By Rep. Mike Bost
SPRINGFIELD — As the work week wrapped, much of the media focus was diverted to Mar-a-Lago, where President Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson met to discuss election integrity and border security. The American people deserve to have faith in our election process. Sadly, right now, that’s not the case. We must ensure that only American citizens are voting in our elections. I look forward to working with Speaker Johnson and a second Trump administration to secure our elections once and for all.
Protecting American Farmland
As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I’ve been alarmed by the recent trend of investors gobbling up rich and productive farmland in the United States, often to install large solar panels. That’s why I introduced the SOLAR Act last week. This bill would establish guidelines for solar panel projects funded by USDA on prime farmland and put the power back into the hands of local communities when reviewing solar panel projects. The SOLAR Act would also require funding recipients to have a remediation plan once the project is complete, answering a lot of questions of “what happens next?”
This will also provide flexibility for farmers who want to apply for USDA funding for solar panel projects on their operations. The SOLAR Act has a 1-acre limit for installing solar panel tracts on prime farmland, but no restrictions for putting solar panels on barns, grain bins, or if individuals keep the land in production.
The Biden administration has drained our Strategic Petroleum Reserves to the lowest levels since the 1980s. To make matters worse, Biden’s Department of Energy recently announced it is canceling plans to purchase millions of barrels of oil to refill our depleted reserves. Our Strategic Petroleum Reserve is meant for natural disasters and national security emergencies, and Biden’s irresponsibility in protecting our stockpile leaves us vulnerable. Our reserves must be restocked and our energy independence must be protected and restored.
Recognizing the Sacrifices of Military Children
April is the Month of the Military Child, a time to recognize the courage and perseverance of military kids. It can be challenging to grow up with a parent away serving our country. That’s why it’s so critical that we support not just our servicemembers, but their families as well.
Marking the Air Force Reserves’ 76th Anniversary:
Happy 76th birthday to the Air Force Reserves! Last week we celebrated the brave men and women of the 932nd Airlift Wing at Scott Air Force Base, thank you for all that you do.
Meeting with Hamilton County High School
Last week I met with students from Hamilton County High School, who were in the nation’s capital for a school trip. I enjoyed hearing about their visit and answering questions about our work in Washington. If your local school is interested in visiting us in D.C., just reach out to our office at 202-225-5661 to discuss how we can help!
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