for forestry management, for tributary clearing within environmental norms, whatever a best practice
• And I have to agree with Senator Rounds.

Keywords: homeowners insurance, natural disasters, insurance costs, climate change, disaster preparedness, federal policies, bipartisan solutions

Summary: The meeting reviewed critical issues surrounding the rising costs and accessibility of homeowners insurance across the United States, particularly in light of increasing natural disasters linked to climate change. Members engaged in extensive discussions regarding the implications for families and the economy, citing significant increases in premiums and decreasing availability of policies in high-risk areas. Supervisor Peysko highlighted the direct impact of federal policies on local communities, emphasizing the growing burden on homeowners as they face skyrocketing insurance costs amidst a backdrop of environmental challenges and regulatory constraints. The committee expressed a unified call to action for bipartisan solutions, focusing on improving building codes and enhancing disaster preparedness measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• Furthermore, while the President has imposed tariffs designed to address unfair practices and market
• He understands the mission of the USDA, not just in theory, but in practice.
• They made it possible for me to delay entering the private practice of law in order to clerk for two
• They support the move to the more expensive Washington, D.C. area, where I entered the private practice
• Senator Rounds, as well, are all partners with this. We've got good bipartisan support.

Keywords: USDA, nominations, Judge Vaden, Tyler Clarkson, agriculture policy, rural America, tariffs, farmer advocacy

Summary: The meeting focused on the nominations of Judge Stephen Alexander Vaden for Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Mr. Tyler Clarkson for General Counsel at the USDA. Members expressed concerns regarding the challenges farmers and ranchers face, especially in navigating the impacts of recent tariffs imposed by the President. Significant attention was given to how these nominations could influence agriculture policy and support rural communities amidst economic uncertainty. The committee emphasized the necessity for strong leadership in the USDA to advocate for farmer needs and ensure the proper implementation of assistance programs.