MIDLAND, TX (KWES) - U.S. representative Mike Conaway first held a town hall assembly this morning in Andrews. Then he traveled to Seminole where he was honored by the Western Peanut Growers Association for passing the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.
In Andrews, the public came out with questions on issues they care about and asked about his future plans for the area.
“We’ve put an emphasis in there on opioid addictions and that kind of thing, but broadband would be the big deal," said Conaway. "We’ve maintained and strengthened the regular rural development, water sewer programs, loans and grants. Those are funded and part of an ongoing process.”
Conaway emphasizes how broadband internet is one of the more pressing issues across Rural America.
“We’ve set some standards of what that broadband should look like, not the techniques, equipment, processing, or the technologies, but just the speeds it needs back and forth,” said Conaway.
More than anything, the town hall was held for people to broadcast their voices.
“It outta be about solutions," said Conaway. "We have a common view of what the problem is and what would be the common solutions to those problems that we can agree on. That’s what town halls are all about: listening to people.”
On the other hand, in Seminole the focus was on passing a farm bill known as the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.
“It took longer than I thought it would have; it went all the way from July right through Mid-December, but we got it done,”said Conaway.
As a native West Texan, the congressman puts agriculture high on the agenda.
“There have been chairmen who go their full six years or however long they’re in it and don’t do a farm bill because of the circumstances," said Conaway. "I didn’t want to be one of those guys because, being on the House Agriculture Committee, it is the signature piece of legislation.”
The event concluded with a video presentation. Farmers and the agribusinesses expressed their gratitude for the bill.
