{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"House\", state = \"MS\" and year = 2016 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=77F8525A-C852-4F14-A242-F979DF68F2C8", "COCHRAN:  $30 MILLION AWARDED TO DELTA SCHOOLS, EDUCATION PROGRAMS", "2016-12-20", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced that the U.S. Department of Education is awarding nearly $30 million to childhood education programs in the Mississippi Delta. The nonprofit Delta Health Alliance (DHA) has been awarded a \u201cPromise Neighborhood\u201d grant, consisting of $5,999,980 per year for five years, to administer to schools and education programs in Leland, Hollandale, Arcola, and Stoneville.\u00a0 The funding will focus on supporting schools, community programs and family support systems to promote early childhood education, high school graduation and college attendance. \u201cThis grant award is significant and should help improve educational achievement in the Delta,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cEducation is a key to promoting economic growth and well-being of our state, and I\u2019m pleased the Department of Education is making this investment in the Mississippi Delta.\u201dCochran is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and serves as a senior member on the appropriations subcommittee with funding jurisdiction over the Department of Education.\u00a0 He supported the DHA grant application.DHA applied for the federal grant to establish the \u201cDeer Creek Promise Neighborhood\u201d with partners, among which are the city governments and school districts of Leland and Hollandale, the City of Arcola, area medical and housing organizations, Delta Council, Keplere Institute, Mississippi Delta Community College, and others.The purpose of the Promise Neighborhood program is to significantly improve the educational and developmental outcomes of children and youth in distressed communities.\u00a0 The program seeks to transform those communities through increasing coordination of schools, programs, and family support organizations to enable long-term success of local students.The Deer Creek program will be the second Promise Neighborhood operated by DHA.\u00a0 In 2012, it was awarded federal funding for a program in Indianola.\u00a0 At Cochran\u2019s request, Education Secretary John King this year visited the Indianola program and praised its success\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=812AF3EA-0358-42FE-9C39-0C6E4B20A809", "COCHRAN, WICKER ANNOUNCE $1.15 MILLION TO READY MISS. CITIES FOR COASTAL RAIL SERVICE", "2016-12-19", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Four Mississippi Gulf Coast cities will receive $1.15 million to help prepare for passenger rail service, U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today announced.The Southern Rail Commission (SRC) is awarding Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funding to Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, Gulfport and Pascagoula.\u00a0 The funding is intended to be used for station-area planning and construction to prepare for possible restoration of passenger rail service on the Gulf Coast.\u201cInterest in reestablishing passenger rail service has grown steadily over the years. Restoring this service would be an asset to the overall transportation options available on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for economic and tourism interests,\u201d said Cochran, Senate Appropriations Committee chairman.\u201cThis funding represents a strategic down payment aimed at restoring passenger rail service to the Gulf Coast,\u201d Wicker said.\u00a0 \u201cOur local communities need to be ready for the influx of people who will be traveling up and down the rail line. A lot of hard work lies ahead, but this is a milestone in reaching that goal.\u201d\u00a0The Mississippi Senators worked with the SRC to deliver previously-appropriated federal funding to cities in Mississippi.\u00a0 Seven other FRA-funded awards are being made to communities in Alabama and Louisiana for similar passenger rail service projects.\u201cOur congressional delegation has led the cause of restoring rail to Gulf Coast at the federal level, leveraging the strong local demand that has been building since 2005,\u201d SRC Chairman Greg White said.\u00a0 \u201cWe are especially grateful to Senators Cochran and Wicker of Mississippi, in particular, who played a critical role in accelerating the availability of these Federal Railroad Administration funds, building on the growing momentum to keep this large-scale project moving forward.\u201d\u201cPassenger rail service has been out of commission in many of these communities since Hurricane Katrina destroyed rail infrastructure across the Gulf Coast in 2005,\u201d says SRC Secretary-Treasurer and Pelahatchie Mayor Knox Ross.\u00a0 \u201cThese awards demonstrate the strong commitment by both Senators Cochran and Wicker and our Mississippi cities to seeing Amtrak return to the Gulf Coast.\u00a0 The SRC is pleased to partner with these cities to bring back Amtrak to the Gulf Coast.\u201dThe SRC funding, which will be available in 2017, will be used over the next 24 months on the following projects:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Pascagoula \u2013 $659,543 for improvements to restore the city\u2019s historic train station. Total project budget:\u00a0 $1,300,744   \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Biloxi \u2013 $252,000 for construction of passenger rail platform and transit station access. Total project budget:\u00a0 $497,000  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Gulfport \u2013 $190,000 for construction of new platform canopy, sidewalk and disability access improvements.\u00a0 Total project budget:\u00a0 $370,277  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Bay St. Louis \u2013 $55,000 for canopy, trackside and disability access improvements.\u00a0 Total project budget:\u00a0 $100,000These projects, as well as those in Alabama and Louisiana, are intended to strengthen the effort to restore passenger rail service on the Gulf Coast.\u00a0 In all, the SRC is awarding $2.47 million to the three states.In December 2015, Congress passed the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which established a working group focused on reaching an agreement regarding capital construction and schedule requirements to restore passenger rail service on the Gulf Coast. \u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=F9A7CD8A-7439-46E0-9F0B-FF7F349D5005", "COCHRAN:  MISSISSIPPI TO BENEFIT FROM ARMY CORPS DISASTER FUNDING", "2016-12-14", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today said repairs to federal flood control projects and navigation improvements in Mississippi will be funded from more than $400 million in disaster relief approved by Congress to address flood damage that occurred in the Lower Mississippi River Valley in the winter and spring of 2016.Cochran said more than $30 million of this lower Mississippi funding has been identified for use in Mississippi on at least 23 different Army Corps of Engineers projects to repair damages to levees, dikes and backwater improvements.\u201cOngoing assessments of flood control systems, ports and navigation on the lower Mississippi indicate extensive and corrosive damage from flooding last winter and spring,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cThe strength of the Mississippi River levee system is measured by its weakest link.\u00a0 It was important that the Army Corps of Engineers has resources to ensure viable navigation and flood protection on the Mississippi and its tributaries.\u201dCochran, as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was instrumental in ensuring that the Army Corps received emergency funding as the Congress approved a disaster recovery package.\u00a0 The disaster funding became law when President Obama signed the FY2017 continuing resolution (HR.2028) this weekend.The continuing resolution provides the Army Corps with more than $400 million for improvements in the Lower Mississippi Valley.\u00a0 This funding is provided through the Mississippi River and Tributaries project, Operations and Maintenance account and the Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies program.\u00a0 This ongoing work is necessary to prevent another disaster like the great the flood of 1927, which caused the equivalent of more than $17 billion in damages.The Mississippi River Commission assessed the MR&T system and determined that heavy rains and severe flooding caused by storms in December 2015 and March 2016 compounded the need for repairs already underway following the historic 2011 floods.The Board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners, the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board and the City of Vicksburg are among dozens of flood control districts, levee boards and port authorities that supported emergency appropriations to accelerate repairs on the lower Mississippi River.Overall, $1.02 billion is available to the Army Corps nationwide to repair damage caused by floods, hurricane and other natural disasters.\u00a0 This assistance is in addition to regular FY2016 discretionary appropriations enacted by Congress.The Lower Mississippi River Valley generally stretches from southern Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico and includes the states of Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky and Illinois.MR&T, which was authorized by Congress following the devastating flood of 1927, is a comprehensive system of levees, floodways, channel and tributary basin improvements providing flood protection for approximately 4 million people and navigation benefits to the nation.\u00a0 It has saved taxpayers approximately 45 dollars for every 1 dollar invested in it since its inception.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://trentkelly.house.gov/newsroom/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=649", "Cochran, Wicker, Kelly: Post office to be named after fallen Miss. Soldier \n\nDecember 13, 2016 | Posted in Press Releases\n\n\n\nCochran, Wicker, Kelly: Post office to be named after fallen Miss. Soldier\r\n\r\nPresident Expected to Sign Rep. Trent Kelly Bill to Name Oxford Post Office for 1st Lt. Donald C. Carwile\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Representative Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) today said they expected the President to sign legislation cleared by the\u2026 Read more \u00bb", "2016-12-13", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Trent Kelly", "K000388", "trentkelly.house.gov", "trentkelly", "https://trentkelly.house.gov/newsroom/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "President Expected to Sign Rep. Trent Kelly Bill to Name Oxford Post Office for 1st Lt. Donald C. Carwile\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Representative Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) today said they expected the President to sign legislation cleared by the Senate to name a post office in Oxford for the late 1st Lt. Donald C. Carwile, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2008.\n\nBefore adjourning the 114th Congress early Saturday morning, the Senate approved a bill Kelly introduced (HR.5309) to honor Carwile by naming the U.S. Postal Service facility at 401 McElroy Drive, Oxford, the \u201cArmy First Lieutenant Donald C. Carwile Post Office Building.\u201d\n\n\u201cI look forward to the President signing this bill so that this building can stand as a reminder of Lieutenant Carwile\u2019s brave service and sacrifice. I\u2019m pleased that his life will be honored in his hometown,\u201d Cochran said.\n\n\u201cMississippians who never got the chance to meet First Lieutenant Carwile will know of his service and sacrifice because of this post office,\u201d said Wicker. \u201cI appreciate the work that Congressman Kelly put forward to make this tribute a reality for the Oxford community and First Lieutenant Carwile\u2019s family.\u201d\n\n\u201cArmy First Lieutenant Carwile is a hero. We will never forget his sacrifice to protect our freedoms in this great nation. It is important to honor notable Mississippians who are willing and proud to pay that price. Everyone who passes through the doors of the post office will be reminded of a soldier who loved his country,\u201d Kelly said.\n\nCarwile\u2019s father Dennis said, \u201cI\u2019m really proud. It\u2019s an honor for me and my wife Judy. He\u2019s always going to be our hero. I can\u2019t be more pleased that this has happened. I can\u2019t thank everybody enough that has worked to get this done.\u201d\n\nCarwile was killed on Aug. 15, 2008, during a combat mission in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Carwile, a Lafayette High School graduate, enlisted in the Army in 2006 and qualified for Officer Candidate School. He earned numerous service awards and decorations, including the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.\n\nThe House of Representatives passed Kelly\u2019s bill in September. It was approved in the Senate by unanimous consent Saturday, after being blocked earlier in the week as part of the legislative wrangling associated with the end of the congressional session. Cochran and Wicker pressed for the legislation to be considered and approved before the Senate adjourned this weekend.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-07T14:16:54Z", "2026-04-07T14:19:54Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=FF7D48A8-DD5C-4B06-91F2-94B2E613CD3F", "COCHRAN, WICKER, KELLY:  POST OFFICE TO BE NAMED AFTER FALLEN MISS. SOLDIER", "2016-12-13", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Representative Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) today said they expected the President to sign legislation cleared by the Senate to name a post office in Oxford for the late 1st Lt. Donald C. Carwile, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2008.Before adjourning the 114th Congress early Saturday morning, the Senate approved a bill Kelly introduced (HR.5309) to honor Carwile by naming the U.S. Postal Service facility at 401 McElroy Drive, Oxford, the \u201cArmy First Lieutenant Donald C. Carwile Post Office Building.\u201d\u201cI look forward to the President signing this bill so that this building can stand as a reminder of Lieutenant Carwile\u2019s brave service and sacrifice.\u00a0 I\u2019m pleased that his life will be honored in his hometown,\u201d Cochran said.\u201cMississippians who never got the chance to meet First Lieutenant Carwile will know of his service and sacrifice because of this post office,\u201d said Wicker.\u00a0 \u201cI appreciate the work that Congressman Kelly put forward to make this tribute a reality for the Oxford community and First Lieutenant Carwile\u2019s family.\u201d\u201cArmy First Lieutenant Carwile is a hero.\u00a0 We will never forget his sacrifice to protect our freedoms in this great nation.\u00a0 It is important to honor notable Mississippians who are willing and proud to pay that price.\u00a0 Everyone who passes through the doors of the post office will be reminded of a soldier who loved his country,\u201d Kelly said.Carwile\u2019s father Dennis said, \u201cI\u2019m really proud.\u00a0 It\u2019s an honor for me and my wife Judy.\u00a0 He\u2019s always going to be our hero.\u00a0 I can\u2019t be more pleased that this has happened.\u00a0 I can\u2019t thank everybody enough that has worked to get this done.\u201dCarwile was killed on Aug. 15, 2008, during a combat mission in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.\u00a0 Carwile, a Lafayette High School graduate, enlisted in the Army in 2006 and qualified for Officer Candidate School.\u00a0 He earned numerous service awards and decorations, including the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.The House of Representatives passed Kelly\u2019s bill in September.\u00a0 It was approved in the Senate by unanimous consent Saturday, after being blocked earlier in the week as part of the legislative wrangling associated with the end of the congressional session.\u00a0 Cochran and Wicker pressed for the legislation to be considered and approved before the Senate adjourned this weekend.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=A1E967C6-CE92-4EF9-81CA-86F382889A73", "COCHRAN:  PASS BILL TO FUND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, AVOID MIDNIGHT SHUTDOWN", "2016-12-09", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Click here to view video.)\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today urged Senate adoption of legislation to keep the federal government open and fund urgent priorities around the nation.In a speech to the Senate, Cochran highlighted funding in the Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR.2028) for the Armed Forces, disaster recovery, and efforts to combat opioid abuse.\u00a0 The Senate has until midnight to pass the resolution in order to avoid a partial government shutdown.\u00a0 The measure was approved Thursday by the House of Representatives on a 326-96 vote.The following are Cochran\u2019s remarks:Mr. President, this resolution will provide government funding through April 28th at the level prescribed in last year\u2019s budget agreement.I urge the Senate to support the resolution.It provides funding to continue counterterrorism operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.\u00a0 It supports our allies through the European Reassurance Initiative.\u00a0 It includes funding for humanitarian assistance and to protect American diplomats.The resolution also funds important priorities here at home.\u00a0 It appropriates $872 million to fight opioid abuse and support innovative cancer research.\u00a0 These funds will begin to implement the CURES Act, which the Senate passed earlier this week by a vote of 94 to 5.The resolution also contains funding to respond to Hurricane Matthew, severe flooding in Louisiana, and other recent natural disasters.\u00a0 In total, $4.1 billion is available under this bill and will be allocated to recovery programs that benefit 45 states.The resolution also provides funding to help Flint, Michigan, respond to the contamination of tis water supply, and to help communities around the country provide safe drinking water.Mr. President, I urge the adoption of this resolution.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=EFD28873-12D9-46D3-AC1B-E46DDD2E4178", "COCHRAN VOTES FOR CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO AVERT SHUTDOWN, FUND KEY PRIORITIES", "2016-12-09", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Click here to view video.)\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) late Friday night voted for Senate passage of the Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR.2028), which will fund national security and federal operations through April 28, 2017:\r\n  The continuing resolution passed the Senate by a 63 to 36 vote, and will become law when signed by the President.\u00a0 Passage of the legislation averted a potential partial government shutdown at midnight.\u201cThis continuing resolution is not a substitute for full-year appropriations, but it is necessary to sustain the operations of the federal government until we can complete consideration of the remaining FY2017 appropriations bills,\u201d Cochran said.\u201cUntil then, I am pleased the Senate is sending the President a continuing resolution that provides our Armed Forces with additional funding to continue counterterrorism operations and commits new funding to help states recover from disasters,\u201d he said.Under Cochran\u2019s leadership, the Senate Appropriations Committee completed work on all 12 appropriations bills in each session of the 114th Congress.\u00a0 Over the two-year course of this Congress, the committee conducted 156 hearings, began reporting bills early in the year, and gained Senate approval of individual appropriations bills for the first time in years.Of the dozen FY2017 bills, four were passed by the Senate this year and one has been signed into law\u2014the FY2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill.The new 115th Congress is scheduled to convene on Jan. 3, 2017.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=D0527118-9960-4945-8412-C6FE563A9A0C", "COCHRAN STATEMENT ON NEW CONTINUING RESOLUTION", "2016-12-06", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today released the following statement on the Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR.2028) introduced in the House of Representatives:\u201cExtending the continuing resolution into spring will allow Congress to work with the incoming administration on appropriations priorities for the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years.\u00a0 I remain committed to passing thoughtful, fiscally-responsible bills as this process goes forward.\u201cThis continuing resolution will provide for continued government operations and important funding for our Armed Forces and the fight against terrorism.\u00a0 I am pleased that it also provides additional funding to address urgent needs around the country, including disaster recovery.\u201dThe continuing resolution, which covers 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills, will maintain government operations at a rate of $1.070 trillion through April 28, 2017.The bill includes the FY2017 Security Assistance Appropriations Act, which provides an additional $10.1 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations funding for the Department of Defense ($5.8 billion) and Department of State ($4.3 billion) to pay for costs related to counterterrorism operations.In addition, the measure contains $4.1 billion for supplemental disaster relief funding for recovery efforts across the country.\u00a0 Of significance, the additional funding will support flood recovery efforts in Louisiana, West Virginia, and Texas, as well as disaster recovery efforts from Hurricane Matthew in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida.The legislation also includes a limited number of \u201canomalies,\u201d which are programmatic or funding changes related to unique situations arising during the duration of the continuing resolution.\u00a0 Among them are provisions to maintain operational tempo and staffing necessary to address border security, immigration enforcement, aviation security, and protection of the President-elect.\r\n###\r\nRELATED FILES  Continuing Resolution Text:\u00a0 http://bit.ly/2h4qT6C  Continuing Resolution Section-by-Section Summary:\u00a0 http://bit.ly/2h4ePiL   Security Assistance Appropriations Act Summary:\u00a0 http://bit.ly/2h4sBEV   Disaster Relief Summary:\u00a0 http://bit.ly/2g8n7o0", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=3623B76B-113A-463B-9AE2-0D5F5FCE5EAA", "MISS. DELEGATION COMMENDS BRIG. GEN. (Ret.) ROY ROBINSON AS NEW NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT", "2016-12-05", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The Mississippi congressional delegation today commended Brig. Gen. (Ret.) J. Roy Robinson on his selection to be the next president of the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS), the nation\u2019s primary advocacy organization for the National Guard.U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Representatives Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.), and Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) in September endorsed Robinson to the NGAUS Board of Directors.\u00a0 Robinson, a native of Meridian and decorated combat veteran, has been executive director of the National Guard Association of Mississippi (NGAMS) since 2008.\u201cGiven General Robinson\u2019s track record of service and success, we are confident that he will continue the tradition of excellence in supporting the men and women currently serving in the Army and Air National Guard, their families and all Guard retirees ensuring that the National Guard has a strong voice not only in Washington, D.C., but throughout the nation,\u201d the Mississippi congressional delegation said in recommending Robinson.As the chief executive officer of the NGAUS, Robinson will be responsible for the association\u2019s day-to-day operations in Washington and oversee the National Guard Educational Foundation.A former commander of combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Assistant Adjutant General, Robinson has been an active member of the NGAMS and NGAUS since he commissioned as a second lieutenant in May 1985.\u00a0 The Mississippi Military Family Relief Fund was enacted and expanded under Robinson\u2019s leadership of the NAGMS.Prior to joining NGAMS, he served at the Mississippi Military Department in such positions as Assistant Chief of Staff, Headquarters, State Area Command and Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Joint Forces Headquarters.Robinson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in speech communications from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master of Business Administration from Jackson State University.\u00a0 He has also completed a United States Army War College Fellowship in Logistics and Acquisition at the Center for Strategic Analysis at University of Texas-Austin. \u00a0He and his wife, Susan, a retired teacher in the Rankin County School District, have three children and three grandchildren.\r\nA photo of Robinson is available below.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://harper.house.gov/press-release/rep-harper-selected-chaim-committee-house-administration", "Rep. Harper Selected as Chair of Committee on House Administration", "2016-12-02", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Last night, U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) was selected as Chairman of the Committee on House Administration for the 115th Congress by House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI).\nHarper made the following statement upon his appointment, \u201cI am so honored that Speaker Ryan has trusted me to take on the responsibilities of Chairman of the Committee on House Administration,\u201d said Congressman Harper. \u201cAs the Committee that oversees the operations of the House of Representatives, I will work hard to ensure that the institution runs in an effective and efficient manner as we tackle the challenges facing our country. I look forward to working with this upcoming Congress and the new administration as we enact real change toward building a Better Way for a Confident America.\u201d\nIn his announcement of Harper\u2019s appointment, Speaker Paul Ryan said:\n\u201cIt is such a privilege to appoint my friend and colleague Gregg Harper as Chairman of the Committee on House Administration. His experience, sense of fairness, and good nature will serve the committee and the country well. I look forward to working with Gregg as we strive to meet the highest standards of stewardship on behalf of the American people.\u201d\nRep. Candice Miller (R-MI), the outgoing Chairman of the Committee, congratulated Chairman Harper on his appointment:\n\u201cI sincerely congratulate Gregg Harper on his appointment as Chairman of the Committee on House Administration. Gregg\u2019s prior service on the Committee and tenure in the House of Representatives will be an invaluable asset as he leads the Committee as Chairman and helps to guide our Institution forward. This Committee has the responsibility to ensure that the House runs in an effective and efficient manner, and I am confident he will meet these challenges and responsibilities over the next two years. I applaud Speaker Ryan on making this important appointment and I wish Gregg all the best as he takes on this chairmanship.\u201d\nThe Committee on House Administration is a standing committee of the House of Representatives with a vast oversight responsibility, including: federal elections; the day-to-day operations of the House; the administration of the House office buildings and facilities of the House on Capitol Hill; the budgets of other House committees and each Member\u2019s office; and the oversight of the United States Capitol Police; the Library of Congress; the Government Printing Office; the Smithsonian Institution; the Clerk of the House; the Chief Administrative Officer; the Sergeant at Arms; the House Inspector General; and the Architect of the Capitol. In addition to the disposition of election contests, the Committee's jurisdiction over federal elections includes federal election administration and campaign finance across the United States.\nRep. Harper will also continue to serve as a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, where this past Congress he served on three subcommittees: Environment and the Economy; Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade; and Energy and Power, serving as the vice-chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy. He will also continue to serve on the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress and the Joint Committee on Printing.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398969", "Palazzo Supports Bill to Fund Military", "2016-12-02", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Steven Palazzo", "P000601", "palazzo.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Palazzo Supports Bill to Fund Military \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, DC,\r\n        December 2, 2016\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC \u2013 Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4)\u00a0released the following statement after the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act to continue funding our Military. \r\n\u201cUnfortunately, the world is not becoming a safer place but ever more dangerous. \u00a0Which is why it is vital that we continue to support a strong national defense.\u00a0 The legislation passed today emphasizes military readiness efforts in Afghanistan and against ISIS. \u00a0Furthermore, it ensures that our men and women in uniform have the tools and resources they need to do their job. \r\n\"The effects of the Obama administration\u2019s policies have been detrimental and left us in a state of global uncertainty, where our enemies no longer fear us and our friends no longer trust us. Moving forward it\u2019s now our job to reverse these harmful effects and solidify our international standing. \u00a0And that means ensuring our military is not only the best \u00a0in the world , but the greatest this world has ever known.\u201d \u00a0\r\nThe National Defense Authorization Act contains a 2.1% pay raise for troops, an increase from President Obama\u2019s proposed 1.6% \u00a0The bill also prohibits the closure of the Guantanamo Bay facility and transfer of terrorism detainees to the United States. The bill contains $440 million dollars in additional funding for the Navy\u2019s future LX (R) Amphibious Ship program which is currently under design by Huntington Ingalls Industries in Pascagoula, MS.\u00a0\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398970", "Palazzo Praises Fellow Marine Mad Dog Mattis as Defense Secretary", "2016-12-02", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Steven Palazzo", "P000601", "palazzo.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Palazzo Praises Fellow Marine \u2018Mad Dog\u2019 Mattis as Defense Secretary \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 2, 2016\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC \u2013 Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4)\u00a0released the following statement after President-elect Donald Trump announced his decision to nominate retired General James \u2018Mad Dog\u2019 Mattis to serve as Secretary of Defense. \r\n\u201cPresident Trump could not have chosen a better person to serve as our next Secretary of Defense than my fellow Marine, General Jim Mattis.\u00a0 Marines lead the way.\r\n\u201cWhen it comes to our military, there is no room for the political correctness we\u2019ve seen throughout the Obama administration,\u00a0and no one knows that better than a fellow Marine. \u00a0General Mattis has a no-nonsense attitude, which is exactly the type of leader we need as SECDEF. We have a lot of work to do when it comes to cleaning up the messes made by the past administration within our military, and I know he is the right man for the job.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=7E618C86-A83B-4C41-A6B4-AEEF3CA09FD6", "COCHRAN PAYS TRIBUTE TO DAVID BOO FERRISS IN CONGRESSIONAL RECORD", "2016-12-02", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) this week paid tribute to the late David \u201cBoo\u201d Ferriss, the renowned Major League All-Star pitcher who went on to become a successful baseball coach for the Delta State University.Ferriss, 94, passed away Nov. 24.\u00a0 His life and career were remembered by Cochran in a Congressional Record statement.\u201cCoach Ferriss will be remembered as a great Mississippian who dedicated his life to the game that he loved and to a generation of players that he educated on the field and in life,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cFor myself and all those who knew Boo Ferriss, I commemorate his years of service and a life well lived.\u201dThe following is the text of Cochran\u2019s tribute to Ferriss:\r\nREMEMBERING DAVID \u201cBOO\u201d' FERRISS\r\nMr. President, I wish to recognize the life and service of Major League All-Star pitcher and long-time head baseball coach at Delta State University, David \u201cBoo\u201d Ferriss, who passed away on November 24, 2016.Boo Ferriss was born in Shaw, Mississippi, and raised in the Mississippi Delta region.\u00a0 He joined the baseball team as a student at Mississippi State University in 1941 before signing a major league contract with the Boston Red Sox organization in 1942.\u00a0 Ferriss\u2019 early career with the Red Sox included a two-year hiatus to serve in World War II.\u00a0 Discharged in 1945, he was called up to play for the Red Sox, helping lead the team to the 1946 World Series.\u00a0 Despite suffering a shoulder injury in 1947, Ferriss played for the Red Sox until 1950, finishing with a 65-30 record as a pitcher.Following his retirement from professional baseball, Ferriss went on to become the head coach of the Delta State University baseball team, a position he held with great success for nearly 26 years.\u00a0 He led the Statesmen to three Division II World Series and four Gulf South Conference Championships.\u00a0 Induction into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and the Red Sox Hall of Fame are among the numerous awards made to honor Ferriss\u2019 achievements.\u00a0 In 2003, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame established the Ferriss Trophy, which has become the Heisman Trophy for Mississippi college baseball players.Boo Ferriss\u2019 accomplishments extended beyond the ballfield.\u00a0 He was an active member of the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Cleveland, Mississippi, and a founder of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Mississippi.\u00a0 He was a dedicated family man, married for 67 years to his wife Miriam.\u00a0 They raised two children, Dr. David Ferriss and Margaret Ferriss White, and have two grandchildren and three great grandchildren.\u00a0 Coach Ferriss will be remembered as a great Mississippian who dedicated his life to the game that he loved and to a generation of players that he educated on the field and in life.For myself and all those who knew Boo Ferriss, I commemorate his years of service and a life well lived.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://harper.house.gov/press-release/rep-harper-responds-passage-21st-century-cures-act", "Rep. Harper Responds to the Passage of the 21st Century Cures Act", "2016-12-01", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Upon House passage of the 21st Century Cures Act\u2014legislation introduced by the Energy and Commerce Committee to revolutionize medical innovation and research and bring it into the 21st Century\u2014Congressman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) issued the following statement:\n\u201cI am so pleased that the 21st Century Cures Act passed the House this evening. This bill is going to fundamentally transform the way we find cures by revolutionizing scientific collaboration and promoting medical innovation,\u201d said Congressman Harper. \u201cI am honored to be a co-sponsor of this bill to reduce the burdens and regulations holding us back and bring our health care infrastructure into the 21st century to deliver hope for patients and their loved ones.\u201d\nThe 21st Century Cures Act passed today 392-26. The bill works to bring the national health care infrastructure into the modern age of technology and digital innovation by accelerating the cycle of discovery, development and delivery of new cures and treatments that will ensure the United States remains the global leader in biomedical innovation.\nInstitutions like the University of Mississippi Medical Center will benefit from the bill\u2019s focus on precision medicine, innovation at the FDA, investments in the next generation of medical researchers, support for advancing translational science, and support for the national pediatric research network. The state of Mississippi and UMMC are already at the forefront of medical innovation and the 21st Century Cures Act will only serve to encourage further medical breakthroughs.\nThe highlights of the Cures legislation accelerates cutting-edge research and personalized drug development, modernizes clinical trials and evidence development. The legislation aims to bring the FDA into the 21st century by utilizing flexible approaches to reviewing medical devices that represent breakthrough technologies, and creating regulatory modernization\u2014giving them the funding to recruit and retain the best and brightest scientists, doctors and engineers.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=0F25A98D-55C0-4B8B-82B0-FCF8521A22CE", "MS SENATORS, GOV. & UMMC WELCOME FUNDING FOR STATEWIDE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS", "2016-11-30", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant today welcomed the release of $33 million in federal funding to allow the state to implement infrastructure to enhance coordination among emergency responders statewide.The approval of the Broadband Technology Opportunity Project (BTOP) grant by the U.S. Department of Commerce ends years of negotiations among federal agencies, the Senators, the State of Mississippi, and others to advance this effort to improve the state\u2019s emergency communications capabilities.Permitting Mississippi to utilize the BTOP funding in this way will allow the state to increase utilization of the Mississippi Wireless Information Network (MSWIN) system, establish a state-of-the-art integrated public safety communications center, and advance the Mississippi Tele-Assist System.\u00a0 The award will extend through June 2020.\u201cThe need for a strong communications network is one of the many important lessons our state has learned from disaster response.\u00a0 This funding is important to ensure that emergency responders can offer timely and lifesaving care,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI am pleased that we finally obtained the federal go-ahead to complete a project started nearly six years ago to build on Mississippi\u2019s first-rate capabilities.\u201d\u201cYears of hard work, persistence, and a lot of patience have finally paid off,\u201d Wicker said.\u00a0 \u201cThe promise this technology holds for Mississippians cannot be overstated.\u00a0 This high-tech emergency network will save lives.\u00a0 I especially want to thank Secretary Pritzker for working with us to navigate the regulatory and administrative hurdles necessary to get the green light.\u00a0 This is a major win for our state.\u201d\u201cSystems that allow for quick and dependable communication among emergency personnel are essential to minimizing or eliminating loss of life and property in a disaster.\u00a0 It is critical that this technology be available to Mississippians.\u00a0 I am thankful to Senator Cochran, Senator Wicker, UMMC and everyone involved in making the funding for it a reality,\u201d Bryant said.The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) will play a key role in the completion of the project, as the state\u2019s leading institution for advancing telehealth and emergency communications improvements.\u00a0 The integrated public safety complex will house an enhanced and expanded Mississippi MED-COM, a research and development center for mobile telemedicine applications, and an educational center on the use of technology for field deployment of emergency medicine applications.\u00a0 The grant will also help expand the UMMC-led Mississippi Tele-Assist System, which involves deploying emergency vehicles with the ability to transmit life-saving images.\u201cWe are eager to do our part through training and coordination to improve care in our state, even in its most rural areas.\u00a0 This project builds on our already strong foundations in telehealth and emergency response, and will directly support our top mission \u2013 improving the health of all Mississippians,\u201d UMMC Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. LouAnn Woodward.The award of the federal funding would culminate a broadband project started in 2010 with the award of a $70 million BTOP grant to Mississippi.\u00a0 Despite nationally-significant achievement, the state\u2019s progress was suspended in 2012 for the federal government to create a national interoperable broadband public safety network.The Mississippi officials have expressed gratitude to officials from the Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and other federal agencies for their flexibility and their recognition of Mississippi\u2019s unique statewide interoperable communications network for first responders.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=31F7F446-0580-479E-B37B-FB1730B38A5F", "COCHRAN NAMES BRAD WHITE NEW CHIEF OF STAFF", "2016-11-29", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, today announced that he is naming Brad White as the chief of staff, effective Jan. 1, 2017.White has served as Cochran\u2019s state director since June 2015.\u00a0 In his new position, White will advise the Senator and oversee his Senate office staff in Washington and Mississippi.\u00a0 White will replace Keith Heard, who has served as chief of staff during the 114th Congress and who will return to the private sector.\u201cI am optimistic about the new Congress and the new administration, and look forward to having Brad White as my chief of staff.\u00a0 My focus will remain on making Mississippi and our nation stronger and more secure,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cI am grateful to Keith Heard for his good service to my office and to the people of Mississippi.\u00a0 I wish him well as he begins a new chapter in his career.\u201dPrior to joining the Cochran staff, White was chief of staff at the Mississippi Department of Audit.\u00a0 In addition to serving as a member of the Republican National Committee, White was chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party from 2008 to 2011.\u00a0 Between 1999 and 2008, he held various positions within the Mississippi Transportation Commission, the Mississippi Public Service Commission and the Simpson County Economic Development Foundation.\u00a0 White, a native of Braxton, has a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from Belhaven University.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398968", "Palazzo Praises CIA Pick Pompeo", "2016-11-18", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Steven Palazzo", "P000601", "palazzo.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Palazzo Praises CIA Pick Pompeo \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        November 18, 2016\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC \u2013 Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4)\u00a0released the following statement today praising President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s nomination of Congressman Mike Pompeo as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency:\r\n\u201cI am very proud of my colleague and friend, Mike Pompeo, for his nomination as CIA Director.\u00a0 Our national security must be prepared for the challenges currently facing our country, and I am confident that Representative Pompeo will help keep our nation safe.\r\n\u201cA few years ago, Mike and I had a friendly rivalry over who had the best Air Force base in the country. Since the Air Force chose Keesler Air Force Base number one, I suppose being named CIA Director is a well-deserved consolation prize.\u00a0 I know Congressman Pompeo will serve our nation well.\u201d\r\nCongressman Pompeo graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1986 and has represented the fourth district of Kansas since 2011.\u00a0 His district includes McConnell Air Force Base, which was ranked as the second best Air Force base in the country by the Air Force in 2013.\u00a0 Keesler Air Force base, which is located in Congressman Palazzo\u2019s district, was ranked as the best Air Force base the same year.\u00a0\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=6228F4F2-213E-451E-91C5-64CF48127A0D", "COCHRAN ISSUES VETERANS DAY STATEMENT", "2016-11-10", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In advance of Friday observances in Mississippi and around the nation, U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss) today released the following statement to commemorate Veterans Day and to thank servicemembers for their dedication to the United States of America:\u201cThis Veterans Day, I encourage all Mississippians to honor and thank those who have served our country.\u00a0 This day should remind us of the sacrifices that men and women in uniform have made to protect our freedoms.\u00a0 Their bravery and selfless dedication represents the best of American character.\u201cOur nation owes these dedicated men and women a debt of gratitude, and we must ensure that our obligations to our veterans are met.\u201dA Navy veteran, Cochran serves as the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Subcommittee on Defense.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=5C346BD4-1637-46F2-87AE-E633AEFCE0E0", "MISSISSIPPI ADDED AS A FULL MEMBER OF PAN-PACIFIC UAS TEST RANGE COMPLEX", "2016-11-09", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The following news release was issued by Mississippi State University (Contact Jim Laird, jim.laird@msstate.edu)FAIRBANKS, Alaska and STARKVILLE, Miss.-- The State of Mississippi has joined Alaska, Oregon, and Hawaii as a full member in the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) led Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex (PPUTRC), one of the Federal Aviation Administration\u2019s (FAA) seven Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Test Sites.The Mississippi program will be led by Mississippi State University, and will include several UAS test and evaluation sites in the state. MSU is also the lead for the FAA\u2019s UAS Center of Excellence \u2014 the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence, or ASSURE.The announcement was made Tuesday [Nov. 8] during the opening of the Alaska UAS Interest Group annual meeting in Anchorage.\u201cThis is a significant and strategically important alliance for the unmanned aircraft system sector in Mississippi. It gives academia and industry greater options for developing, testing and evaluating these aircraft. I commend Mississippi State University for its leadership in this growing aviation sector,\u201d said U.S. Senator Thad Cochran, R-Miss.The PPUTRC is the largest and most diverse of the seven test site programs offering a range of geographic and climactic test conditions, including arctic, tropical, high-desert, mountainous, maritime, controlled urban, and many others.\u201cThe addition of Mississippi to the PPUTRC adds increased capabilities to the Test Site including diverse subject matter experts, additional test and evaluation infrastructure, and more opportunities to support maritime operations, which are important to all PPUTRC members,\u201d said Cathy Cahill, chief executive officer of the PPUTRC and director of UAF\u2019s Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration.The addition of Mississippi to the program provides local test site capabilities to support UAS stakeholders in the Southeastern United States.\u201cWe have several ideal locations in Mississippi for UAS testing and evaluation, and an all year flight environment. MSU will be working with UAS manufacturers, users, and potential users in the Southeast U.S. to support their test and evaluation, science and research, and pre-commercial needs,\u201d said Robert Moorhead, MSU\u2019s UAS lead on the project.Since its inception in 1948, the Raspet Flight Research Laboratory has served as a unique Mississippi State University-based laboratory engaged in aeronautics R&D. Raspet has a global reputation for composites research, and it has served as a start-up facility for various aerospace companies in the Gulf South\u2019s growing Aerospace Corridor providing workspace, technical training, and assistance with product development and research.Today, Raspet is home to cutting-edge UAS research and development in partnership with Mississippi State\u2019s Geosystems Research Institution and Bagley College of Engineering\u2019s Department of Aerospace Engineering, as well as the MSU-led Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence.\u201cOur partnership with UAF in both the ASSURE program and now the PPUTRC aligns two very strong manned and unmanned aviation programs and will benefit both Mississippi and Alaska. We are looking forward to working with our new partners in Oregon and Hawaii as we build the strongest UAS alliance in the United States,\u201d MSU Vice President for Research and Economic Development David Shaw said.About ASSURE: The Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) is comprised of 22 of the world\u2019s leading research institutions and more than 100 leading industry/government partners. This coalition includes: Mississippi State University, Drexel University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Kansas State University, Montana State University, New Mexico State University, North Carolina State University, Oregon State University, University of Alabama-Huntsville, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, University of California Davis, University of Kansas, University of North Dakota, The Ohio State University, Wichita State University, Auburn University - Affiliate Member, Concordia - Affiliate Member, Indiana State University - Affiliate Member, Louisiana Tech University - Affiliate Member, Tuskegee University - Affiliate Member, University of Southampton - Affiliate Member, and Sinclair Community College - Affiliate Member. ASSURE members are core to three FAA UAS test sites, lead four FAA research centers, and possess seven airfields and a 340 UAS fleet.About UAF\u2019s Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration: The University of Alaska Fairbanks began UAS operations in 2001, and over the years had expanded its scope, the equipment it operated, and the variety and complexity of research projects it executed. In December 2012, the University of Alaska\u2019s Board of Regents, in recognition of the importance and growth of the unmanned aircraft program, established the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration - RDT&E, or ACUASI, in the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and tasked it with leading all unmanned aircraft efforts for the entire University of Alaska system. It was also tasked to pursue opportunities with the FAA such as the FAA test site program. In 2013 ACUASI submitted its proposal to the FAA for one of the six test sites established by the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act, and in December 2013 the FAA announced that the University had been selected. The Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex reports to ACUASI, but also includes principal partners in Oregon, Hawaii, and now Mississippi as well as 56 non-state partners located all over the U.S. and internationally. Ranges are located in the four states as well as in Iceland. Contact Sue Mitchell, public affairs office at semitchell@alaska.edu.MSU is Mississippi\u2019s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=FCEE605D-205C-4771-B1CF-2C212E17FAAF", "COCHRAN STATEMENT ON THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION", "2016-11-09", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss) today released the following statement congratulating President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence:\u201cI congratulate President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Pence on being chosen to lead this great country.\u00a0 The people have voted for change and for leadership to deal with the serious challenges facing our nation.\u00a0 Now in the great tradition of our American democracy, it is time to unite toward a common purpose.\u00a0 I look forward to working with the new administration and my colleagues in the Senate to make our nation more secure and prosperous.\u201dCochran is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Subcommittee on Defense.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://harper.house.gov/press-release/rep-harper-miss-delegation-requests-presidential-medal-freedom-award-civil-rights", "Rep. Harper, Miss. Delegation Requests Presidential Medal of Freedom Award for Civil Rights Leader Medgar Evers", "2016-11-04", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The Mississippi congressional delegation today requested that President Obama posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Medgar Wiley Evers, the distinguished civil rights leader who was assassinated more than 50 years ago.\nU.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Representatives Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.), and Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) issued the request in a letter to the President.\n\u201cMr. Evers dedicated his life to the defense of civil rights in Mississippi and the United States\u2026\u00a0\u00a0 His leadership, dedication and sacrifice continue to inspire many Americans and have enhanced freedom for all of humankind,\u201d the Mississippi lawmakers wrote.\nThe Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest U.S. civilian honor awarded to individuals who have made \u201can especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.\u201d\u00a0 Awardees are selected by the President.\u00a0 President Harry S. Truman selected the first Medal of Freedom recipient in 1946.\nMississippi natives who have received the Presidential Medal of Freedom include:\u00a0 civil rights activist James Earl Chaney (2014); Representative G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery (2005); Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise (1970); historian Dumas Malone (1983); musical artists Leontyne Price (1964) and B.B. King (2006); writers Eudora Welty (1980) and Tennessee Williams (1980); and media mogul Oprah Winfrey (2013).\nThe text of the delegation letter is available below and here http://bit.ly/2ewsY9i.\nDear Mr. President,\nWe are honored to encourage you to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously to heroic civil rights leader Medgar Wiley Evers.\u00a0 \nMedgar Evers served our nation as a member of the U.S. Army during World War II and then as a leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Mississippi.\u00a0 As the first Field Secretary in Mississippi for the NAACP, Mr. Evers recruited volunteers, led demonstrations and organized voter-registration efforts in an effort to end racial discrimination in our society.\u00a0 Mr. Evers was tragically assassinated in front of his home in Jackson, Mississippi, on June 12, 1963 as a result of his work to promote social justice, racial equality, and voting rights.\u00a0 \nMr. Evers dedicated his life to the defense of civil rights in Mississippi and the United States.\u00a0 In recognition of his role in the Civil Rights Movement, he was posthumously awarded the NAACP Spingarn Medal for outstanding achievement in 1963 and is featured in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.\u00a0 His leadership, dedication and sacrifice continue to inspire many Americans and have enhanced freedom for all of humankind.\u00a0 \nWe would appreciate your personal attention to this request.\u00a0 If we can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=2FE69006-A6DF-4678-82C1-14A87FC99333", "MISS. DELEGATION REQUESTS PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM FOR CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER MEDGAR EVERS", "2016-11-04", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The Mississippi congressional delegation today requested that President Obama posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Medgar Wiley Evers, the distinguished civil rights leader who was assassinated more than 50 years ago.U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Representatives Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.), and Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) issued the request in a letter to the President.\u201cMr. Evers dedicated his life to the defense of civil rights in Mississippi and the United States\u2026\u00a0\u00a0 His leadership, dedication and sacrifice continue to inspire many Americans and have enhanced freedom for all of humankind,\u201d the Mississippi lawmakers wrote.The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest U.S. civilian honor awarded to individuals who have made \u201can especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.\u201d\u00a0 Awardees are selected by the President.\u00a0 President Harry S. Truman selected the first Medal of Freedom recipient in 1946.Mississippi natives who have received the Presidential Medal of Freedom include:\u00a0 civil rights activist James Earl Chaney (2014); Representative G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery (2005); Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise (1970); historian Dumas Malone (1983); musical artists Leontyne Price (1964) and B.B. King (2006); writers Eudora Welty (1980) and Tennessee Williams (1980); and media mogul Oprah Winfrey (2013).The text of the delegation letter is available below and here [ADD LINK].Dear Mr. President,We are honored to encourage you to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously to heroic civil rights leader Medgar Wiley Evers. \u00a0Medgar Evers served our nation as a member of the U.S. Army during World War II and then as a leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Mississippi.\u00a0 As the first Field Secretary in Mississippi for the NAACP, Mr. Evers recruited volunteers, led demonstrations and organized voter-registration efforts in an effort to end racial discrimination in our society.\u00a0 Mr. Evers was tragically assassinated in front of his home in Jackson, Mississippi, on June 12, 1963 as a result of his work to promote social justice, racial equality, and voting rights. \u00a0Mr. Evers dedicated his life to the defense of civil rights in Mississippi and the United States.\u00a0 In recognition of his role in the Civil Rights Movement, he was posthumously awarded the NAACP Spingarn Medal for outstanding achievement in 1963 and is featured in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.\u00a0 His leadership, dedication and sacrifice continue to inspire many Americans and have enhanced freedom for all of humankind. \u00a0We would appreciate your personal attention to this request.\u00a0 If we can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=DE2BC90D-7227-454F-9278-8AA62DF502EC", "COCHRAN:  BALDWYN TO RECEIVE $8.8 MILLION FOR WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE", "2016-11-02", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced that the City of Baldwyn will receive $8.8 million in federal funding to restore and upgrade its wastewater system. The $3.19 million grant and a $5.6 million loan to the Lee and Prentiss County community is administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Water & Environmental Programs (WEP).\u201cThis infrastructure investment can help improve quality of life and economic development opportunities for people in the Baldwyn area.\u00a0 I\u2019m pleased that the USDA recognizes the value of this funding in northeast Mississippi and throughout the state,\u201d said Cochran.WEP grant and loan awards are designed to assist communities of 10,000 or fewer residents address infrastructure needs by a providing technical assistance and financing to develop or improve drinking water and waste disposal systems. \u00a0Earlier this year, the USDA announced $4.17 million in additional Rural Development grants and loans to Mississippi communities, including a $2 million loan to benefit rebuilding of the Winston County Medical Center in Louisville. Cochran is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and serves on the subcommittee with funding jurisdiction over the USDA and Rural Development.\u00a0\u00a0 He is also the senior Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which is tasked with setting USDA policy.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://harper.house.gov/press-release/rep-gregg-harper-receives-award-supporting-manufacturing", "Rep. Gregg Harper Receives Award for Supporting Manufacturing", "2016-10-31", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "RICHLAND, MS \u2013 Friday, October 28, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) presented Congressman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) the NAM Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence at an event hosted by Siemens in Richland, Mississippi.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cWe are honored to host Congressman Harper at our Richland plant to recognize his ongoing, strong support for the manufacturing industry,\u201d said Muhammad Sohail, vice president of Siemens High Voltage Products. \u201cOur 425 employees at this manufacturing plant are proud to build innovative, high-quality products that are modernizing the energy industry and making power more reliable for millions.\u201d\n\u201cManufacturers play such an important role in our robust industry here in Mississippi,\" commented Congressman Harper. \u201cI am so honored to receive this award from my good friends at NAM and Siemens, and I will continue to support legislation that furthers a dynamic and competitive environment for the manufacturing industry in Mississippi and across the United States.\u201d\n\u201cManufacturing in Mississippi and across the country are changing lives for the better\u2014through the jobs we create and the products we make. Manufacturing is about improving the human condition, one innovation at a time,\u201d said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. \u201cRep. Harper is helping to make our success possible by standing with manufacturers when it matters and casting the right votes.\n\u201cManufacturers employ over 12 million men and women in the U.S., who are making everything from lifesaving medicines to the most cutting edge technology. The strength of manufacturing in America is responsible for the success of America in the world. When manufacturing succeeds, America succeeds, so Rep. Harper\u2019s consistent support for manufacturing means he is supporting a better future for all Americans.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nKey Votes included in the Voting Record are selected by small, medium and large manufacturing executives who serve on the NAM\u2019s Key Vote Advisory Committee. Additional information on the NAM Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence can be found here.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=F01D0ADB-A010-40A5-8D6B-9CB17BF65F2F", "COCHRAN, WICKER:  MISS. PROJECTS GAIN $3.38 MILLION BOOST FROM DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY", "2016-10-26", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today announced $3.38 million in new Delta Regional Authority (DRA) grants to Mississippi to support projects ranging from levee construction and water system improvements to an Amtrak platform and job training.The $3.38 million in federal funding is being awarded to eight infrastructure and community development projects in Clarksdale, Duncan, Itta Bena, Leland, Marks, Natchez, Webb and Yazoo City.\u00a0 Combined with nonfederal contributions, more than $7.2 million will be invested in the projects.\u201cThis Delta Regional Authority funding will support immediate and long-term projects that can make a difference in the lives of Mississippians.\u00a0 Combined with other nonfederal and private contributions, these projects can help improve the quality of life and economic outlook for many people,\u201d Cochran said. \u201cI am pleased the Delta Regional Authority is putting this funding to good use.\u201d\u201cMany of Mississippi\u2019s communities will benefit from these investments to help improve infrastructure and encourage job creation,\u201d Wicker said.\u00a0 \u201cThis Delta Regional Authority-directed funding makes good use of taxpayer funds to support local projects and increase the well-being of residents.\u00a0 These announcements are great news for the entire state.\u201dDRA awarded grants to the following Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF) projects:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Adams County \u2013 $2,325,500 available in DRA and nonfederal funding to support Phase I construction of the Bellwood Levee, which would be designed to make 100 acres of county-owned property at the Port of Natchez-Adams County suitable for industrial use.\u00a0 (DRA grant - $1,266,500; nonfederal funding - $1,059,000)  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Leland \u2013 $1,132,859 in DRA and nonfederal funding to support installation of a new water well, an elevated water tank and distribution system improvements.\u00a0 (DRA grant - $900,000; nonfederal funding - $1,059,000)DRA approved the following States\u2019 Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP) grants to support community-based and regional projects:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Delta Blues Museum, Clarksdale \u2013 $1,668,903 in DRA and nonfederal funding to support the fabrication and construction of new permanent exhibits at the museum.\u00a0 (DRA grant - $168,903; nonfederal funding - $1,500,000)  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Truelight Development Group, Inc., Yazoo City \u2013 $337,300 in DRA funding to support the nonprofit organization\u2019s two-phase project to drill a new water well, connect water systems, and extend service to 40 unserved households.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Itta Bena \u2013 $255,200 in DRA funding to support wastewater system improvements involving the installation of 25 aerators in existing lagoons to meet environmental limits.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Save the Children, Duncan \u2013 $250,000 in DRA and nonfederal funding to support the Mississippi Readers-to-Leaders project to provide training, technical assistance and resources for education paraprofessionals in rural Mississippi.\u00a0 (DRA grant - $100,000; nonfederal funding - $150,000)  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Webb \u2013 $53,788 in DRA funding to support emergency repairs and rehabilitation of the community\u2019s Well 2, which is in poor condition and lacks adequate chlorination equipment.With a $300,000 combined SEDAP-CIF grant, $1,200,000 is available to support a Quitman County project to install a platform, pavilion and paved area for the permanent Amtrak stop in Marks.\u00a0 This project is supported with $900,000 in nonfederal funding.The grants, which were made public in events at the Mississippi Valley State University and in Natchez on Wednesday, represent the final round of FY2016 DRA funding allocated to Mississippi.\u00a0 In August, the DRA issued eight grants to Mississippi worth more than $3.28 million, which when combined with nonfederal contributions, will result in more than a $14.8 million investment in eight Mississippi communities.In all, DRA has directed more than $6.6 million to Mississippi in FY2016.Congress last year appropriated $25 million for the DRA, of which $10 million was set aside specifically for basic public infrastructure for underserved communities.\u00a0 As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Cochran worked last year to secure the $10 million increase as part of the FY2016 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill.\u00a0 The FY2016 DRA appropriation is the highest level of funding ever approved since the DRA was authorized by Congress in 2000.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=DC05C3F8-F3AC-4F5F-AF85-BB6D0C7829B3", "COCHRAN, WICKER PRESSURE OBAMA ON CANADIAN SOFTWOOD LUMBER EXPORTS", "2016-10-25", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) are among a bipartisan group of Senators pressuring the Obama administration to make progress with Canada on a new softwood lumber agreement to protect U.S. timber jobs and communities.Cochran and Wicker signed a letter to President Obama that encourages the administration to remain firm in negotiations to reach an agreement that addresses the effects of subsidized Canadian lumber exports to the United States.\u00a0 The Magnolia State lawmakers signed the letter to signal the importance of not allowing subsidized exports to diminish the $1.1 billion forestry industry in Mississippi.\u201cThe overall health of the American timber industry has direct effect on mills and forestry jobs in Mississippi.\u00a0 Any agreement that does not adequately address the government subsidies granted by Canada would be unfair to our workers and rural communities,\u201d Cochran said.\u201cA fair trade agreement between Canada and the United States is critical to the lumber industry in Mississippi,\u201d Wicker said.\u00a0 \u201cThe Administration needs to negotiate a deal that protects American jobs from being undercut by subsidies that help prop up their Canadian competition.\u201dForest products produced on Mississippi\u2019s 19.7 million acres of forestland generated $1.16 billion in 2015, an increase of $138 million over the preceding year, according to the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine.The letter, led by Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), stresses that a new agreement should be consistent with a joint statement signed by the President and Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau in June.\u00a0 The Senators\u2019 letter is critical of reluctance by Canadian negotiators to adhere to the goals of the joint statement.\u201cHundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs and thousands of U.S. rural communities depend on fairness in trade in softwood lumber.\u00a0 That is why we will continue to urge you, and any future Administration, to seek a fair, effective, and sustainable agreement with Canada on softwood lumber trade, and in the absence of such an agreement, to fully enforce U.S. trade laws,\u201d the Senators wrote.The letter signed by 25 Senators is available here and below.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/press-release/miss-delegation-welcomes-selection-mississippi-potential-usaf-trainer-aircraft", "MISS. DELEGATION WELCOMES SELECTION OF MISSISSIPPI FOR POTENTIAL USAF TRAINER AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION", "2016-10-24", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The entire Mississippi congressional delegation today praised the selection of Mississippi as the potential host to produce of the next generation of trainer aircraft for the U.S. Air Force.\nU.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Representatives Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.), and Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) on Monday said the selection of Meridian by the Raytheon Company for its trainer aircraft production has the potential to expand the state\u2019s role in aerospace manufacturing for years to come.\nRaytheon plans to compete its T-100 Integrated Air Training System to be the Air Force\u2019s choice for the next generation of trainers to replace the Eisenhower-era T-38 Talons to be used at pilot training facilities like Columbus Air Force Base. If selected by the Air Force, Raytheon would construct a multi-million dollar facility in Meridian. The Air Force is expected to issue a request for proposal in December, with selection of the new trainer in late 2017.\n\u201cNew, cutting-edge training aircraft are critical to our national security, and I am confident that Mississippi workers can help provide those planes,\u201d said Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Subcommittee on Defense. \u201cI look forward to this competition and I am excited that Meridian may play an expanded role in defense of our nation.\u201d\n\u201cFor more than 30 years, Raytheon has been a strong partner in our state, enhancing national security and providing jobs for hundreds of Mississippi families,\u201d said Wicker, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. \u201cIt is no secret that our state is a leader in aerospace manufacturing and technology. This announcement has tremendous potential for Meridian and the future of the industry in Mississippi.\u201d\n\u201cI am very pleased that Raytheon is growing its relationship with the State of Mississippi by building its T-100 training aircraft in Meridian. Mississippi\u2019s talent base is as skilled and prepared for high-tech manufacturing jobs as any in the nation and this is further proof of that,\u201d Thompson said.\nHarper commented, \u201cRaytheon\u2019s proposal to build the T-100 in Meridian speaks volumes about our state, our pro-business climate and our people. I am excited to see how this proposed expansion advances our state and strengthens our nation\u2019s defense in the years to come.\u201d\n\u201cToday\u2019s announcement proves what a crucial role Mississippi continues to play in our national security efforts. This partnership with Raytheon would be another opportunity for our state to offer our capabilities and workforce in helping serve the common defense of this nation at home and abroad,\u201d Palazzo said.\n\u201cOur state continues to be a proven leader in advanced defense manufacturing.\u201d said Kelly. \u201cThis is an exciting announcement that holds great potential for future job creation in our state.\u201d\nMembers of the delegation have worked to promote Mississippi to Raytheon as the best candidate to host its trainer manufacturing facility. Raytheon already has an existing electronic systems manufacturing facility in Forest, which employs about 800 workers.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=AB9F2ADC-AD46-47AB-BBD0-A70D873BEEAB", "MISS. DELEGATION WELCOMES SELECTION OF MISSISSIPPI FOR POTENTIAL USAF TRAINER AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION", "2016-10-24", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker at the 2016 Farnborough Air Show.\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The entire Mississippi congressional delegation today praised the selection of Mississippi as the potential host to produce of the next generation of trainer aircraft for the U.S. Air Force.U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Representatives Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.), and Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) on Monday said the selection of Meridian by the Raytheon Company for its trainer aircraft production has the potential to expand the state\u2019s role in aerospace manufacturing for years to come.Raytheon plans to compete its T-100 Integrated Air Training System to be the Air Force\u2019s choice for the next generation of trainers to replace the Eisenhower-era T-38 Talons to be used at pilot training facilities like Columbus Air Force Base.\u00a0 If selected by the Air Force, Raytheon would construct a multi-million dollar facility in Meridian.\u00a0 The Air Force is expected to issue a request for proposal in December, with selection of the new trainer in late 2017.\u201cNew, cutting-edge training aircraft are critical to our national security, and I am confident that Mississippi workers can help provide those planes,\u201d said Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Subcommittee on Defense.\u00a0 \u201cI look forward to this competition and I am excited that Meridian may play an expanded role in defense of our nation.\u201d\u201cFor more than 30 years, Raytheon has been a strong partner in our state, enhancing national security and providing jobs for hundreds of Mississippi families,\u201d said Wicker, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.\u00a0 \u201cIt is no secret that our state is a leader in aerospace manufacturing and technology. This announcement has tremendous potential for Meridian and the future of the industry in Mississippi.\u201d\u201cI am very pleased that Raytheon is growing its relationship with the State of Mississippi by building its T-100 training aircraft in Meridian.\u00a0 Mississippi\u2019s talent base is as skilled and prepared for high-tech manufacturing jobs as any in the nation and this is further proof of that,\u201d Thompson said. \u00a0Harper commented, \u201cRaytheon\u2019s proposal to build the T-100 in Meridian speaks volumes about our state, our pro-business climate and our people. I am excited to see how this proposed expansion advances our state and strengthens our nation\u2019s defense in the years to come.\u201d\u201cToday\u2019s announcement proves what a crucial role Mississippi continues to play in our national security efforts. This partnership with Raytheon would be another opportunity for our state to offer our capabilities and workforce in helping serve the common defense of this nation at home and abroad,\u201d Palazzo said.\u201cOur state continues to be a proven leader in advanced defense manufacturing.\u201d said Kelly.\u00a0 \u201cThis is an exciting announcement that holds great potential for future job creation in our state.\u201dMembers of the delegation have worked to promote Mississippi to Raytheon as the best candidate to host its trainer manufacturing facility.\u00a0 Raytheon already has an existing electronic systems manufacturing facility in Forest, which employs about 800 workers.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=44DB50B7-3F7C-4A91-B183-DCD7509F54E5", "HARRISON CO. SCHOOLS GAIN $1.9 MILLION TO CONTINUE WIND RETROFIT WORK", "2016-10-18", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced that the Harrison County School District has been awarded $1.9 million to continue retrofitting school facilities to survive hurricane-force winds.The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved the hazard mitigation grant as part of an ongoing wind retrofit initiative on Harrison County School District schools.\u00a0 This grant will be used for roof hardening at Harrison Central High School in Gulfport.\u201cThe Harrison County schools have worked diligently since Hurricane Katrina to ensure that their facilities can withstand destructive winds.\u00a0 I am pleased that FEMA is continuing to provide resources to carry out this preventative work,\u201d said Cochran, who is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee with funding jurisdiction over FEMA.FEMA is providing $1.8 million for the Harrison Central High School project, which combined with $95,176 in nonfederal funding constitutes the $1.9 million grant award.\u00a0 In September, FEMA also provided $91,652 for architectural and design work on this project.The Harrison County School Wind Retrofit Project involves 18 campuses, many of which are used as \u201cshelters of last resort\u201d during emergencies.\u00a0 Seven campuses have been completed to date, including installation of doors, windows and other protective devices that should withstand 180 mph winds.With this latest award, FEMA has contributed more than $14.1 million to the district\u2019s retrofit initiative.###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=9BA95AE5-1D41-4619-B5A0-D08BA5CAA6C9", "U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE, PARTNERS BREAK GROUND ON THEODORE ROOSEVELT VISITOR CENTER", "2016-10-12", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) on Wednesday helped break ground on the Theodore Roosevelt Visitor Center, which will be located at the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge.\u00a0 Those wielding shovels included, from left:\u00a0 Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall; David Viker, chief of the Southeast Region National Wildlife Refuge System; Billy Van Devender, owner of the Onward Store; Wildlife Mississippi Executive Director James L. Cummins; Senator Cochran; Simon Roosevelt, great-great grandson of President Roosevelt; Governor Phil Bryant; and Ann Marie Parker, great-niece of Roosevelt hunting guide Holt Collier.\u00a0 Click here to download image.\r\n(This announcement was produced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)ONWARD, MISS. \u2013 Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant and U.S. Senator Thad Cochran joined David Viker of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife Mississippi representatives and other partners to break ground for a 5,000 square-foot Theodore Roosevelt Visitor Center.\u00a0 The future visitor center will be located at the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge. The visitor center will recognize President Roosevelt\u2019s conservation legacy and the importance of the Mississippi Delta\u2019s diverse wildlife and natural resources.\u00a0 It will honor President Roosevelt\u2019s famous bear hunt of 1902.\u00a0 President Roosevelt teamed up with freed slave and renowned hunter Holt Collier in pursuit of Louisiana black bear.\u00a0 The president\u2019s refusal to kill a restrained male bear during the hunt was widely publicized at the time and resulted in the creation of a stuffed toy known today as the teddy bear.\u00a0 The future visitor center is located on property near the site of the 1902 hunt.\u201cToday\u2019s groundbreaking marks the culmination of more than a decade of collaboration and cooperation between the Service and its partners to ensure President Roosevelt\u2019s conservation legacy endures,\u201d said Viker, the Service\u2019s National Wildlife Refuge System chief in the Southeast Region.\u00a0 \u201cThe Theodore Roosevelt Visitor Center is becoming a reality because of the unwavering commitment of Senator Cochran, Wildlife Mississippi, and numerous other supporters.\u201d   \u00a0  Soon after the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge was established in 2004, Senator Cochran began championing a vision for an interpretive center to promote and educate visitors of the rich conservation history and wildlife diversity in the Mississippi Delta.\u00a0 The Senator was instrumental in securing $5.6 million for the planning, design, and construction of the future interpretive and educational visitor center. \u201cMississippians embrace balanced efforts to preserve our best natural assets for enjoyment by generations to come,\u201d said Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.\u00a0 \u201cThe Mississippi Delta region is home to many of America\u2019s most important natural and culture assets.\u00a0 I look forward to the completion of the Theodore Roosevelt Visitor Center, and the many educational and economic opportunities it will bring to the Delta.\u201d\r\nThe groundbreaking ceremony marks the start of construction.\u00a0 A marginal crop field near Onward will be the location of an interpretive and educational center with lifelike dioramas, interactive exhibits to educate and engage historic interpretations, state-of-the-art audio-visual productions and an educational classroom/auditorium. For more than a decade, the Service searched for a suitable site in the Mississippi Delta for a visitor center.\u00a0 In 2015, the Service received a donation of six acres from Wildlife Mississippi for the future visitor center.\u00a0 Based in Stoneville, Wildlife Mississippi is a nonprofit conservation organization that works statewide on wildlife habitat conservation, conservation policy and education, and outdoor recreation.\u201cThis visitor center will highlight the most famous hunt on American soil and the world\u2019s most famous toy, the teddy bear,\u201d said James L. Cummins, Wildlife Mississippi\u2019s executive director.\u00a0 \u201cMore importantly, it will recognize the foundational system of public land conservation established by President Roosevelt, one that is thriving today in the Mississippi Delta.\u00a0 Wildlife Mississippi is pleased to have donated the land for this center and appreciates Senator Cochran, Congressman Thompson and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their work in making this a reality.\u201dThe Theodore Roosevelt Visitor Center will be a destination on the Blues Highway, the legendary route along the Mississippi River that celebrates the rich history and culture of the Mississippi Delta.\u00a0 The visitor center represents one of the most significant investments in tourism infrastructure across the Delta region south of Greenville, Mississippi, in recent memory. The refuge expects 10,000 visitors annually when it opens in 2018. \u201cI am delighted the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge is growing with the addition of a visitor center,\u201d Governor Bryant said.\u00a0 \u201cPresident Roosevelt loved the outdoors. This center will be the perfect way to honor his legacy, highlight his historic hunt in Mississippi and boost tourism in the South Delta.\u00a0 I thank everyone involved for making this project a reality.\u201dSimon Roosevelt, President Roosevelt\u2019s great-great grandson, and Ann Marie Parker, Holt Collier\u2019s great-niece, participated in today\u2019s groundbreaking as well.\u201cTheodore Roosevelt certainly was delighted that his visit here in 1902 led to the creation of the first toy bear, beloved by so many children ever since.\u00a0 And certainly he was proud that the publicity surrounding his decision not to shoot the bear during his hunt could serve as a strong and public example of the exercise of what has come to be known as Fair Chase Hunting,\u201d said Simon Roosevelt, great-great-grandson of Theodore Roosevelt.\u00a0 \u201cHe would be honored that the place of this now famous hunt - and the only National Wildlife Refuge to bear his name - should have both an important role in the recovery of the Louisiana black bear and the continuation of the best hunting tradition.\u00a0 How excellent that we break ground today on the Theodore Roosevelt Visitor Center, a place to educate present and future generations of these good things and highlight the life of his friend Holt Collier.\u201d\r\n\u201cI have been following this effort since the Holt Collier National Wildlife Refuge was dedicated over ten years ago,\u201d said Anne Marie Parker, the great-niece of Holt Collier.\u00a0 \u201cI thank all of those involved for their continued perseverance to make this visitor center a reality. There are a lot of people who have done good things in and for Mississippi.\u00a0 We need to continue to highlight them and their efforts, and this Center will help do that.\u201d\r\nThe groundbreaking for this visitor center comes on the heels of the removal of the Louisiana black bear, the animal at the center of the celebrated 1902 hunt, from the endangered species list earlier this year.\u00a0 Like the partnership that will make the visitor center a reality, the Louisiana black bear\u2019s recovery resulted from decades of conservation work by a partnership of federal and state agencies, private landowners, and conservation organizations.The visitor center will be a gateway for promoting and interpreting the conservation and management of more than 230,000 acres of federal and state-owned public lands within the Mississippi Delta.\u00a0 The Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge was established for conservation purposes and is the only national wildlife refuge named for a U.S. president. The Holt Collier National Wildlife Refuge was established in 2004 for the conservation, maintenance, and management of wildlife and was the first national wildlife refuge named for an African American.\u00a0 These public lands are part of a complex of seven national wildlife refuges comprising more than 86,000 acres in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. \u00a0For more information about Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge and the future visitor center, visit https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Theodore_Roosevelt/.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov/southeast.\u00a0 Connect with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usfwssoutheast, follow our tweets at www.twitter.com/usfwssoutheast, watch our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/usfws, and download photos from our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwssoutheast.\r\n-FWS-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=4B087FB4-1EE4-4A3A-8DEC-4CD2DF21FCF6", "COCHRAN, WICKER, KELLY: $2.0M USDA LOAN TO AID WINSTON CO. MEDICAL CENTER", "2016-10-04", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and U.S. Representative Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) today announced that reconstruction of a new Winston County Medical Center in Louisville will benefit from the approval of a $2.0 million, zero-interest federal loan. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the $2.0 million Rural Economic Development Loan Program application from the Meridian-based East Mississippi Electric Power Association.\u00a0 The 10-year loan will be used to support ongoing rebuilding of the Winston County medical complex, which was destroyed in a devastating tornado on April 28, 2014.\u201cThis loan marks another important step forward in the rebuilding of the Winston County Medical Center.\u00a0 I am hopeful that this financing will help in restoring permanent medical facilities for people in the Louisville and Winston County area,\u201d Cochran said.\u201cRebuilding this medical center will benefit the people of Winston County \u2013 not only by providing health-care services but also by bringing in new jobs for the community,\u201d Wicker said.\u00a0 \u201cWe continue to push ahead toward the full restoration of what was lost during the devastating tornadoes in 2014.\u00a0 This is a major advancement in this effort.\u201d\u201cI\u2019m proud to see the progress that has been made since the 2014 tornado in Winston County.\u00a0 It\u2019s important that effort continues with the rebuilding of the Winston County Hospital and the infrastructure needed to offer much-needed medical services to constituents,\u201d Kelly said.The USDA loan is part of an overall effort to finance the recovery projects.\u00a0 In December, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved a $1.78 million cost-share grant to support the ongoing rebuilding effort.\u00a0 FEMA is expected to provide an estimated $10.8 million, 75 percent of eligible costs not covered by the county\u2019s insurance policies.The rebuilt medical center is expected to retain its 226 employees and create an additional 15 jobs in Louisville.\u00a0 The medical center complex is expected to be fully operational in spring 2017. \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=A298C12D-75FC-4947-9ADF-538FD29B49CF", "COCHRAN, WICKER:  MOSS POINT PLANT HAS GROWING ROLE PRODUCING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT FOR NAVY", "2016-10-04", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today highlighted Mississippi\u2019s growing role in providing unmanned aircraft for the Defense Department, pointing to two recent U.S. Navy contracts for aircraft to be produced in Moss Point.The Northrup Grumman facility at Moss Point will be one of the primary manufacturing locations for production of 10 ship-based MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopters and three shore-based MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance aircraft.\u00a0 Through contracts awarded to Northrup Grumman Systems Corp., construction and assembly of the Fire Scout and Triton fuselage will take place at the Moss Point facility, including installation of the internal electrical and mechanical components.\u201cThe Moss Point facility is responsible for final assembly of the Fire Scouts, and it will assume a similar role in producing the Triton fuselage.\u00a0 This is good news, both in terms of confidence in our workforce and in terms of maintaining stable production lines for aircraft required by the Defense Department.\u00a0 It is clear that Moss Point workers will play a critical role in the future of Navy unmanned aviation,\u201d Cochran said.\u201cIt is clear why the Moss Point facility and its workers are being asked to play a bigger role in producing the next generation of unmanned aircraft,\u201d Wicker said.\u00a0 \u201cThis increased workload is a testament to the high-quality job that they are doing to deliver cutting-edge aircraft to our national defense.\u201dThe Navy last month awarded a $108.1 million contract for the MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned air systems, using FY2015 and FY2016 procurement funds provided by Congress.\u00a0 The Moss Point facility will complete final assembly and checkout of the Fire Scout aircraft before delivery to the Navy.\u00a0 Work on these aircraft is expected to be completed in August 2019. Last week, the Navy also awarded a $255.2 million contract to procure three low-rate initial production Lot 1 MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, one main operation control station, one forward operation control station, training courseware, and tooling.\u00a0 The aircraft fuselage, including outfitting of the electrical and mechanical components, will be assembled at Moss Point.\u00a0 The Navy plans on acquiring 68 MQ-4C Triton aircraft over the life of the program.Cochran and Wicker have used their committee assignments to support procurement programs for aircraft and vessels identified as needed by the Defense Department to support the nation\u2019s security interest.\u00a0 Cochran is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Subcommittee on Defense.\u00a0 Wicker is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and chairman of the Subcommittee on Seapower.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=30E7BFB2-877C-44CC-9552-D266FDDFCEA2", "COCHRAN, WICKER & PALAZZO ANNOUNCE $2.0 MILLION GRANT FOR GULFPORT INFRASTRUCTURE", "2016-09-30", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.), today reported that the City of Gulfport has been awarded a $2.0 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for ongoing infrastructure improvements.\u201cGulfport is working systematically on water and wastewater system repairs and replacement following Hurricane Katrina.\u00a0 This FEMA grant is intended to help make the city\u2019s water and wastewater services stronger and more reliable,\u201d Cochran said.\u201cThis project highlights how important it is to provide reliable water service to Gulfport residents, while strengthening the community to withstand future storms,\u201d Wicker said.\u00a0 \u201cThese investments are critical to the long-term success of the city and its ability to continue growing.\u201d \u201cOur communities on the Gulf Coast have shown great resilience in the years following hurricane Katrina, and it\u2019s imperative that we continue to support their ongoing recovery efforts.\u00a0 This grant will allow the City of Gulfport to have a sustainable water and wastewater management system thus improving the quality of life for coast residents,\u201d Palazzo said.The FEMA Public Assistance grant to Gulfport will support water and wastewater improvements in the city.\u00a0 The $2,023,299 grant is awarded under the federal disaster declaration issued after Hurricane Katrina.\u00a0 No state or local matching funds are required with this award.FEMA Public Assistance grants provide supplemental disaster assistance to state, local and tribal governments and some nonprofit organizations for debris removal and emergency protective measures.\u00a0 These grants can also fund the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly-owned facilities.In May, FEMA awarded the City of Biloxi an $8.9 million grant for ongoing work to purchase easements to replace infrastructure damaged during Hurricane Katrina and subsequent storms.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=D8E7FFF5-0045-4EC5-97A5-C17B6F2B0B10", "COCHRAN, WICKER PUSH ADMINISTRATION TO ABANDON PROPOSED ESTATE TAX REGS", "2016-09-30", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker are among 41 Senators encouraging the Treasury Department to abandon proposed regulations that would significantly increase the estate tax burden on family farms and businesses.The Senators expressed their concerns in a letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew.\u00a0 The proposed regulations, if finalized, would contradict long-standing legal precedent and greatly discourage families from continuing to operate and grow their farms and businesses for eventual transfer to future generations.\u201cTreasury should pursue policies that encourage the creation and growth of family businesses and not propose regulatory changes that make it more difficult and costly for families to transfer ownership to future generations.\u00a0 We thus request that Treasury withdraw the proposed regulations and ask that any regulations that Treasury may issue in the future more directly target perceived abuses in the valuation of transferred interests in family businesses,\u201d the Senators wrote.The letter was spearheaded by Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.Full text of the letter can be found below. \u00a0Dear Secretary Lew: We write to express our serious concerns over proposed regulations (REG-163113-02) published on August 4, 2016, under Internal Revenue Code section 2704 (\u201cproposed regulations\u201d) that, if finalized in their current form, will significantly increase the estate tax burden on family businesses.\u00a0 The proposed regulations eliminate or greatly reduce the discounts for lack of control and lack of marketability for family farms and businesses and will thus discourage families from continuing to operate and build their businesses.\u00a0 We ask that the proposed regulations not be finalized in their current form as they directly contradict long-standing legal precedent, create new uncertainty for taxpayers, and put family-owned businesses at a disadvantage relative to other types of businesses. In an October 3, 2014, letter, a number of us communicated to the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service our strong opposition to any regulatory effort that would artificially inflate the valuation of estates and eliminate the benefits of estate tax relief legislation that was enacted on a bipartisan basis by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.\u00a0 By raising taxes on family farms and businesses, the proposed regulations represent a step back from the recently enacted permanent estate tax relief. Treasury should pursue policies that encourage the creation and growth of family businesses and not propose regulatory changes that make it more difficult and costly for families to transfer ownership to future generations.\u00a0 We thus request that Treasury withdraw the proposed regulations and ask that any regulations that Treasury may issue in the future more directly target perceived abuses in the valuation of transferred interests in family businesses.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/press-release/rep-gregg-harper-receives-health-it-congressional-leadership-award", "Rep. Gregg Harper Receives Health IT Congressional Leadership Award", "2016-09-29", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) received the Health IT Congressional Leadership Award on Wednesday evening from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). Each year HIMSS honors Members of Congress whose efforts demonstrate a significant contribution to the positive transformation of healthcare through the use of information technology (IT).\nA member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Harper is being awarded for elevating the discussion on telehealth within the Committee\u2019s healthcare focus. During his tenure on the Committee, Rep. Harper has continuously championed and supported a number of bills, including the bipartisan Telehealth Enhancement Act and the CONNECT for Health Act, which are strongly supported by HIMSS and the health IT community.\nRep. Harper received the award during the National Health IT Week Partners Awards Reception at the American College of Surgeons Rooftop along with Congresswoman Matsui (D-CA).\nHarper commented, \u201cI am deeply honored to receive this award from HIMSS. The advancement of health technology has had an enormous, positive impact on the well-being of the people of Mississippi and I will continue to do everything I can to help lead the charge to ensure that high-quality care is provided through telehealth and other exciting initiatives.\u201d\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=366F9502-18FA-4F18-B46D-879D5CE911E1", "SENATE CLEARS LIVESTOCK MARKET BILL TO BECOME LAW", "2016-09-29", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) today welcomed Senate passage of legislation to ensure protections for livestock producers who use 21th century technology for livestock sales.The Senate on Thursday sent the Clarification of Treatment of Electronic Sales of Livestock Act to the White House.\u00a0 It would amend the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 to ensure that the law\u2019s protections are extended to online or video livestock auctions.\u00a0 The bill would also ensure modern electronic banking options.\u00a0 The Senate approved HR.5883, the companion bill to Cochran and Tester\u2019s S.3350, by unanimous consent.\u201cI am confident that this bipartisan legislation will be signed into law and that the protections it offers to producers will improve livestock transactions,\u201d said Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.\u201cI\u2019ve seen it firsthand, life on the farm and ranch is changing in the 21st century.\u00a0 We see four-wheelers taking the place of horses, and combines that can do a month\u2019s work in a day\u2014it\u2019s time that our livestock auction laws reflect the world we live in,\u201d Tester said.\u00a0 \u201cI am pleased to see my common-sense bipartisan legislation pass to help bring livestock auctions into the 21st century.\u201dHR.5883, introduced by Representative David Rouzer (R-N.C.), will clarify that Packers and Stockyards Act provisions apply to online or video auctions, just as they do for fixed-facility livestock market transactions.\u00a0 The legislation would also authorize modern electronic payment methods, including credit and debit cards or the Automated Clearing House payments system.\u00a0 The law currently only authorizes the use of checks or wire transfers to settle livestock sales.In Mississippi, the legislation has the support of the Mississippi Farm Bureau, the Mississippi Cattlemen\u2019s Association, and livestock markets in the state.\u00a0 On the national level, it is backed by the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Sheep Industry Association, Livestock Marketing Association, National Cattlemen\u2019s Beef Association, National Farmers Union, National Livestock Producers Association, and United States Cattlemen\u2019s Association.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=F21C9ADE-5AF3-44E5-91E9-F63E9A1454A0", "THREE MISS. COMMUNITY COLLEGES WILL ANCHOR $10.5 MILLION WORKFORCE TRAINING PUSH", "2016-09-29", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Three North Mississippi community colleges will serve as anchors for a $10.5 million initiative to produce a workforce ready to work in the state\u2019s growing automotive, aerospace and advanced manufacturing sector, according to U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).Cochran today announced the award of three ARC grants for infrastructure and workforce training projects involving East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), Northwest Mississippi Community College (NMCC) and Itawamba Community College (ICC).\u00a0 The grants are funded through $16 million appropriated by Congress in FY2016 for ARC to support workforce training programs in southern and south-central Appalachia.\u201cThese education and training projects will increase opportunities for Mississippians to develop the skills to work in our state\u2019s expanding aerospace, automotive and manufacturing industries,\u201d said Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.\u00a0 \u201cI appreciate the confidence the Appalachian Regional Commission is placing in the potential of Mississippi\u2019s workforce to support more manufacturing jobs.\u201d\u201cSouthern Appalachia\u2019s manufacturing industry is growing.\u201d said Earl Gohl, Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission.\u00a0 \u201cThese investments will help Mississippi\u2019s manufacturing workforce become skilled, ready, and globally competitive.\u201dIn total, ARC is providing $8.96 million for the three projects, which will be matched with $1.59 million in county, state and private resources.\u00a0 The overall goal of the grants is to provide the training and educational facilities necessary to train workers for technical manufacturing positions.EMCC is awarded $4.6 million to construct six additional high-bay classrooms as part of the school\u2019s workforce training facility or \u201cCommuniversity\u201d at the entrance to the Golden Triangle Regional Global Industrial Aerospace Park in Lowndes County.\u00a0 In addition to $6.1 million in earlier ARC funding, this $42 million, 135,000-square-foot \u201cCommuniversity\u201d has also received financial backing from the State of Mississippi, and Lowndes, Oktibbeha and Clay counties.The Marshall County Board of Supervisors is awarded a $3.16 million ARC grant to construct a 30,000-square-foot workforce training and reemployment center in Holly Springs in partnership with NMCC and the State of Mississippi.\u00a0 Including $790,860 in matching funds, $3.9 million will be available to build the facility. The center will feature five classrooms, a computer lab, and five high-bay educational spaces for electrical technology, advanced and automotive manufacturing training.ICC will have $2.0 million available through a $1.2 million ARC grant and an $800,000 matching contribution to renovate 21,200 square feet of space within its Belden Center for robotics and precision manufacturing technology programs.\u00a0 The ARC funding will allow ICC to install a tool and die training laboratory, as well as a robotics laboratory in the renovated Belden Center.\u00a0 The project will allow ICC to consolidate related training programs into one facility.\r\n###\r\nThe Appalachian Regional Commission (www.arc.gov) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region.\u00a0 ARC\u2019s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.\u00a0 There are 24 Mississippi counties in the Region\u2019s footprint.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/press-release/rep-harper-congress-override-obamas-jasta-veto", "Rep. Harper, Congress Override Obama's JASTA Veto", "2016-09-28", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) and the House of Representatives voted this afternoon to override President Obama\u2019s veto on the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA. This comes on the heels of the Senate\u2019s vote to override earlier today, marking the first time that Congress has successfully overridden a veto during the Obama Administration.\nThe bill, S. 2040, allows victims and families of victims of terrorist attacks to bring legal claims against foreign states that aid and abet acts of terror that occur on U.S. soil. This would empower the families of those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to sue Saudi Arabia in U.S. court for their suspected role in supporting the hijackers who carried out the strikes.\n\u201cIf I have the choice between siding with a foreign country and standing up for the American people, I will always put America first,\u201d said Congressman Harper.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=0C96DCD4-2859-4FD7-A7CA-F78B31C7EC75", "JANICE MITCHELL, LONGTIME COCHRAN AIDE, TO RETIRE", "2016-09-28", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Thad Cochran presents Janice Mitchell with a copy of a Congressional Record statement recognizing her 38 years of service.\u00a0 Mitchell retires Friday. (Click here to download image.)\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today expressed his appreciation for Janice Mitchell of Madison, a constituent service representative who will retire Friday after assisting Mississippians for 38 years.Mitchell, the only African American woman to have worked for two Mississippi Senators, joined the staff of the late U.S. Senator John C. Stennis in 1978 before beginning work for Cochran in his Jackson field office in 1985.\u00a0 The Magee, Miss., native is one of the longest-serving staff members in the history of the U.S. Senate.\u00a0 Her final day will be Sept. 30.\u201cJanice has had a long and distinguished career with the U.S. Senate.\u00a0 She has proven to be a friend, not just to me and my staff, but to thousands of individuals and families she has helped over the years,\u201d Cochran said.During her tenure, Mitchell managed nearly 5,000 constituent cases for Mississippians needing assistance with Medicare, Medicaid, and the Social Security Administration, a majority of which have been resolved favorably.In a Congressional Record statement recognizing Mitchell\u2019s service, Cochran stated: \u201cJanice's tenure as a Senate employee has been historic.\u00a0 Janice Mitchell is one of the longest-serving staff members in Senate history and the only African-American woman to have worked for two Senators from Mississippi\u2026\u201cJanice is compassionate, caring, and proficient.\u00a0 She has exceeded her duty to help Mississippians navigate Federal programs and receive the benefits to which they are entitled.\u201dThe full text of Cochran\u2019s statement is available here:\u00a0 http://bit.ly/2dmxJ6Z\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=837BA22D-1FFF-4D65-AE0A-3FA16470B0EC", "COCHRAN:  SENATE PASSES CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN", "2016-09-28", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Video:\u00a0 Cochran floor speech encouraging passage of the continuing resolution.\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement marking Senate passage of a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through Dec. 9, 2016:\u201cThe continuing resolution will sustain government operations and ensure stability for our national defense.\u00a0 It is a short-term fix that will allow the Senate and House to complete work on the FY2017 appropriations bills later this year.\u00a0 I am committed to achieving that goal.\u201cI am pleased that this measure provides record funding for our veterans and their families.\u00a0 It also provides funding to meet urgent needs around the country, including the heroin and opioid epidemic, disaster recovery for flood-ravaged communities, and the public health threat from the Zika virus.\u201dThe Senate voted 72-26 to approve the continuing resolution.\u00a0 It now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.The inclusion of the FY2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill in CR marks the first time since 2009 that a regular appropriations measure was signed into law before the end of the fiscal year.Under Cochran\u2019s leadership, the Senate Appropriations Committee completed work on all 12 FY2017 appropriations bills in record time this year.\u00a0 The committee has worked under an accelerated schedule, setting records for the earliest bill markups in years. \u00a0\r\n###\r\nLINKS:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Continuing Resolution Summary: http://bit.ly/2cZW4dz", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=9411D2F1-8452-4E9A-860B-6604CD5220BF", "COCHRAN:  GULFPORT YOUTHBUILD PROGRAM AWARDED $1.0 MILLION", "2016-09-26", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced that the YouthBuild program in Gulfport has been awarded more than $1.0 million from the U.S. Department of Labor.The $1,098,940 Labor Department grant has been awarded to CLIMB Community Development Corp. to operate the Gulfport YouthBuild program, which provides educational and occupational instruction to low-income, at-risk youths.\u00a0 The YouthBuild grant requires a 25 percent nonfederal, matching contributions.\u201cYouthBuild provides young people with an alternative path for completing their education and learning career skills.\u00a0 The Gulfport program will be able to use this funding to continue its good work on the Mississippi Gulf Coast,\u201d said Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.The YouthBuild eligible youth education assistance to earn their GED while also gaining construction and other skills that can lead to employment opportunities.\u00a0 Participants can also earn an AmeriCorps education award for post-secondary schooling.The Gulfport award is one of 77 programs in 35 states to receive FY2016 funding.\u00a0 YouthBuild programs in the United States are operated by autonomous non-profit or public entities, which are required to secure nonfederal public or private funding.Cochran serves on the Senate appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Labor Department.\u00a0 In early June, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $84.5 million for the national YouthBuild in FY2017.\r\n###\r\nLINKS  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0CLIMB Community Development Corporation:\u00a0 http://www.climbcdc.org/  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Department of Labor YouthBuild:\u00a0 https://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/youthbuild.cfm", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/press-release/congressional-taiwan-caucus-releases-statement-105th-national-day-taiwan", "Taiwan Caucus Co-Chairs Release Statement on the 105th National Day of Taiwan", "2016-09-22", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart\nRep. Albio Sires\nRep. Gerald E. Connolly\nRep. Gregg Harper\n\u201cOctober 10, 2016 will mark the 105th National Day of Taiwan. As Co-Chairs of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, we would like to congratulate the people of Taiwan on this occasion and wish them a Happy Double Ten Day.\nThere is much to celebrate this year with regards to Taiwan democracy and U.S.-Taiwan relations. This year, the world witnessed Taiwan\u2019s third peaceful transition of power, and Taiwan\u2019s first female president took office. U.S. trade in goods with Taiwan reached $66 billion last year making Taiwan our 9th largest trading partner, and the United States completed a $1.83 billion arms sale to Taiwan in accordance with the commitments made in the Taiwan Relations Act.\nThe United States Congress once again enacted legislation directing the Administration to develop a strategy to help Taiwan secure greater participation in international organizations. This is something Congress has done previously, specifically with respect to Taiwan\u2019s inclusion in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It is of vital importance that the United States continues to push for Taiwan\u2019s inclusion in ICAO. Airports in Taiwan handle large cargo and passenger volumes, and for the sake of passenger safety and international security, Taiwan must be allowed to participate in ICAO.\nWe would like to use the occasion of Taiwan\u2019s National Day to reaffirm the strength of the U.S.-Taiwan relationship and our continued commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and Six-Assurances. It is an honor and privilege to support this vital relationship, and we look forward to joining the people of Taiwan in celebrating their 105th National Day.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=E880A6FF-C733-4B1B-96BD-B061F33E0479", "COCHRAN COMMENDS ARTHUR F. SKIPPER JERNIGAN AS MISSISSIPPI ANGEL IN ADOPTION", "2016-09-22", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Thad Cochran and Arthur F. \u201cSkipper\u201d Jernigan\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today commended the work of Arthur F. \u201cSkipper\u201d Jernigan of Madison, who was honored in Washington on Wednesday as an \u201cAngel in Adoption\u201d for Mississippi.Jernigan is Cochran\u2019s nominee to be the recipient of the 2016 \u201cAngels in Adoption\u201d award.\u00a0 The \u201cAngels in Adoption\u201d program, which is sponsored by the nonprofit Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI).\u00a0 Jernigan, an attorney with Jernigan Copeland & Anderson, PLLC in Ridgeland, has practiced in the area of adoption law for more than 40 years.\u00a0 He has handled hundreds of adoptions for Mississippi Children\u2019s Home Services, other agencies and private parties.\u201cThe legal process for adoptions can be daunting.\u00a0 Skipper Jernigan deserves commendation for being an advocate for children and families going through this process.\u00a0 His civic service also makes him worthy of recognition,\u201d Cochran said. Jernigan, a former University of Mississippi football standout and Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame inductee, was honored Wednesday night at the annual national gala celebration of advocates for children and family involved in adoption and foster care programs.\r\nIn addition to handling adoption cases, Jernigan has lectured at numerous conferences on adoption law and is recognized as a leading adoption attorney in Mississippi.\u00a0 Additionally, as part of his pro bono service to the Mississippi Bar and the Jackson community, Jernigan has represented indigent parties on behalf of Mission First in the area of adoption law and related matters.Jernigan and his wife, Judy Lynn, are involved in church and civic volunteer activities, including Meals on Wheels and the Billy Brumfield House, an affiliate of Stewpot Ministries in Jackson, which serves the homeless and those with severe financial difficulties.\u00a0 Jernigan has served on the boards of many nonprofit organizations.\u00a0 He has also served nine years on the board of directors for Mississippi Baptist Health Systems and was named chairman of its Board of Trustees in January 2016.The nonprofit, nonpartisan CCAI advocates for increased awareness about children in need of a stable home environment and supports eliminating barriers to adoption.\u00a0 CCAI, which does not receive government funding, was established in 2001 as an outgrowth of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption.\u00a0 Cochran and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) are members of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption for the 114th Congress.\r\n###\r\nLINKS:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Mississippi Department of Health/Adoption Information:\u00a0 http://www.mdhs.state.ms.us/family-childrens-services/programs-dfcs/adopt-a-child/   \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Mississippi Children\u2019s Home Services:\u00a0 http://www.mchscares.org/  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Angels in Adoption:\u00a0 http://www.angelsinadoption.org/   \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute:\u00a0 http://www.ccainstitute.org", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/press-release/miss-lawmakers-faa-grants-38-million-supplement-jackson-airport-improvements", "MISS. LAWMAKERS:  FAA GRANTS $3.8 MILLION TO SUPPLEMENT JACKSON AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS", "2016-09-21", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), along with Congressman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), announced that the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport will receive a $3.38 million airport improvement grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).\n\tThe award, which is made up of $1.44 million in formula funding and $1.93 million in discretionary appropriations, will facilitate continued runway rehabilitation and outdated lighting replacement.\n\t\u201cThe efficient and safe operation of an airport requires consistent facility maintenance.\u00a0 I\u2019m pleased the Federal Aviation Administration has committed additional resources to enhance safe aviation operations in Jackson,\u201d Cochran said.\n\t\"The Jackson Airport stands to benefit from upgrades to its runway and lighting,\" Wicker said. \"These infrastructure improvements are critical to upholding important aviation standards, giving the capital area access to the safest air service possible.\"\n\tHarper commented, \u201cThe Jackson-Evers International Airport is an important economic and transportation resource for Central Mississippi and throughout the state. I am pleased to see these funds invested in improving the airport\u2019s existing infrastructure and connecting the people of Jackson to cities across the United States and abroad.\u201d\n\tThis grant will supplement a $13.8 million grant awarded in July for runway rehabilitation and wildlife hazard assessments at the Jackson airport.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=6C44AC0F-0A72-43DE-8498-445BD3C88BF1", "MISS. LAWMAKERS:  FAA GRANTS $3.8 MILLION TO SUPPLEMENT JACKSON AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS", "2016-09-21", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), along with Congressman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), announced that the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport will receive a $3.38 million airport improvement grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).The award, which is made up of $1.44 million in formula funding and $1.93 million in discretionary appropriations, will facilitate continued runway rehabilitation and outdated lighting replacement.\u201cThe efficient and safe operation of an airport requires consistent facility maintenance.\u00a0 I\u2019m pleased the Federal Aviation Administration has committed addition resources to enhance safe aviation operations in Jackson,\u201d Cochran said.\"The Jackson Airport stands to benefit from upgrades to its runway and lighting,\" Wicker said.\"These infrastructure improvements are critical to upholding important aviation standards, giving the capital area access to the safest air service possible.\"Harper commented, \u201cThe Jackson-Evers International Airport is an important economic and transportation resource for Central Mississippi and throughout the state. I am pleased to see these funds invested in improving the airport\u2019s existing infrastructure and connecting the people of Jackson to cities across the United States and abroad.\u201dThis grant will supplement a $13.8 million grant awarded in July for runway rehabilitation and wildlife hazard assessments at the Jackson airport.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=D26B59CF-9D78-4E15-B5C9-8C6735F9E19B", "MISS. PHARMACY BOARD RECEIVES $352,000 FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING", "2016-09-21", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced that the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy has received a $352,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to enhance the state\u2019s prescription drug monitoring program.The DOJ Bureau of Justice Assistance grant is intended to improve the ability of the state to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data.\u00a0 The award is funded through the Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which was created to prevent and reduce the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, and to stop pharmaceutical crime.\u201cMost overdose deaths in Mississippi and other states are attributed to the abuse of prescription opioids or heroin use.\u00a0 This grant should help the state find the best monitoring and reporting practices to curb wrongful prescriptions and the abuse of these medications,\u201d Cochran said.Mississippi instituted a prescription drug monitoring system in 2014 for licensed physicians who prescribe, administer or dispense any controlled substance in the state.Earlier this year, Cochran supported enactment of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which became law in July.\u00a0 This law authorizes additional federal support for efforts to assist states and localities in fighting opioid abuse, improving treatments, and coordinating law enforcement efforts.Under Cochran\u2019s chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the committee has increased funding by 113 percent to combat opioid abuse.\u00a0 For FY2017, the committee approved resources totaling $132 million for Justice Department programs to help states and local communities combat heroin and opioid abuse.\u00a0 This includes $14.0 million for the DOJ prescription drug monitoring program.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=DBE49681-549E-418B-86ED-246602C8DDE7", "COCHRAN BACKS BILLS OFFERING RELIEF FROM OBAMACARE TAX PENALTIES", "2016-09-21", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced that he is cosponsoring legislation to provide relief to Mississippians stuck between escalating Obamacare premium costs and higher tax penalties for going without health insurance.The Relief from Obamacare Mandate Act (S.3297) would establish processes to provide financial relief for individuals and families from the Obamacare individual mandate tax penalty.\u201cThis legislation is one more attempt to protect vulnerable families and individuals from harmful aspects of Obamacare.\u00a0 This law has had plenty of unintended consequences, among them higher tax fines for those who cannot afford premium and deductible costs that are prohibitively expensive,\u201d Cochran said.The centerpiece of S.3297 is a new exemption from the tax penalty for residents in states where average Obamacare insurance premiums exceed 10 percent.\u00a0 In addition to the new tax penalty exemption, the bill would also enable the cost of deductibles to be included in the exemption provided to those who cannot afford coverage under Obamacare.Insurance indicators point to premiums increasing from 5 percent to as high as 43 percent in Mississippi.\u00a0 At the same time, competitive choices among plans under the government\u2019s health insurance policies are decreasing in the state.Cochran, who opposed Obamacare from its inception, is also an original cosponsor of the State Flexibility to Provide Affordable Health Options Act (S.3326).\u00a0 This legislation would allow residents in states with failing exchanges to use Obamacare subsidies to purchase a 2017 health plan of their choice, even if that plan isn\u2019t part of any government exchange.\u00a0 It would also allow states to waive the Obamacare requirement to buy a specific health care plan or pay a fine of as much as $2,000 for a family of four next year.\u201cThis legislation would increase options for families in Mississippi and elsewhere to obtain health insurance without being locked into troubled Obamacare exchanges,\u201d Cochran said.S.3297 was introduced by Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), while S.3326 was offered by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.).\u00a0 Both measures have been placed on the Senate legislative calendar.\r\n###\r\nRelated: \u00a0  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Obamacare is Running Out of Options:\u00a0 http://bit.ly/2dgXuSk", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://trentkelly.house.gov/newsroom/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=461", "House passes legislation to honor fallen Mississippi soldier\n\nSeptember 20, 2016 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nTags:\nNational Defense / Veterans\n\n\nHouse passes legislation to honor fallen Mississippi soldier\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives\u00a0today passed legislation introduced by Representative Trent Kelly (MS-01)\u00a0to honor a Mississippi soldier killed in action. H.R. 5309 designates the United States Postal Service\u00a0facility in Oxford, Mississippi\u00a0as the \"Army First Lieutenant Donald C. Carwile\u2026 Read more \u00bb", "2016-09-20", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Trent Kelly", "K000388", "trentkelly.house.gov", "trentkelly", "https://trentkelly.house.gov/newsroom/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives today passed legislation introduced by Representative Trent Kelly (MS-01) to honor a Mississippi soldier killed in action. H.R. 5309 designates the United States Postal Service facility in Oxford, Mississippi as the \"Army First Lieutenant Donald C. Carwile Post Office Building.\" H.R. 5309 now awaits further Senate action.\n\nCarwile and fellow soldier Army Private First Class Paul E. Conlon, Jr. of Somerville, Massachusetts were killed during a combat mission in Afghanistan on August 15, 2008 during Operation Enduring Freedom.\n\n\"This small gesture will honor his memory and will serve as a reminder to the community of First Lieutenant Carwile's selfless service and sacrifice for our freedom,\" Representative Kelly said. \"He is a hero.\"\n\nFirst Lieutenant Carwile joined the Army after graduating from Lafayette High School. His career path included service as a patrol officer for the Batesville and Oxford Police Departments. In 2006, Carwile reenlisted in the Army and qualified for Officer Candidate School.\n\nLieutenant Carwile distinguished himself as a soldier by earning numerous awards and decorations including the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.\n\nHe is survived by his wife Jennifer and two daughters, Elizabeth Reese and Avery Claire.\n\nThe Army First Lieutenant Donald C. Carwile Post Office Building will be located at 401 McElroy Drive in Oxford, Mississippi.", 1, "2026-04-07T14:16:54Z", "2026-04-07T14:19:53Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=403B83A0-308C-486C-8386-E11953736701", "HOLMES CO. BUSINESS AWARDED $6.76 MILLION FEMA CONTRACT FOR MANUFACTURED HOMES", "2016-09-20", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded a $6.76 million contract to a Holmes County business to supply temporary housing for Louisiana flood victims. Lexington Homes, Inc. in Lexington was awarded the fixed-price contract to construct and deliver 155 manufactured homes, which will be used to support flood disaster recovery efforts in Louisiana.\u00a0 Severe storms and flooding there in August led to a federal emergency designation for 22 parishes.\u201cThe temporary housing assistance offered by FEMA can help disaster victims rebuild their lives.\u00a0 I am pleased that a Mississippi manufacturer has been awarded a contract to supply this housing,\u201d said Cochran.The $6.76 million contract is funded through FY2016 appropriations provided by Congress.\u00a0 Lexington Homes is one of seven builders to compete successfully for this indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract, which includes four option years.Eligible disaster victims whose pre-disaster residence is inaccessible or uninhabitable can apply through the FEMA Individuals and Households Program for temporary housing assistance.\u00a0 Under this program, FEMA provides one, two or three-bedroom units.Cochran is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and serves on the subcommittee with funding jurisdiction over FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=E1ECF76C-7188-416F-873E-DBA68D5F7B7E", "COCHRAN: UMMC TAPPED FOR RURAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL COMMUNICATIONS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT", "2016-09-20", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C \u2013 The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) has been awarded a $2.0 million federal grant to carry out a demonstration project to improve emergency medical communications, U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today reported.UMMC will use the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant for a Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project to enhance emergency communications and response capabilities.\u00a0 The goal is to aid in the development of a National Emergency Communications Plan by coordinating the use of existing technologies to improve first responder capabilities, particularly among those with limited medical training.\u201cImproving the coordination of medical and emergency communications can help save lives, and not just during disaster situations.\u00a0 This grant will help develop available capabilities to increase medical care options in rural areas, and be used to develop best practices nationwide,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cI believe Mississippi and UMMC are well suited to perform this project.\u201dThis demonstration project will involve leveraging the Mississippi Wireless Information Network (MSWIN) technologies and existing infrastructures to sustain statewide medical communications systems and improve rural medical care delivery.\u00a0 This project will target the 30,000 users on the MSWIN Land Mobile Radio System and work to improve the use of the existing radio system.The demonstration project is funded with FY2016 discretionary funding.\u00a0 Congress last year directed the DHS Office of Emergency Communications to undertake the initiative and provided $2.0 million to carry it out.Cochran is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and serves on the subcommittee with funding jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security.###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=169DCDF9-BEE2-4819-A24B-B747BDC4832E", "COCHRAN, TESTER INTRODUCE BILL TO UPDATE 95-YEAR-OLD LIVESTOCK MARKETING LAW", "2016-09-16", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) today announced the introduction of legislation to amend a 95-year-old law to address technological advances now being used in livestock sales.The Senators' bill, S.3350, would amend the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 to ensure that the law\u2019s protections are extended to online or video livestock auctions and to ensure modern electronic banking options.\u201cThe Packers and Stockyards Act was written to protect the integrity of livestock sales and to promote competition.\u00a0 This legislation is intended to make certain that this law remains an effective tool for livestock producers by recognizing the benefits of modern technology,\u201d Cochran said.\u201cPlain and simple, the old laws on the books are all hat and no cattle.\u00a0 Every year when I buy my steer and hog to feed my family, I think about the folks who are buying and selling 1,000 head.\u00a0 These hardworking producers deserve a sensible process that keeps up with their changing industry,\u201d said Tester.\u00a0 \u201cThis is a common-sense bill that will strengthen Montana\u2019s livestock industry and ensure it continues trucking into the future.\u201dThe Senate legislation would clarify that Packers and Stockyards Act provisions apply to online or video auctions.\u00a0 This change would ensure that producer protections provided at fixed-facility livestock markets are extended to those who buy or sell through online or video auctions.Secondly, the Cochran-Tester bill would authorize modern electronic payment methods, including credit and debit cards or the Automated Clearing House payments system.\u00a0 The law currently only authorizes the use of checks or wire transfers to settle livestock sales.S.3350 has been referred to the Senate Agriculture Committee.\u00a0 Similar legislation (HR.5883), introduced by Representative David Rouzer (R-N.C.), was approved this week by the House Agriculture Committee.Changes to the Packers and Standards Act are supported by the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Sheep Industry Association, Livestock Marketing Association, National Cattlemen\u2019s Beef Association, National Farmers Union, National Livestock Producers Association, and United States Cattlemen\u2019s Association.In Mississippi, the legislation has the support of the Mississippi Farm Bureau, the Mississippi Cattlemen\u2019s Association, and livestock markets in the state. \u00a0Both Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Tester serve on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=C6FE4017-8639-4027-8E79-0263E65B2071", "COCHRAN, WICKER ANNOUNCE $1.49 MILLION GRANT FOR COAHOMA COUNTY SAFE ROOM", "2016-09-16", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today announced that a $1.49 million federal grant has been awarded to support construction of a multi-purpose safe room on the campus of Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale.The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program award will support construction of a 10,000-square-foot safe room built to FEMA-361 standards to protect people during hurricane or tornado-force winds.\u00a0 The multipurpose facility will be built to withstand wind speeds up to 250 mph. \u201cTornadoes and other sever weather are a consistent concern for Mississippians.\u00a0 I\u2019m pleased that this investment can help Coahoma Community College and Clarksdale residents be better prepared for inclement weather,\u201d said Cochran. \u00a0\u201cMany people living in small communities rely on safe rooms for protection during tornadoes and severe storms,\u201d Wicker said.\u00a0 \u201cThe need for a reinforced facility in Coahoma County is real, and this is exactly the type of project for which this program was designed. Students, staff, and local residents can be assured that shelter will be available when disaster strikes.\u201dWhen completed, the safe room will be able to protect 1,592 students, faculty, staff, and residents within a half-mile radius of Coahoma Community College.\u00a0 It will be located at 3240 Friars Point Road.\u00a0 Federal funding, which totals $1,491,300, represents 90 percent of the $1,657,000 total construction cost. \u00a0The FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding to states and local governments for long-term hazard mitigation activities designed to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters.\u00a0 Data shows that investments in hazard mitigation before a disaster creates a net savings of taxpayer dollars during post-disaster response and recovery periods.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=28CB7C8F-CFE3-4002-8B8B-6E40546F79EE", "COCHRAN, WICKER VOTE FOR PASSAGE OF WATER PROJECTS BILL TO BENEFIT MISSISSIPPI", "2016-09-15", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today voted for Senate passage of bipartisan water infrastructure legislation that includes provisions they developed to authorize federal resources for improving waterways, flood control and other projects in Mississippi.The Water Resources Development Act of 2016 (S.2848 or WRDA) would authorize U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects throughout the country including navigational improvements, flood control, ecosystem restoration and clean water infrastructure.\u00a0 The bill was passed 95-3.\u201cThis legislation is important to the well-being of our state and the entire nation.\u00a0 Army Corps of Engineers activities in Mississippi benefit affect our economy and the safety of our citizens.\u00a0 I\u2019m pleased that this positive and bipartisan bill will extend and expand the ability of the Army Corps to continue this good work,\u201d Cochran said.\u201cFederal investments in our nation\u2019s water projects pay enormous dividends,\u201d Wicker said. \u201cBetter ports and harbors help businesses and workers stay competitive and keep prices down for consumers. Strengthening dams and levees protect our communities from flooding and can help safeguard critical fishing, shrimping, and oyster grounds. Upgrades to local infrastructure give people the confidence to know that they are drinking safe, clean water. This bipartisan legislation attempts to achieve all of those goals by clearing a backlog of critical projects.\u201dWicker serves on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, which wrote WRDA.\u00a0 Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, serves on the appropriations subcommittee that funds the Army Corps of Engineers and programs authorized in WRDA.For Mississippi, the Senators concentrated on provisions to expand the ability of the Army Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies to work with state and local officials to improve flood control, inland ports, wastewater infrastructure, conservation, and coastal resilience.Cochran and Wicker worked to include the following provisions of importance to Mississippi in the Senate-passed legislation:\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Directing the Army Corps to expedite its review of the draft \u201cIntegrated Feasibility and Environmental Impact Statement, Pearl River Watershed, Rankin and Hinds Counties MS,\u201d a locally developed flood damage reduction plan designed to provide a permanent solution to Pearl River flooding which continues to pose and imminent threat to the Jackson Metropolitan Area;\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Expanding the Delta Headwaters Project authorization to encompass the entire Yazoo Basin foot hills region, well beyond the 16 small watersheds now authorized.\u00a0 This will allow the Army Corps to work in any watershed within a 15-county area:\u00a0 Holmes, Carroll, Montgomery, Webster, Chickasaw, Calhoun, Grenada, Tallahatchie, Yalobusha, Panola, Lafayette, Tate, DeSoto, Marshall, and Benton; \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Dredging shallow draft ports located on the Mississippi River, such as Natchez, Rosedale, Greenville, Claiborne County, and Vicksburg;\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Authorizing the Army Corps to conduct regional assessments of coastal vulnerabilities and opportunities to increase ocean and coastal ecosystem resilience, which could include shoreline and tidal marsh restoration;\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Increasing the funding authorization for needed environmental infrastructure projects, such as ongoing regional wastewater improvement project in DeSoto County;\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Creating a Gulf Coast Oyster Bed Recovery Plan to address long-term damage to oyster beds caused by Hurricane Katrina, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and floods in 2011 and 2016; \u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Updating the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund by highlighting targets for increased funding, extending prioritization for donor and energy transfer ports and emerging harbors, and clarifying that the Corps can maintain harbors of refuge;\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Providing technical assistance for small communities who often lack the resources to comply with and complete the necessary applications to access federal wastewater funding programs.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/press-release/house-admin-congratulates-carla-hayden-14th-librarian-congress", "House Admin Congratulates Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress", "2016-09-14", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "House Admin Congratulates Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Committee on House Administration Chairman Candice Miller (R-MI), Ranking Member Robert Brady (D-PA), and Joint Committee on the Library Vice-Chairman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) issued the following statement congratulating Dr. Carla Hayden as the 14th Librarian of Congress:\n\t\u201cWe congratulate Dr. Carla Hayden as she marks the beginning of her service as the 14th Librarian of Congress.\u00a0 As Dr. Hayden works to lead the Library into the future, our Committee looks forward to working with her and her staff to keep the tradition of collecting, preserving, and offering a vast collection of educational resources. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to David Mao who served as Acting Librarian, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the Library\u2019s mission during the past year. \u00a0\n\t\u201cToday is a historic day for the Library; an institution which stands as a steadfast symbol of learning and democracy.\u00a0 We wish Dr. Hayden the best in the days and years to come.\u201d\n\tCHA", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/press-release/rep-gregg-harper-named-guardian-small-business", "Rep. Gregg Harper Named Guardian of Small Business", "2016-09-14", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.-The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation\u2019s leading advocate for small businesses, today awarded Congressman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) with its biennial Guardian of Small Business Award for his outstanding support of America\u2019s small business owners in the 114th Congress.\u00a0\n\u201cMany elected officials claim that they are champions of small business, but our Guardian Award shows our members and other small business owners who is really fighting for them,\u201d said NFIB President and CEO Juanita Duggan.\u00a0 \u201cBased on his voting record, Rep. Harper is one of the most reliable advocates for small business in Washington.\u201d\nThe Guardian of Small Business is NFIB\u2019s most prestigious award.\u00a0 It is reserved for lawmakers who vote consistently with NFIB on the key issues identified by small business owners.\u00a0 NFIB tracks the votes of every member of Congress. House members and Senators who vote with NFIB members at least 70 percent of the time are eligible for the Guardian Award.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nHarper received a 100 voting record during the 114th Congress.\n\u201cNFIB is honored to present Rep. Harper with this award,\u201d Duggan said.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=679E94E8-C27E-42D6-95C6-D39454FA5545", "COCHRAN:  RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION SERVING STARKVILLE AREA AWARDED $343,000 USDA LOAN", "2016-09-14", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 A rural water association serving the Starkville area has been awarded a $343,000 low-interest federal loan to improve its water delivery system, U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced.The Blackjack Water Association, Inc., will use the 40-year, 2.25 percent loan to install new generators at two wells sites and to rehabilitate the association\u2019s elevated 100,000-gallon water storage tank. \u00a0\u201cNearly 400 families and businesses rely on water supplied by this locally-controlled association, and this Rural Development loan will help ensure reliable water deliveries for these consumers,\u201d Cochran said.The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is providing the loan through its Water and Waste Disposal Loan program.\u00a0 The award to the Oktibehha County water association is the latest in a series of FY2016 awards approved for Mississippi by USDA Rural Development.Cochran is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and serves on the subcommittee with funding jurisdiction over the USDA and Rural Development.\u00a0 He is also the senior Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which is charged with recommending USDA policy.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/press-release/congressman-harper-honored-farm-bureau", "Congressman Harper Honored By Farm Bureau", "2016-09-12", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "JACKSON \u2013 Congressman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) has been presented with the Friend of Farm Bureau Award for his outstanding work in the 114th Congress.\u00a0 This is the fourth consecutive time that Mississippi Farm Bureau has honored Harper for his strong commitment to the farmers of Mississippi.\n\u201cWe are pleased to recognize Congressman Harper with our Friend of Farm Bureau Award and are grateful for the many things he does for Mississippi agriculture,\u201d said Mississippi Farm Bureau President Mike McCormick. \u201cThe congressman and his staff have been very supportive of our farmers by attending Farm Bureau events and listening to farmers\u2019 concerns.\u201d\nHarper serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where he is a member of three subcommittees: Environment and the Economy; Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade; and Energy and Power.\nThe state\u2019s senior House Republican also sits on the select Committee on House Administration, a special appointment made by House Speaker John Boehner. Additionally, he serves as vice chairman of the Joint Committee of the Library of Congress and chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing\nCongressman Harper was cited for his support for his work on America\u2019s Small Business Tax Relief Act; (H.R. 1105): Death Tax Repeal Act; (H.R. 2353): Highway and Transportation Funding Authorization; (H.R. 2146): Trade Promotion Authority; (H.R. 1599); Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act; (H.R. 2029): Consolidated Appropriations; (S.J. Res. 22); Senate Resolution of Disapproval on EPA/Corps WOTUS rule; & (H.R. 2406); Sportsmen\u2019s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act.\n\u201cI am so honored to receive this award from my longtime friends at the Mississippi Farm Bureau,\u201d said Congressman Harper. \u201cI have always fought to defend Mississippi\u2019s dedicated farmers and strengthen our important agricultural industry. I look forward to continuing to support this important organization and our farmers in the future.\u201d\nThe Friend of Farm Bureau Award is given at the end of each Congress to Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate who were nominated by their respective state Farm Bureaus and approved by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Board of Directors.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/press-release/flood-recovery-grant-awarded-wilkinson-county", "Flood Recovery Grant Awarded To Wilkinson County", "2016-09-12", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "PEARL \u2013 U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-MS), Gov. Phil Bryant and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) announced today the award of a $250,000 post-disaster grant to Wilkinson County to assist residents with repairing homes damaged by flooding in early August.  \n\tDamage assessments, conducted by MEMA and local officials, show three homes were destroyed, 23 with major damage and 58 others with minor damage in Wilkinson County, primarily in the town of Crosby. The damage did not meet the threshold for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Stafford Act.  \n\tThis assistance is being provided by MEMA to the newly formed non-profit Community Based Recovery Committee (CBRC) in Wilkinson County with remaining funds from the Alternative Housing Pilot Program (AHPP) awarded to Mississippi by FEMA following Hurricane Katrina. The requirement of the original AHPP grant is that the funds must be used for on-going housing needs as a result of the disaster.  \n\t\"As we have seen in the aftermath of last month\u2019s flooding, federal disaster assistance programs are generally restricted to state boundaries. When storm systems affect multiple states, people are often refused federal aid simply because their home sits across a state line from their neighbors,\" said Rep. Harper.  \n\t\"Many Mississippians, particularly those in the Crosby community, were as badly impacted by the recent flooding as the people of Louisiana\u2014however our state\u2019s total damages were not sufficient enough to trigger federal assistance. As a result, the state of Mississippi has stepped up to respond to this disaster,\" continued Harper. \"I am pleased that these Mississippians will be able to rebuild their homes and begin the healing process all thanks to Director Smithson and the great team at MEMA.\"  \n\tGov. Bryant explained, \"Under the direction of Lee Smithson, MEMA has shown its willingness to go the extra mile to help our residents get back on their feet after a disaster. This method ensures that every penny will go toward the repair of homes in Wilkinson County.\"  \n\tWilkinson County, through the CBRC, will use 100% of the funds from this grant for affordable home ownership, materials and supplies to repair flood-damaged homes, and rental assistance for low and moderate-income people with on-going housing needs.  \n\t\"Prior to this initiative, there was never a source of funding to buy building materials for residents who did not qualify for federal assistance,\" said MEMA Executive Director Lee Smithson. \"I am extremely proud of my staff for thinking of a creative solution to help those affected by this disaster.\"  \n\tThe National Weather Service reported more than 15 inches of rain fell in southwest Mississippi during August 11-13, 2016.\n\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=7050AECE-76E1-47EB-B541-F67EE64A0EAB", "COCHRAN REPORTS $1.58 MILLION IN USDA LOAN & GRANT AID TO RURAL MISS.", "2016-09-09", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced that federal grants and loans worth more than $1.58 million have been approved to support water infrastructure improvements and law enforcement in rural Mississippi.The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is awarding $1.58 million to rural communities and counties in Mississippi, including $1.2 million in long-term, low-interest loans and $376,750 in grant funding.\u201cThe Department of Agriculture Rural Development provides financial help to rural communities to provide public services that benefit their residents.\u00a0 I am pleased that new water infrastructure and community service resources are going to these Mississippi communities,\u201d Cochran said.The loans will be support water delivery improvements for the City of Fulton and the Sardis Lake Community Water Association in Batesville.\u00a0 Community Facilities Program grants were awarded to Carroll and Issaquena counties and the Southwest Mississippi Planning and Development District in Natchez.\u00a0 Combined with nonfederal contributions, $1.65 million will be invested in rural Mississippi.The USDA Rural Development awards include:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Fulton \u2013 $870,000 loan to support construction of a new water pump station, standpipe storage tank and distribution line upgrades to improve the northern portion of the city\u2019s water system.\u00a0 This is a 35-year, 2.25 percent interest loan.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Sardis Lake Community Water Association, Batesville \u2013 $341,000 loan and $279,000 grant to upgrade 2.2 miles of water mains and piping.\u00a0 This is a 40-year, 2.25 percent interest loan.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Issaquena County \u2013 $43,400 grant to support the purchase of two vehicles for the Issaquena County Sheriff\u2019s Department.\u00a0 The county will contribute $14,575.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Carroll County \u2013 $38,300 grant to support the purchase of two vehicles for the Carroll County Sheriff\u2019s Department.\u00a0 The county will contribute $12,844.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Southwest Mississippi Planning and Development District, Natchez \u2013 $16,050 grant to support the purchase of a transportation vehicle.\u00a0 This grant will be augmented with $38,903 in nonfederal funding.In August, Cochran announced an earlier round of USDA Rural Development grants for Mississippi (http://bit.ly/2cgomTV).\u00a0 Those federal grants, totaling $374,000, were awarded to Fayette, Lexington, Pace, Shaw, Vaiden, Carroll and Jefferson Davis counties.Cochran is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and serves on the subcommittee with funding jurisdiction over the USDA and Rural Development.\u00a0\u00a0 He is also the senior Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which is charged with recommending USDA policy.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=A031E492-237B-4517-82AC-EE1AD7F64377", "COCHRAN, WICKER:  GULFPORT TO RECEIVE $3.9 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING", "2016-08-31", "2016", "2016-08", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today announced that the City of Gulfport and the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport have been awarded $3,893,247 in federal grants designed to spur community and economic development.\u201cThese grants are investments in Gulfport and the Mississippi Gulf Coast,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cThis funding, with its focus on economic and community development, can benefit businesses and families throughout the region.\u201d \u201cI am pleased that we are working to enhance our Gulf Coast with these federal grants, which will aid local housing developments, improve airport infrastructure, and promote safety,\u201d Wicker said.The largest of the three individual grants will provide $3,005,248 for runway rehabilitation at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport.\u00a0 This Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program award will support the rehabilitation of 5,500 feet of the runway to maintain structural integrity, minimize foreign object debris, and increase passenger safety.Additionally, a $581,068 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) was awarded to the City of Gulfport to support community development projects near the Gulfport Job Corps Center.\u00a0 These flexible grants, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), are designed to better enable local governments to expand economic opportunities and housing availability, especially for low and middle-income residents.The City of Gulfport will also receive a $306,931 grant from the HUD HOME program, which provides funding to help local governments implement housing strategies designed to promote homeownership and increase affordable housing opportunities.\u00a0 The funding is expected to be used for public housing rehabilitation.Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, successfully worked to maintain FY2016 funding for the Airport Improvement Program and CDBG program, which were proposed to be cut by the President\u2019s budget request.\u00a0 Many Mississippi communities benefit from these programs.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=FA89E479-7ABF-439B-982A-0F5FBC44FB52", "COCHRAN, WICKER: $1 MILLON FAA AWARD FOR GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGIONAL AIRPORT", "2016-08-30", "2016", "2016-08", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today announced that the Golden Triangle Regional Airport, near the intersection of Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha Counties, Miss., has received a federal grant for more than $1 million to increase passenger safety.The grant, totaling $1,063,485, was provided through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program.\u00a0 It will allow the Golden Triangle Regional Airport Authority to rehabilitate the airport\u2019s apron, which is the area of an airport where aircraft are parked, loaded, and boarded.\u201cThe Golden Triangle Regional Airport is an important asset for an area that is growing as a hub for technology, research and manufacturing.\u00a0 I am pleased that local authorities will have these resources to improve the efficiency of this airport,\u201d Cochran said.\u201cThis federal investment represents a continued commitment to improving the existing airport infrastructure at Golden Triangle,\u201d Wicker said.\u00a0 \u201cThese enhancements, along with the construction of a third new industrial park, highlight the tremendous economic progress being made in the area.\u201dWicker serves a senior member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, which last spring drafted a new FAA reform bill that expands the Airport Improvement Program.\u00a0 The legislation was enacted into law in July.Cochran chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, which in May approved the FY2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill.\u00a0 This measure provides $3.35 billion from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to continue support for the Airport Improvement Program.\u00a0 Many Mississippi airports benefit from this program, which is designed to help facilities meet FAA operations and safety standards.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=00FCE045-7630-4513-A7CC-35C2DB6536A6", "URGENT RURAL MISS. PROJECTS WIN SUPPORT FROM DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY", "2016-08-25", "2016", "2016-08", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today applauded the distribution of Delta Regional Authority (DRA) grant secured last year to support infrastructure improvements and community development projects in rural Mississippi.The DRA is awarding more than $3.28 million in eight grants, which when combined with nonfederal contributions, will result in more than a $14.8 million investment in eight Mississippi communities.\u00a0 The grants are the result of a $10 million funding increase Cochran worked to secure for the DRA as part of the FY2016 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill.\u201cThese grants give rural communities greater leverage to put money in place to repair and improve infrastructure, provide services and attract economic activity,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cI am pleased that rural Mississippi will benefit from the additional resources provided to the Delta Regional Authority.\u201dOverall, the DRA was appropriated $25 million for FY2016, of which $10 million was set aside specifically for basic public infrastructure for underserved communities.\u00a0 The FY2016 appropriation was the highest funding level for the DRA since Congress authorized it in 2000. DRA awarded the following infrastructure grants:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Cleveland \u2013 $1,014,000 to support Phase I of an overall sanitary sewer system improvement project that will serve 19,000 residents in Cleveland and Bolivar County.\u00a0 Combined with local and state revolving loan funds, $9,444,000 is available for Phase I.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Lincoln County \u2013 $1,250,000 to support industrial access road repairs for the Brookhaven Industrial Park, which supports more than 1,000 jobs.\u00a0 With nonfederal funding, $2,747,491 is available for this project.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Hollandale \u2013 $450,000 to support a city-wide water system improvement project involving the repair of system deterioration, which affects water delivery to residents.DRA approved the following States' Economic Development Assistance Program grants to support community-based and regional projects:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Humphreys County \u2013 $307,000 to support a project to establish an urgent care clinic in Belzoni, in cooperation with the University of Mississippi Medical Center.\u00a0 With nonfederal funding, $888,889 is available for this project.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Symonds Water Association, Pace \u2013 $156,000 to support the Association\u2019s need to address emergency work to help ensure potable water and wastewater services.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Moorhead \u2013 $44,232 to support the installation of lighting on the Highway 3 Corridor from Highway 82 to the Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC).\u00a0 This project, for which $633,982 is available, also includes contributions from MDCC and Sunflower County.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Lexington \u2013 $36,107 to help address health and safety hazards resulting from collapsed sewer lines, which cause sinkholes on city streets and residential backups.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Town of Coahoma \u2013 $26,250 to support installation of a Package Wastewater Treatment Plant to help the city meet Biochemical Oxygen Demand and Ammonia Nitrate limits.Other Mississippi projects are expected to be funded as the DRA distributes the remaining $15 million of its FY2016 appropriation by the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=3F37FE44-44B6-40DF-A690-2E16B8951BDE", "COCHRAN, WICKER ANNOUNCE TUPELO AIRPORT GRANT", "2016-08-19", "2016", "2016-08", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today announced nearly $950,000 in federal grant funding for the Tupelo Regional Airport improvements.   \u00a0  The Tupelo Airport Authority is receiving $948,223, of which $829,179 is from FY2016 appropriated funding provided by Congress for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for airport safety and infrastructure.  \u00a0  \u201cI\u2019m pleased to see the Federal Aviation Administration make this investment in the Tupelo Regional Airport.\u00a0 Continuing improvements at the airport can help increase economic development and connectivity throughout Northeast Mississippi,\u201d Cochran said.  \u00a0  \u201cThese funds represent a commitment by the federal government to improve Tupelo Regional Airport\u2019s existing infrastructure,\u201d Wicker said.\u00a0 \u201cThe FAA grants help to ensure that passengers in North Mississippi continue to have access to affordable, safe air travel.\u201d   \u00a0  The FAA Airport Improvement Program funding for Tupelo will go toward rehabilitation of a taxiway and runway, which could lead to improvements in passenger safety and airport efficiency.\u00a0 The goal of the work is to maintain the structural integrity of the existing taxiway.  \u00a0  Last year, Cochran and Wicker, along with U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) announced a similar $716,779 grant for runway safety improvements, fencing installation and runway rehabilitation at the Tupelo airport.  \u00a0  Many Mississippi airports benefit from this program to help facilities meet FAA operations and safety standards.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=616C2BEC-671F-48D2-89C6-7C7B542F9477", "COCHRAN, OFFICIALS PRAISE LARGEST EVER NIH RESEARCH GRANT TO UMMC", "2016-08-15", "2016", "2016-08", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today praised the award of Mississippi\u2019s largest ever National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant, a five-year $19.5 million investment to increase capacity for clinical research in the state.Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was joined in announcing the grant by University of Mississippi Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter and University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs LouAnn Woodward.\u00a0 The award is the direct result of the additional funding provided by Congress for the NIH Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program for FY2016.\u201cI am pleased that National Institutes of Health has confidence in the University of Mississippi Medical Center and its potential to advance medical research.\u00a0 The enhanced capability to conduct clinical trials and research will broaden Mississippi\u2019s contributions to finding cures and treatments that can benefit the public,\u201d Cochran said.\u201cWe are honored by this NIH investment to substantially enhance our capacity and success in translating research discoveries and innovations to better health outcomes,\u201d Dr. Vitter said.\u00a0 \u201cWe are grateful to Senator Cochran and the NIH for accelerating our pace toward our goal of a healthier Mississippi, and congratulate our research team at our medical center campus for winning this significant award.\u201d\u201cThe timing of this magnificent grant couldn\u2019t be better as it coincides with the development of our Translational Research Center and Clinical Research Unit, facilities that will be crucial to our success in clinical research,\u201d said Dr. Woodward.\u00a0 \u201cWe look forward to putting these assets to work in the cause of discovering tomorrow\u2019s treatments and cures.\u201dNIH will provide $3.5 million annually for five years to UMMC for an initiative titled \u201cMississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research.\u201d\u00a0 The IDeA Program Infrastructure for Clinical and Translational Research (IDeA-CTR) grant will allow UMMC to expand the infrastructure and training necessary to conduct clinical research.\u00a0 This would include training additional nurses and physicians in the discipline of managing clinical trials and clinical research.UMMC will collaborate with the NIH Clinical Translational Science Award (CTSA) hub and other research institutions to carry out this project.The UMMC award is linked to an overall $2.0 billion increases provided by Congress for the NIH in FY2016, the largest increase since 2003.\u00a0 These resources included additional funding for IDeA, which is designed to support biomedical research in states with historically limited access to federal research grants.\u00a0 Mississippi is among 23 states and Puerto Rico currently eligible for IDeA grant awards.\u00a0 The IDeA-CTR program seeks to increase capacity for clinical and translational research in IDeA states on health issues impacting medically underserved populations and health concerns specific to those states.As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the NIH, Cochran has worked to ensure sufficient funding for IDeA and other research programs involving Mississippi universities and programs.\u00a0 In FY2015, the NIH invested more than $47.9 million in grants to the University of Mississippi and other institutions in Mississippi.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://trentkelly.house.gov/newsroom/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=381", "Kelly Announces New Communications Director\n\nAugust 12, 2016 | Posted in Press Releases\n\n\n\nKelly Announces New Communications Director \r\n\r\nTUPELO, Miss.\u00a0- Representative Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) today announced Susan Parker as his new communications director.\u00a0 Parker, a native of\u00a0Columbus, Miss., attended the Mississippi University for Women where she studied journalism.\u00a0 Prior to working for Kelly, Parker was a\u00a0reporter with WTVA Television for 24\u2026 Read more \u00bb", "2016-08-12", "2016", "2016-08", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Trent Kelly", "K000388", "trentkelly.house.gov", "trentkelly", "https://trentkelly.house.gov/newsroom/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "TUPELO, Miss. - Representative Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) today announced Susan Parker as his new communications director. Parker, a native of Columbus, Miss., attended the Mississippi University for Women where she studied journalism. Prior to working for Kelly, Parker was a reporter with WTVA Television for 24 years. She has won numerous awards from the Associated Press for writing and photography, including the Howard Lett Newsperson of the Year award in 2010.\n\n\u201cSusan possesses many years of journalism experience across multiple news sources,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cHer knowledge of and dedication to the First District make her a strong addition to our team. She is an excellent communicator and I am certain that she will do an outstanding job in this role.\u201d\n\nParker replaces Eliza Jones Swisher who has relocated to Oklahoma.\n\nRepresentative Trent Kelly represents Mississippi\u2019s First Congressional District. He serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Small Business Committee. This is his first term.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-07T14:16:54Z", "2026-04-07T14:19:51Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=FF12E158-CAF9-48A2-9902-9E5A1E24AE60", "USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT INVESTS $374,800 IN FIVE MISS. COUNTIES", "2016-08-11", "2016", "2016-08", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced that five Mississippi communities and two counties will receive $374,800 in rural development grant funding for public safety and public health projects.The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has approved seven grants for Mississippi, including funding for the communities of Fayette, Lexington, Pace, Shaw, and Vaiden.\u00a0 Carroll and Jefferson Davis counties are also receiving funding.\u201cRural development grants represent small investments that can help smaller communities provide for the public health and safety of their residents,\u201d Cochran said.Overall investment in the seven Mississippi projects totals $669,695 when combined with nonfederal contributions.The USDA Rural Development grants approved for Mississippi to support or improve community facilities for health care, public safety and public service include:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Town of Fayette \u2013 $244,800 to purchase a fire truck ($74,976 nonfederal funding; $299,776 total project cost)  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Lexington \u2013 $30,000 to fund a study deteriorating wastewater infrastructure to determine alternative operating changes or capital improvements that may be required to meet environmental regulations  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Town of Pace \u2013 $23,900 to support West Railroad Street repairs ($135,550 Mississippi Development Authority and town funding; $159,450 total project cost)  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0City of Shaw \u2013 $19,500 to purchase a police vehicle ($6,500 nonfederal funding; $26,000 total project cost)  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Town of Vaiden \u2013 $21,000 to purchase a patrol vehicle ($7,100 nonfederal funding; $28,200 total project cost)  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Carroll County \u2013 $24,200 to purchase health clinic equipment for the Vaiden Health Clinic ($44,987 nonfederal funding; $69,187 total project cost)  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Jefferson Davis County \u2013 $31,000 to purchase two patrol vehicles ($25,782 nonfederal funding; $57,082 total project cost)Cochran is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and serves on the subcommittee with funding jurisdiction over the USDA and Rural Development.\u00a0\u00a0 He is also the senior Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which is charged with recommending USDA policy.Additional awards to Mississippi could be forthcoming as the USDA continues distribution of discretionary funding before the end of FY2016 on Sept. 20.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://trentkelly.house.gov/newsroom/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363", "Media Advisory | Kelly, Boyd to Present Military Medals\n\nAugust 10, 2016 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nTags:\nNational Defense / Veterans\n\n\nKelly, Boyd to Present Military Medals\r\n\r\n\r\nThursday, August 11\r\n\r\n11:00 am CST in MANTACHIE: Representative Trent Kelly and State Representative Randy Boyd (R-Mantachie) will present military medals to World War II Army Veteran Orva \"O.R.\" Dulaney, Medic, United States Army.\u00a0 The ceremony will take place at the\u00a0Mantachie First Baptist Church sanctuary located at 6080 Highway\u2026 Read more \u00bb", "2016-08-10", "2016", "2016-08", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Trent Kelly", "K000388", "trentkelly.house.gov", "trentkelly", "https://trentkelly.house.gov/newsroom/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Kelly, Boyd to Present Military Medals\n\nThursday, August 11\n\n11:00 am CST in MANTACHIE: Representative Trent Kelly and State Representative Randy Boyd (R-Mantachie) will present military medals to World War II Army Veteran Orva \"O.R.\" Dulaney, Medic, United States Army. The ceremony will take place at the Mantachie First Baptist Church sanctuary located at 6080 Highway 363.\n\nO.R. Dulaney served as a medic during World War II. He survived some of the most fierce battles armed with just a pocket knife. His bravery on the battlefield earned him high honors in the form of medals.\n\nWhen Dulaney returned from the war, he worked at a grocery store. One day he hung his coat with medals displayed on a back door. That would be the last time he would see his medals.\n\nFast forward 70 years later. Through the efforts of Kelly and Boyd, Dulaney will again receive the medals that he earned and deserves.\n\nRepresentative Trent Kelly represents Mississippi\u2019s First Congressional District. He serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Small Business Committee. This is his first term.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-07T14:16:54Z", "2026-04-07T14:19:51Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=7840E4F3-44BD-475D-BE13-3907515543C3", "MISS. SENATORS URGE STUDENTS TO APPLY FOR U.S. SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM", "2016-08-09", "2016", "2016-08", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today encouraged eligible Mississippi high school students to apply for the 2017 U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP).Two Mississippi high school students will be selected to represent the state at the 55th annual USSYP Washington Week in Washington, D.C., and receive a $10,000 undergraduate scholarship.\u00a0 High school seniors or juniors involved in student government, civic or educational organizations are eligible for the week-long program.\u00a0 The selection process is, in part, based on academic achievement, leadership capabilities and public service.\u201cThe U.S. Senate Youth Program can be a valuable opportunity for students to learn firsthand about American government,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cI encourage all eligible students to apply for this prestigious scholarship program.\u201d \u00a0\u201cThe Senate Youth Program inspires students to develop leadership skills and get more involved in their communities,\u201d said Wicker, who serves as the Senate co-chair of the 2017 program.\u00a0 \u201cYoung Mississippians who are chosen for this educational experience will benefit from the opportunity to learn more about our government and the value of public service.\u201dThe U.S. Senate established the program in 1962 to introduce student leaders to the federal government and public policy.\u00a0 The USSYP Washington Week program includes meetings with U.S. Senators, a Supreme Court Justice, cabinet secretaries, and other policymakers.The USSYP includes scholarships and a week-long trip (March 4-11, 2017) to Washington for each of the 104 delegates from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity.\u00a0 The non-profit Hearst Foundation fully funds and administers the USSYP. Mississippi\u2019s 2016 Senate Youth Program delegates were Joseph Hasbrouck of Pascagoula and Jackson Wilkins of Hattiesburg.Interested students can visit www.ussenateyouth.org for more information or access the 2017 USSYP brochure outlining the rules and selection process information here: http://bit.ly/2aD9E5F.\u00a0 The deadline to apply for the USSYP program is Sept. 30, 2016. \u00a0Students may also contact their high school principal or Mississippi\u2019s state-level selection administrator:Ms. Tiffany Jones  Director of Teacher Recruitment  Mississippi Department of Education   (601) 359-3631  TTJones@mdek12.org\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=DC995AEC-B90A-4921-9682-66F37E941CCB", "COCHRAN, WICKER URGE USDA TO REVISE SNAP RULE", "2016-08-03", "2016", "2016-08", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) have joined a bipartisan group of Senators raising concerns that a proposed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rule could limit food access in rural areas.Cochran and Wicker are among 47 Senators who signed a letter asking USDA to revise its controversial proposed rule on retailer eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).\u00a0 The rule would require all retailers, including smaller food suppliers like convenience stores, to stock seven different varieties of food products within four \u201cstaple food\u201d groups in order to be eligible to accept SNAP benefits.While the USDA intended the rule to increase access to healthy foods, it would actually limit food access for many people in rural communities--contrary to congressional intent in the 2014 farm bill.\u00a0 For example, compliance costs could prevent many small retailers from accepting SNAP in areas where larger food retailers are not present or accessible.The Senators encouraged Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack \u201cto seriously consider the combined impact of the requirements in this proposed rule and revise the rule to better balance the importance of ensuring the availability of nutritious food and providing adequate access for SNAP recipients in all parts of the country.\u201d\u201cUnfortunately, the combined impact of the proposed changes will likely result in the removal of a large number of small format retailers and small businesses from SNAP.\u00a0 This raises questions regarding the ability of FNS [USDA Food and Nutrition Service] to mitigate the food access challenges as Congress intended,\u201d the letter said.Within the 2014 farm bill, Congress stressed maintaining critical nutrition assistance for families.\u00a0 At the same time, the law included strong provisions to fight trafficking, fraud and misuse within the SNAP program and to invest savings in new pilot programs to help people secure employment through job training and other services.\u00a0 The Senate FY2017 Agriculture Appropriations Bill outlines a $1.167 billion decrease in mandatory spending for SNAP next year due to declining enrollments.In addition to Cochran and Wicker, Senators signing the letter include Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).The letter to Agriculture Secretary Vilsack is available below or here: http://bit.ly/2aQMLjX.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=CC43A84D-222E-46C7-9984-4B8324A641DF", "COCHRAN CONGRATULATES MISSISSIPPIS 2016 BOYS & GIRLS NATION DELEGATES", "2016-07-28", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Mississippi delegates to the 2016 Boys Nation and Girls Nation programs.\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) on Thursday commended Mississippi\u2019s delegates to the 2016 American Legion Boys Nation and American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation for representing the Magnolia State well at the annual national event.The delegates (left to right), Reid Stevens of Starkville, Cailin Sims of Vancleave, Rachel Shoemaker of Taylorsville, and Bradley Curtis of Starkville, visited with Cochran as part of their week-long Boys Nation and Girls Nation experience.Curtis, a Starkville High School senior, and Stevens, who attends Starkville Academy, were selected through the 2016 Mississippi Boys State program at the University of Mississippi to represent the state at Boys Nation in Washington D.C.Shoemaker and Sims were chosen to attend Girls Nation by delegates to this year\u2019s Mississippi Girls State program, which was held at the University of Southern Mississippi earlier this summer.\u00a0 Shoemaker attends Laurel Christian High School, while Sims is a senior at Vancleave High School.The Boys and Girls Nation programs focus on government and citizenship education for students who are selected from their respective Girls and Boys State programs. The students selected to represent their states are referred to as \u201csenators.\u201d\u00a0 The annual state and national programs are sponsored by the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/press-release/harper-cochran-wicker-announce-10-million-grant-upgrade-natchez-railway", "Harper, Cochran, Wicker Announce $10 Million Grant to Upgrade Natchez Railway", "2016-07-27", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "HARPER, COCHRAN, WICKER ANNOUNCE $10 MILLION GRANT TO UPGRADE NATCHEZ RAILWAY\nNatchez Railway Bridge Upgrades Could Spur Economic Growth in Southwest Mississippi\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), with Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), today praised the award of a $10 million federal transportation grant to the City of Natchez to upgrade bridges on the Natchez railway.\nThe U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the City of Natchez the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) funding to upgrade five structurally-deficient bridges along the Natchez railway between Natchez and Brookhaven.\u00a0 Cochran, Wicker and Harper supported the Natchez application for federal funding.\n\u201cImproved service along the railway would stimulate economic development at the Natchez-Adams County Port and Industrial Park, in neighboring Franklin and Lincoln Counties, and across Southwest Mississippi,\u201d said Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.\u00a0 \u201cThere is intense competition for TIGER grants, and I am very pleased that Natchez has successfully secured this funding.\u201d\n\"South Mississippi will see substantial benefits from this TIGER grant,\u201d Wicker said. \u201cIncreasing the productivity and safety along the Natchez railway promises to boost economic growth throughout the entire region. I am pleased that these grants are being used to address critical gaps in rail service in our state.\u201d\n\u201cThis grant is an investment in Southwest Mississippi that will increase the traffic base, boost production and provide additional job opportunities,\u201d said Harper.\u00a0 \u201cMore importantly, this grant assures cost effective, reliable and safe rail service for the citizens and businesses of Adams, Franklin and Lincoln Counties.\u201d\nThe bridge repair work would represent a major step toward maximizing the potential of the railway.\u00a0 The improvements would permit railcars that meet the 286,000 pound industry standard and allow trains to travel at 25 mph over the repaired bridges.\u00a0 Trains are currently limited to lighter loads and must travel at 10 mph over the bridges.\n\u00a0The Natchez award is funded through FY2016 transportation appropriations, including $500 million overall for TIGER discretionary grants or National Infrastructure Investments.\u00a0 Under Cochran\u2019s leadership, the Senate Appropriations Committee in April approved $525 million to support TIGER grants in FY2017.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=590A3E37-7DD4-44DB-8BBB-0D59BA344D56", "COCHRAN, WICKER, HARPER:  $10 MILLION GRANT TO UPGRADE NATCHEZ RAILWAY", "2016-07-26", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), with Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), today praised the award of a $10 million federal transportation grant to the City of Natchez to upgrade bridges on the Natchez railway.The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the City of Natchez the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) funding to upgrade five structurally-deficient bridges along the Natchez railway between Natchez and Brookhaven.\u00a0 Cochran, Wicker and Harper supported the Natchez application for federal funding.\u201cImproved service along the railway would stimulate economic development at the Natchez-Adams County Port and Industrial Park, in neighboring Franklin and Lincoln Counties, and across Southwest Mississippi,\u201d said Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.\u00a0 \u201cThere is intense competition for TIGER grants, and I am very pleased that Natchez has successfully secured this funding.\u201d\"South Mississippi will see substantial benefits from this TIGER grant,\u201d Wicker said. \u201cIncreasing the productivity and safety along the Natchez railway promises to boost economic growth throughout the entire region. I am pleased that these grants are being used to address critical gaps in rail service in our state.\u201d\u201cThis grant is an investment in Southwest Mississippi that will increase the traffic base, boost production and provide additional job opportunities,\u201d said Harper.\u00a0 \u201cMore importantly, this grant assures cost effective, reliable and safe rail service for the citizens and businesses of Adams, Franklin and Lincoln Counties.\u201dThe bridge repair work would represent a major step toward maximizing the potential of the railway.\u00a0 The improvements would permit railcars that meet the 286,000 pound industry standard and allow trains to travel at 25 mph over the repaired bridges.\u00a0 Trains are currently limited to lighter loads and must travel at 10 mph over the bridges.The Natchez award is funded through FY2016 transportation appropriations, including $500 million overall for TIGER discretionary grants or National Infrastructure Investments.\u00a0 Under Cochran\u2019s leadership, the Senate Appropriations Committee in April approved $525 million to support TIGER grants in FY2017.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=F72A9B68-C015-4A02-9B63-B0D05CBF77F8", "MISS. SENATORS ASK INTERIOR DEPT. TO DROP PROPOSED OFFSHORE RULE", "2016-07-25", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today said the lack of evidence that offshore energy production adversely affects onshore air quality should prompt the withdrawal of a proposed new federal rule on offshore activities.Cochran and Wicker are among 17 Senators who have signed a letter asking Interior Secretary Sally Jewel to withdraw the \u201cAir Quality Control, Reporting, and Compliance\u201d rule proposed by Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).\u201cThis rulemaking amounts to creating a solution for a problem that doesn\u2019t exist.\u00a0 The administration\u2019s eagerness to impose new regulations before the end of the year should not undermine facts and basic fairness to states that produce offshore energy,\u201d said Cochran, who serves on the Senate appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Interior Department.\u201cThis proposed rule is unnecessary,\u201d Wicker said. \u201cThe agency has already proved that this regulation would not make a significant impact on making inland air cleaner. This is a solution in search of a problem. It is clear that regulatory action is not scientifically justified.\u201dThe letter highlights the fact that BOEM has failed to determine that offshore activities violate National Ambient Air Quality Standards in coastal areas.\u00a0 The letter points out that the agency\u2019s own National Environmental Policy Act review, as well as required Clean Air Act State Implementation Plans, have found that offshore emission sources do not contribute significantly to onshore air quality.The Senators also criticized BOEM for advancing the proposed rule before two ongoing studies, costing $4.0 million, have been concluded.\u00a0 These studies could be completed in 2017.\u201cUnless and until such studies are completed, peer reviewed, and assessed, it is impossible for BOEM to put forth a credible cost benefit analysis.\u00a0 Moreover, the affected entities cannot be reasonably expected to take adequate stock of or fully inform BOEM regarding the regulation,\u201d the letter said.\u00a0 \u201cTherefore, we ask the Department to withdraw this rule or at a minimum table this proposed rulemaking until the results of its own studies are completed to determine whether or not any regulatory action is scientifically justified.\u201dThe letter, authored by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), was also signed by Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Michael Rounds (R-S.D.), Jeff Session (R-Ala.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Thune (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and David Vitter (R-La.).\r\n###\r\nLINK  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Senate Letter on BOEM Proposed Rule available below.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=31B2FEC4-9B95-4AF8-B5AF-C1851D8A63CC", "COCHRAN, WICKER ANNOUNCE $20.3 MILLION FOR MISSISSIPPI AIRPORT UPGRADES", "2016-07-22", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran, R-Miss., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today reported that 19 Mississippi airport facilities will benefit from $20.3 million in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation.The Airport Improvement Program grants include significant awards for the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport and the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, with $13.8 million approved for runway work in Jackson and nearly $4.6 million for noise abatement and other work in Gulfport.\u201cThese grants are important investments in the safety, security and efficiency of local airports in Mississippi,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cThis funding will support projects that should help the development of Mississippi businesses and communities.\u201d\u201cAirport infrastructure directly impacts Mississippians\u2019 quality of life, passenger safety, and the economic competitiveness of our communities,\u201d Wicker said. \u201cThese grants \u2013 benefiting airports across the state \u2013 will support critical projects that promise to bring about long-term rewards for residents and local businesses.\u201dLast spring, a new FAA reform bill was approved by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, of which Wicker serves as a senior member. The House-Senate conference agreement, passed by the full Senate on July 13, includes provisions to expand the Airport Improvement Program. The legislation was signed into law by President Obama on July 15.Cochran chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, which in May approved the FY2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill.\u00a0 This measure continues a level obligation limit of $3.35 billion from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to continue support for the Airport Improvement Program.\u00a0 Mississippi airports benefit from this program, which helps these facilities meet FAA operations and safety standards.The 19 FAA grants, totaling $20,382,115, for Mississippi will support the following airport projects:\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority and City of Jackson \u2013 $13,832,641 for runway and taxiway rehabilitation and wildlife hazard assessments  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, Gulfport Biloxi Regional Airport Authority \u2013 $3,420,000 for noise mitigation measures for nearby residences  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, Gulfport Biloxi Regional Airport Authority \u2013 $1,178,238 for airport drainage improvements, terminal building rehabilitation, security enhancements, and widening of taxiway  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Philadelphia Municipal Airport, City of Philadelphia \u2013 $269,264 for terminal building construction  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Houston Municipal Airport, City of Houston \u2013 $240,269 for construction of a building and taxiway  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0McCharen Field Airport, City of West Point \u2013 $234,900 for runway, apron, and taxiway rehabilitation, obstruction removal, and existing airport master plan study update  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0G.V. Montgomery Airport, City of Forest \u2013 $180,819 for runway and taxiway rehabilitation  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Ackerman Choctaw County Airport, City of Ackerman and County of Choctaw \u2013 $150,000 for building, taxiway, and access road construction  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Hattiesburg Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport, City of Hattiesburg \u2013 $130,455 for taxiway extension and obstruction removal  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Brookhaven-Lincoln County Airport, City of Brookhaven \u2013 $118,755 for runway rehabilitation and airport master plan study update  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Louisville Winston County Airport, City of Louisville \u2013 $114,925 for apron rehabilitation  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport, Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport Authority \u2013 $100,817 for the taxiway, parking lot, and access road rehabilitation   \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Winona-Montgomery County Airport, City of Winona and County of Montgomery \u2013 $78,010 for apron, runway, and taxiway rehabilitation  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0University-Oxford Airport, University of Mississippi \u2013 $76,816 for airport master plan study update  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0George M. Bryan Airport, City of Starkville \u2013 $73,675 for installation of perimeter fencing   \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Kosciusko-Attala County Airport, City of Kosciusko \u2013 $73,675 for acquisition of land and easements to enhance protection for runway approaches  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Key Field Airport, Meridian Airport Authority \u2013 $50,000 for runway safety area improvements  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Columbia-Marion County Airport, County of Columbia and Marion \u2013 $45,000 for conduction of environmental study  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Grenada Municipal Airport, City of Grenada \u2013 $13,856 for apron rehabilitation \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=2AACC420-9EEC-4E3A-BC12-7D76B2AAD912", "COCHRAN: NORTHERN GULF INSTITUTE GETS EXPANDED ROLE AS MISSISSIPPI WINS NEW NOAA AWARD", "2016-07-15", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today praised the selection of Mississippi State University to continue its leadership of an expanded Northern Gulf Institute (NGI) research consortium that will now monitor the entire Gulf of Mexico.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) selected Mississippi State following an open competition to determine leadership for the NGI, a NOAA Cooperative Institute.\u00a0 The five-year agreement involves a $7 million award, which can be renewed annually based on performance.\u201cThe health of the Gulf of Mexico directly affects the economy of Mississippi and the nation,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cMississippi State University has succeeded in ensuring that the Northern Gulf Institute excels in providing NOAA with cutting-edge research on the Gulf ecosystem.\u00a0 This new award affirms and expands those responsibilities, which is good news for the university, its partners and NOAA.\u201dThe NGI consortium is led through a partnership between Mississippi State and the University of Southern Mississippi.\u00a0 The new award adds the University of Alabama at Huntsville to the consortium, which already includes Louisiana State University, Florida State University and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.In addition, the award extends the scope of NGI research from the northern reaches of the Gulf to the entire Gulf of Mexico.\u00a0 NGI will focus its research on coastal hazards, ecosystem management, data management, and climate variability on the Gulf ecosystems.Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has supported the NGI since its founding 10 years ago.\u00a0 In 2007, Cochran secured funding to support construction of a NGI facility at the Stennis Space Center, which has allowed the organization to expand its collaborations with organizations such as the National Data Buoy Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Weather Service and NASA.\r\n###\r\nLINKS  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Northern Gulf Institute:\u00a0 http://www.northerngulfinstitute.org/   \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 NOAA Cooperative Institute:\u00a0 http://ci.noaa.gov/", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=6B6B1791-FE52-4E20-9395-641CB02E1110", "COCHRAN OPTIMISTIC ABOUT FUNDING TO FIGHT HEROIN & OPIOID ABUSE EPIDEMIC", "2016-07-15", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today said he is optimistic Congress will agree to provide funding for initiatives to fight heroin and prescription opioid painkiller abuse as authorized in legislation cleared for the President\u2019s signature.The Senate gave final congressional approval to the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) of 2015 (S.524) this week.\u00a0 The authorizing bill would strengthen federal efforts to assist states and localities fight opioid abuse, improve treatments, and coordinate law enforcement efforts.\u00a0 The President is expected to sign the bill into law.\u201cThe heroin and prescription drug abuse crisis affecting most states, including Mississippi, is a national concern.\u00a0 The enactment of this federal legislation will allow Congress to aid states and communities as they try to address this growing epidemic,\u201d said Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.\u201cThis bill will further guide appropriations to respond to the health, social and law enforcement problems created from opioid abuse.\u00a0 Over the past two years alone, the Appropriations Committee has already approved significant funding increases to fight this problem,\u201d he said.The rate of overdoses and deaths attributed to heroin and prescription opioid abuse have risen dramatically throughout the country.\u00a0 Nearly 30,000 Americans died from drug-related deaths in 2014, including dozens of heroin and prescription opioid deaths in Mississippi.Under Cochran\u2019s chairmanship, the Senate Appropriations Committee has already approved FY2017 funding for opioid abuse programs within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, representing a 542 percent increase over the funding level two years ago.\u00a0 Significant funding increases have also been approved for the Justice Department, Department of Veterans Affairs, Drug Free Communities, and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program to disrupt the distribution, use, and prevalence of heroin and opioid abuse.Forrest, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Jackson, Lafayette, Madison, and Rankin counties in Mississippi are part of the Gulf Coast HIDTA.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=03985847-36F4-42A7-A80C-1F4AAC71BC75", "DEMOCRAT FILIBUSTER OBSTRUCTS RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE FOR NATIONS DEFENSE", "2016-07-14", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss) today encouraged Senate Democrats to end their filibuster of the FY2017 Defense Appropriations Bill.  The Senate has a responsibility to give our men and women in uniform the resources they need to defend our nation. We do so in this bipartisan bill. Filibustering its consideration causes uncertainties that endanger our national security, said Cochran, who also chairs the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. This bill is the product of bipartisan work to provide the resources the President and our military leaders say is necessary to defend our country and its national security interests. Its passage would provide the stability and security our men and women in the Armed Forces need, he said. The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the FY2017 Defense Appropriations Bill in May, but Senate Democrats are now blocking the measure from being considered by the Senate.  The Senate FY2017 Defense Appropriations Bill provides $515.9 billion in base Department of Defense funding and $58.6 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding. The bill is consistent with the amounts approved in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 and redirects $15.1 billion in targeted cuts to unfunded requirements identified by the Services. Thursdays 55-42 vote marks the fifth consecutive time that Senate Democrats have blocked consideration of the defense appropriations measure. The FY2017 bill was first blocked by Democrats on July 7, mirroring repeated delaying tactics by Democrats on the FY2016 defense bill after three failed votes last year.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=98254C33-B002-4804-8E14-59894043AE54", "APPROPRIATORS TO OBAMA:  ACT AGGRESSIVELY TO USE EXISTING FUNDS TO COMBAT ZIKA", "2016-07-14", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  In response to continued Democrat obstruction, the chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees today encouraged President Obama to act aggressively to use available funding to combat the Zika virus. The congressional leaders issued the request in a letter sent to the President after Senate Democrats on Thursday again blocked Senate consideration of legislation to make $1.1 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations available immediately to address the public health threat posed by the Zika virus. If Senate Democrats continue to block consideration of Zika legislation, we urge you to aggressively use funds already available to mount a strong defense against the virus, the letter states. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services has transfer authority that can be used as an additional source for Zika preparedness. The previous Secretary did not hesitate to use this authority to support the failing Affordable Care Act Exchanges. The Secretary of State also has authority to reprogram funding to provide additional foreign assistance to address the Zika virus outside the United States. The letter was authored by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers (R-Ky.) and signed by: Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Representative Tom Cole (R-Okla.), chairmen of the Senate and House appropriations subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Representative Kay Granger (R-Texas), chairs of the Senate and House appropriations subcommittees on State and Foreign Operations. Text of the letter follows: Dear Mr. President: Your Administration has asked Congress to provide additional resources to prepare for, and prevent, the spread of the Zika virus. We have responded by both supporting the reprioritization of existing resources and passing through our respective chambers legislation that would provide additional Zika response funding. On February 18, 2016, we called upon your Administration to repurpose available funds to be spent immediately to fight the disease. On April 6, 2016, you did so through the use of existing authorities, repurposing $589 million for Zika response activities. Given the urgency of your request, we were surprised last week when Politico reported the following based on information shared by Administration officials: The Obama administration has so far distributed only about one-sixth of the unspent Ebola funding that it diverted to combat the Zika virus. This money is available immediately to prepare for and combat Zika, yet is seemingly not being spent. The House passed a conference report that would provide an additional $1.1 billion in emergency supplemental funding to continue to prepare for, and prevent, Zika both domestically and internationally. It is unfortunate that Democrats have blocked action on this legislation in the Senate. The conference report provides the same amount of funding that every Senate Democrat previously supported. It fully funds vaccine research, and increases funding for mosquito spraying and eradication, Zika surveillance, and advanced development of treatments and diagnostics. The conference agreement provides the same access to health services as your supplemental request, contains no new prohibition on any health service, and expands access to health services in Puerto Rico beyond your initial request. If Senate Democrats continue to block consideration of Zika legislation, we urge you to aggressively use funds already available to mount a strong defense against the virus. We also note that the fiscal year 2016 appropriations bills allow the Administration access to additional funds. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services has transfer authority that can be used as an additional source for Zika preparedness. The previous Secretary did not hesitate to use this authority to support the failing Affordable Care Act Exchanges. The Secretary of State also has authority to reprogram funding to provide additional foreign assistance to address the Zika virus outside the United States. We urge you to use available funding now to ensure that our nation is prepared. Sincerely, Harold Rogers, Chairman   House Committee on Appropriations Thad Cochran, Chairman  Senate Committee on Appropriations Tom Cole, Chairman   House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Roy Blunt, Chairman,   Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Kay Granger, Chairwoman   House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs  Lindsey Graham, Chairman  Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs\r\n  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=41FBEA36-025F-4C20-B32D-058968A57D2A", "COMMITTEE APPROVES MEDGAR EVERS HOME LEGISLATION", "2016-07-13", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this morning approved legislation sponsored by U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) to authorize a study on designating the home of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers as a National Park Service unit. Wednesdays committee approval of the Medgar Evers House Study Act (S.2177) makes the measure available for consideration by the Senate. More than 50 years have passed since many of the significant events of the civil rights movement took place. The tragic murder of Medgar Evers at his home was such an event. This bill would direct the National Park Service to study how the nations civil rights history may be enhanced by the preservation of the Evers home, Cochran said.  We are one step closer to achieving this important goal, Wicker said. I am confident that the study, once completed, will prove what many of us already know  that Medgar Everss home is a historic landmark worthy of being included in the National Park System. I am hopeful that the Senate will consider this legislation soon. The measure would authorize a special resource study to evaluate the national significance of the Medgar Evers home in Jackson and to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating it as a unit of the National Park System. The study would also consider alternatives for preserving, protecting and interpreting the site by federal, state, or local governments, or private entities and organizations. The legislation is supported by Tougaloo College, which acquired the Evers home in 1993 and designated it as a museum in 1997. The site is a designated Mississippi landmark under the State Antiquity Law and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A House companion measure (HR.959) introduced by Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) was approved by voice vote in the House of Representatives last September. Medgar Evers, a World War II veteran and civil rights leader, was assassinated June 12, 1963, in the driveway of his home while his family was inside. The home, preserved by Tougaloo College, includes items regarding the Evers career and legacy.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/no-american-should-be-above-law", "No American Should Be Above the Law", "2016-07-08", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,\n\tAs you know by now, FBI Director James Comey announced this week that the FBI did not recommend criminal charges to the Department of Justice (DOJ), and that the DOJ will not pursue charges in connection to the existence of Secretary Hillary Clinton\u2019s private email server that contained classified information. \nI have taken a few days this week to contemplate this important issue, its impact on our country, and to give Director Comey the opportunity to explain his decision to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Director Comey\u2019s decision is disappointing. The findings released by the FBI investigation on Tuesday make it clear that Secretary Clinton has consistently misled the American people since the news\u00a0of her private email server came to light in the Spring of 2015. For more than a year now, she has time and time again lied to the American people. Director Comey\u2019s news conference clearly described her very poor judgment, and it\u2019s clear to me that her actions were illegal.\nFBI investigators found 110 emails in 52 email chains on Hillary Clinton's server that were classified at the time that they were sent or received. Previously, she had denied that she had sent or received classified emails. \nLike most Americans, I struggle with the idea that a public official can be given a free pass for the reckless handling and transmission of national security information and putting our country\u2019s very safety at risk, when other public officials and members of the military have been held responsible for breaking the law in this manner. I have signed on to a letter requesting that the Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, pursuant to her authority under federal law, appoint a Special Prosecutor to formally investigate this matter. A Special Prosecutor should make the decision on whether or not\u00a0Secretary Clinton should be prosecuted. \nNo American, regardless of position, wealth, or status, should be above the law.\n\n\tGod Bless,\n\tGregg Harper\n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/press-release/praying-americas-police", "Praying For America's Police", "2016-07-08", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) issued the following statement in response to the news that law enforcement officers were ambushed in Dallas late last night, killing five, and wounding seven other police officers:\u00a0 \u00a0\n\u201cI am sickened and heartbroken by last night\u2019s cowardly, senseless act of violence against law enforcement officers who were protecting the rights of those who wished to peacefully protest in downtown Dallas, marking the deadliest day for law enforcement since 9/11,\u201d said Harper. \u201cSidney and I send our thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families, first responders, law enforcement and the entire city of Dallas.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=34D1569F-31C4-4601-B4B9-4A74A1639E4A", "COCHRAN STATEMENT ON THE SHOOTINGS IN DALLAS", "2016-07-08", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today released the following statement regarding the shootings in Dallas, Texas:\u201cI deplore the violence against law enforcement officers at a peaceful protest.\u00a0 My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.\u00a0 The shootings in Dallas are an affront to the right of peaceful assembly and the rule of law.\u00a0 Our nation is great because of our ability to work through differences without resorting to violence.\u00a0 I hope we will rededicate ourselves to that ideal.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=7CF90D62-3947-4FAF-BE69-10A10E69FC3A", "COCHRAN URGES DOE TO BROADEN RENEWABLE TIMBER STANDARD", "2016-07-08", "2016", "2016-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today reported his support for changes to a federal policy that restricts federal agencies from purchasing lumber products produced on millions acres of forests in Mississippi.Cochran has signed a bipartisan letter to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz to request that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) revise its forest certification standards.\u00a0 The DOE standard, currently restricted to only lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), is used to promote federal purchases of sustainable timber products.\u201cThe reliance on a single standard unfairly disregards other sustainable forestry standards that would make more Mississippi timber products eligible for federal projects,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cRevising this restrictive policy would promote sustainable forestry and new jobs in states like Mississippi with significant forested land.\u201dDOE reliance on the FSC standard overlooks similar certifications by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or American Tree Farm System (ATFS).\u00a0 There are a combined 3,425,619 certified acres of SFI or ATFS land in Mississippi, compared to only 480,000 FSC certified acres.\u201cAcross the United States, there are more than 82 million acres of forestland certified to either SFI or ATFS standards. We are proud that our states have nearly 23 million acres combined that are certified to one of these two standards. There is no basis \u2013 scientific or otherwise \u2013 for excluding products from these forests for federal use,\u201d the letter said.\u201cAt a time when it is broadly appreciated that wood is one of the most environmentally friendly materials for building construction, it is important for your agency to take action to encourage, not limit, the use of responsibly sourced wood in government construction,\u201d the letter to Moniz said.The letter, led by Senators Angus King (I-Maine.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), was also signed by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Jon Tester (D-Mont.).The text of the letter to Moniz is available here:Dear Secretary Moniz:We are writing to express our concern regarding the position of the Department of Energy Office of Sustainable Environmental Stewardship that states only lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and not lumber certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), would be suitable for federal purchasing. As you may know, this determination by DOE was subsequently relied upon by the Environmental Protection Agency in their September 25, 2015 publication of Interim Recommendations for standards and ecolabels used by federal agencies.Other federal agencies recognize a variety of forest certification regimes and therefore we encourage you to revisit your agency\u2019s position on lumber and consider adding recognition for wood products that have taken steps to provide certainty about their sustainability of the product. This includes those certified to SFI and ATFS standards. Just like those forests certified to the FSC standard, ATFS and SFI certified forests provide a renewable timber resource, clean water, wildlife habitat, and thousands of jobs in the forest sector and related industries. Across the United States, there are more than 82 million acres of forestland certified to either SFI or ATFS standards. We are proud that our states have nearly 23 million acres combined that are certified to one of these two standards. There is no basis \u2013 scientific or otherwise \u2013 for excluding products from these forests for federal use.We urge your agency to consider the position of the Department of Agriculture, which oversees the US Forest Service and has vast expertise in forest management. USDA, in its BioPreferred Program, recognizes and supports all forest certification standards. We further encourage you to consider the recent announcement by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) to recognize products certified to SFI and ATFS standards within its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating systems. We understand that one of DOE\u2019s criteria for \u201cpriority products\u201d is that they contribute to LEED points for existing buildings and new construction. With this change by USGBC, products certified by SFI and ATFS meet this criterion.At a time when it is broadly appreciated that wood is one of the most environmentally friendly materials for building construction, it is important for your agency to take action to encourage, not limit, the use of responsibly sourced wood in government construction.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=056365A8-ED2E-42A1-832C-952B6C39348A", "COCHRAN, WICKER, PALAZZO PRAISE $3.1 BILLION CONTRACT FOR NAVY SHIPBUILDING ON MISSISSIPPI COAST", "2016-06-30", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) on Thursday praised a Navy contract awarded to Huntington Ingalls that could have a cumulative value of $3.1 billion for LHA 8, an America-class amphibious assault ship.The initial contract of $272.4 million awarded Thursday will support the planning, advanced engineering and procurement of long lead time material for the LHA 8.\u00a0 Options for the contract include contract design support for the LX(R) class warship, which would be based on the San Antonio-class LPD amphibious warship built at Ingalls.\u201cThis is a significant contract, which will allow shipbuilders in Mississippi to continue providing the Navy and Marines the modern ships they require.\u00a0 It also opens the door for Mississippi shipbuilders to be at the forefront of designing a new class of warships to meet our national security needs,\u201d said Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Subcommittee on Defense.\u201cHuntington Ingalls continues to produce world-class vessels that are essential for naval operations,\u201d said Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower. \u201cAmphibious warships like the LHA 8 send a powerful signal to our adversaries and allies that America\u2019s military remains strong. This is great news for our nation\u2019s armed forces and our state, especially the thousands of families across south Mississippi who benefit from the construction and design of these state-of-the-art ships,\u201d\u201cToday\u2019s announcement is coming at an opportune time for our Navy and Marine Corps who have continued to express a need for more amphibious ships.\u00a0 The LHA-8 will serve as an asset in allowing them to respond to threats quickly and effectively.\u00a0 And of course it will be one of the best in the world because it\u2019s being built right here in South Mississippi at Ingalls Shipbuilding,\u201d said Palazzo, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee.The Mississippi lawmakers continue to use their committee positions to support the authorization and funding of shipbuilding required by the Department of Defense.The funding for this contract was provided in the FY2016 Defense Appropriations Bill, which was signed into law last December.\u00a0 That measure included $477 million in advanced procurement, $199 million above the President\u2019s budget request, for the construction of the LHA 8 amphibious assault ship.\u00a0 In addition, $250 million for advanced procurement was provided to accelerate delivery of the LX(R) class warship.\u00a0 The Navy and U.S. Marine Corps last year signed a memorandum of understanding to base the LX(R) design on the existing San Antonio-class LPD amphibious warship, which is built at Ingalls.The bulk of the work on the $272.4 million LHA 8 contract, estimated at 44 percent, will be carried out at the Pascagoula shipyard.\u00a0 Construction on the LHA 8\u00a0 is expected to be completed in 2024.The LHA amphibious assault ships enable the Navy and Marine Corps to project power throughout the world.\u00a0\u00a0 The America-class amphibious assault ships are designed to deliver a Marine Expeditionary Brigade using rotary lift and fixed wing aircraft.\u00a0 Ingalls is currently building LHA 7 for the Navy.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=D902B157-B6A0-467E-905F-F77F9DE53317", "MISS. SENATORS CELEBRATE NATCHEZ TRICENTENNIAL", "2016-06-30", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed a resolution authored by U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Thad Cochran, R-Miss., recognizing the 300th anniversary and historical significance of Natchez, Mississippi.The measure, S.Res.519, designates the year 2016 as the \u201cNatchez Tricentennial\u201d and honors the history and founding of Mississippi.\u201cNatchez\u2019s history runs deep,\u201d Wicker said. \u201cGiven its strategic location along the Mississippi River, the city has played a significant role in our state\u2019s economy for hundreds of years. It is an honor to memorialize this rare celebration of Natchez\u2019s remarkable heritage.\u201d\u201cNatchez is a historic treasure. This resolution honors the city\u2019s long history and celebrates its past and future,\u201d Cochran said. \u201cI\u2019m pleased that the Senate is commemorating the Natchez tricentennial and its continued influence on the culture of Mississippi and our nation.\u201dNatchez is signified nationally as the oldest European-built city on the lower Mississippi River. It was founded as Fort Rosalie in 1716 by French settlers under Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne De Bienville. In 1798, the Treaty of San Lorenzo established Natchez as a United States territory.The designated end of the historic Old Natchez Trace, Natchez served as the original capital of the Mississippi Territory from 1798 to 1802, as well as the original capital of the state of Mississippi. Jackson State University, formerly known as Natchez Seminary, was initially located in Natchez.The city of Natchez is currently holding a year-long tricentennial celebration that will end with a 300th birthday party on August 3, 2016 \u2013 exactly 300 years after the construction of Fort Rosalie was completed. In addition to its annual events \u2013 such as the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration and the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race \u2013 the city has led revitalization projects and sponsored educational events.The resolution, S.Res.519, can be viewed here: http://1.usa.gov/294PEYE\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=5926E577-5D80-4B50-AEB2-2375A8629D9C", "COCHRAN ANNOUNCES $10.5 MILLION IN FEMA PREPAREDNESS GRANTS FOR MISS.", "2016-06-29", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced that Mississippi will receive more than $10.5 million in state and local preparedness grants, including more than $2.0 million for security measures at four ports.The grants to Mississippi derive from FY2016 appropriations approved for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant programs to support state and local first responders and emergency management personnel.\u201cThe Senate Appropriations Committee understands the importance of state and local first responders to homeland security.\u00a0 I am pleased that Mississippi organizations successfully competed for available funding to improve local and state emergency preparedness and public safety,\u201d Cochran said.Cochran is a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, which has funding jurisdiction over FEMA.The following FEMA grants, totaling $10,524,466, were awarded to Mississippi:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0$4,556,932 in Emergency Management Performance Grant funding for the State of Mississippi to support state, local, and tribal emergency preparedness for the protection of life and property.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0$3,734,500 in State Homeland Security Program Grant formula funding to the State of Mississippi to implement state homeland security strategies, including mitigation, response and recovery from terrorism and other catastrophic events.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0$2,053,034 in competitive Port Security Grant Program funding to implement Area Maritime Transportation and Facility Security Plans to provide port security at four Mississippi ports:\u00a0 Pascagoula, $1.0 million; Tishomingo County/Yellow Creek Port/Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, $477,172; Vicksburg, $446,580; and, Gulfport, $129,282.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0$180,000 in competitive Operation Stonegarden Grant funding to support law enforcement agencies to strengthen border security and enforcement in states with land or international water borders.\u00a0 Three coastal counties will utilize this grant funding:\u00a0 Jackson County, $100,000; Hancock County, $40,000; and Harrison County, $40,000.In February, Cochran encouraged state and local officials to apply for available FEMA grants, which could be used for emergency preparedness and disaster mitigation.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=7CCF3538-583C-448F-A5E2-A343963830B8", "COCHRAN URGES CONTINUED COOPERATION AS COMMITTEE AGAIN COMPLETES ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS", "2016-06-29", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today addressed the outlook for the FY2017 appropriations process following the committee\u2019s successful approval of all 12 annual appropriations bills for the second straight year.\r\n\r\nThe twelfth and last FY2017 bill, the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill, was approved by the committee on Wednesday by a 30 to 0 vote. \u00a0This is the earliest the committee has completed markups for the regular appropriations bills since 1988.\r\n\r\n\u201cI am pleased that the Appropriations Committee has completed its work on the 2017 bills, but our work is not done. \u00a0All Senators should have an opportunity to consider these bills. \u00a0That will require continued bipartisan cooperation as we move forward,\u201d Cochran said.\r\n\r\n\u201cI thank the members of this committee and Majority Leader McConnell, who has made it a priority to designate floor time for all Senators to debate and amend these bills,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u201cI also appreciate the cooperation of Vice Chairwoman Mikulski for the progress we\u2019ve made this year.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe committee has worked under an accelerated schedule, setting records for the earliest bill markups in years. \u00a0Senate passage in May of the FY2017 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill was the earliest that a stand-alone appropriations bill has been approved by the Senate in more than 40 years. \u00a0The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bills have also been approved by the full Senate.\r\n\r\nThe Senate FY2017 appropriations bills were overwhelmingly bipartisan and were approved by a cumulative 345 to 15 vote in committee.\r\n\r\nLast year, the committee approved all 12 of the regular appropriations measures for the first time since 2009. \u00a0The measures were reported to the Senate by a combined vote of 277 to 83.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=275CB540-87CA-41F5-B8E0-6C73D7642276", "COCHRAN STATEMENT ON U.S. SUPREME COURT IMMIGRATION DECISION", "2016-06-23", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court decision in U.S. v. Texas, which blocks implementation of President Obama\u2019s executive action to defer the deportation of people in the United States illegally:  \u00a0  \u201cThe Supreme Court decision recognizes that President Obama does not have the legal authority to make laws and set immigration policies on his own.\u00a0 This ruling will help ensure that our nation\u2019s immigration laws remain the responsibility of the Congress and are not subject to unilateral change by executive action.\u201d  \u00a0  The Supreme Court\u2019s 4-4 decision upholds the ruling of a lower court order that prohibits the president from implementing new policies to grant \u201clawful presence\u201d and thereby work authorization and status to illegal immigrants.Cochran in April joined an amicus brief with U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and other Republican U.S. Senators in support of the state-led lawsuit challenging executive actions taken by President Obama to defer deportation of more than four million illegal immigrants.Officials from 25 states, including Governor Phil Bryant, were plaintiffs in U.S. v. Texas.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=FC57EEF6-ECF2-43B5-BE4A-8FC7FB34C296", "COCHRAN FIELD STAFF CONFERS WITH VETERANS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE", "2016-06-23", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran\u2019s (R-Miss.) staff today met with veterans studying at Mississippi State University as part of the Cochran office\u2019s ongoing constituent outreach effort.Army veteran Andy Greenhaw of Columbus (left) and Sam Howell, a Navy veteran from Starkville, were among the veterans who conferred with Chris Richardson, a Cochran State Field Representative, on Thursday at the G.V. \u201cSonny\u201d Montgomery Center for America's Veterans at Mississippi State.Greenhaw and Howell participate in a work study program at the Montgomery Center designed to assist veterans and dependents in applying for GI Bill benefits and survivor educational benefits.\u00a0 Richardson visited the center to offer the services of the Cochran office, which can help veterans and other Mississippians cut through bureaucratic red tape and expedite claims.Greenhaw and Howell are among 2,300 veterans and dependents enrolled at Mississippi State, more than 900 of whom are using military educational benefits.Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped craft a House-Senate agreement to increase funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide the services and care earned by veterans through their service to the nation.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398882", "Palazzo Honored as Legislator of the Year by Public Housing Association", "2016-06-22", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Steven Palazzo", "P000601", "palazzo.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Biloxi, MS \u2013 Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4) received the 2016 \u201cLegislator of the Year Award\u201d from the Southeastern Regional Council of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (SERC-NAHRO) during their annual conference that took place this weekend at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi. \u00a0\r\nCongressman Palazzo stated, \u201cI\u2019m extremely honored to be chosen as the SERC-NAHRO legislator of the year.\u00a0 Many people probably don\u2019t know that I actually worked at a public housing authority many lifetimes ago. I understand the struggles that face our PHA\u2019s and that\u2019s why I introduced legislation to help them. This bill provides local flexibility, deregulation and administrative reductions, all of which are crucial to the survival and sustainability of local housing authorities. We need less regulation on small housing authorities, not more. We should put more faith in PHA's to do what is best for the safety and sustainability of the agency and the program, and most importantly, what\u2019s best for the residents.\u201d\r\nSteve Merritt, President of NAHRO said,\u00a0\"It was a tremendous opportunity to see Representative Palazzo at the Southeastern Regional Council of NAHRO (SERC NAHRO) Annual Conference in Biloxi this week. His leadership in introducing the Small Housing Authority Opportunity Act; H.R. 4816, in the House\u00a0is a strong and clear indication of his interest in helping his constituents in Mississippi, and his commitment to making government work.\u00a0 H.R. 4816 will help smaller public housing agencies across the nation deliver the housing that is so desperately needed in a much more efficient and cost-effective way.\u00a0 NAHRO thanks Congressman Palazzo and looks forward to working with him and his staff on additional housing reforms and common-sense legislation that creates and sustains decent, safe and affordable housing in the future.\"\r\nMAHRO President Judy Mellard commented, \u201cMississippi Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials are encouraged by the bipartisan support of H.R. 4816 that will give small housing authorities across the nation some much needed regulatory relief from the one size fits all approach. We want to thank U. S. Congressman Steven Palazzo for introducing this bill and for his continued efforts to push it forward. \u00a0The majority of our 51 housing authorities in Mississippi will be affected by passage of this bill in a very positive way; which will then benefit the residents we serve.\u201d\u00a0\r\nNancy Walker, President of the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association (PHADA) said, \u201cCongressman Palazzo\u2019s introduction of SHARP legislation (H.R. 4816) in the House of Representatives marks a significant milestone for the preservation of public housing in more than 2,700 small rural and suburban communities nationwide. His unique understanding and caring for this important local affordable housing resource allows him to offer his House colleagues a thoughtful, evidence-based bill that \u201cright-sizes\u201d the role of the Federal government in the daily operations of small housing agencies. Congressman Palazzo fully recognizes the hard reality of the current funding environment and thus the urgent need to curb the heavy, ever growing costs of excessive HUD regulation. PHADA is deeply appreciative of Congressman Palazzo\u2019s legislative efforts on behalf of SHARP.\u201d\u00a0\r\nDave Baldwin, SERC President added, \u201cThe member agencies of SERC-NAHRO are impressed with Congressman Palazzo\u2019s understanding of the issues facing small housing authorities.\u00a0 Moreover, we are extremely grateful for his willingness to sponsor H.R.4816, the Small Public Housing Agency Opportunity Act of 2016. This bill provides much needed, budget neutral regulatory relief for small agencies.\u00a0 We look forward to supporting Congressman Palazzo in his efforts to enact H.R. 4816.\u201d\r\nThe Southeastern Regional Council of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (SERC-NAHRO) is comprised of ten State Associations and represents over 700 affordable housing agencies in the southeast. \u00a0They work to provide quality education and training, information, networking opportunities and advocacy for members. \u00a0This is the first time in six years they have given out their legislator of the year award.\u00a0\r\nThe theme of this year\u2019s conference was \u201cHelping Solve the Housing Puzzle.\u201d The conference allows Public Housing Agency administrators an opportunity to network among other PHAs in order to better enhance their knowledge and skill set. Throughout the conference PHA\u2019s attend breakout sessions administered by well-known trainers that provide best practices for areas such as financial management, the rental assistance demonstration program, and much more.\u00a0 They also implemented a new track this session called the \u201csmall agency forum\u201d to present issues and solutions particular to our small agencies. \u00a0\r\nCongressman Palazzo introduced H.R. 4816, the Small Public Housing Agency Opportunity Act of 2016, commonly referred to by PHA\u2019s as \u201cSHARP\u201d legislation, in March of this year.\u00a0This bipartisan legislation works to address the administrative burdens facing small and rural housing authorities across the country. \u00a015 of the current 32 co-sponsors of the bill are Representatives from the SERC-NAHRO Region.\u00a0 The 32 cosponsors include: Rep. Ashford [D-NE-2], Rep. Bishop[D-GA-2], Rep. Fleischmann [R-TN-3], Rep. Frelinghuysen \u00a0[R-NJ-11], Rep. Harper [R-MS-3], Rep. Hartzler [R-MO-4], Rep. Posey [R-FL-8], Rep. Kuster [D-NH-2], Rep. Thompson [D-MS-2], Rep. Westmoreland [R-GA-3], Rep. Brady [R-TX-8], Rep. Guinta, [R-NH-1], Rep. Fortenberry [R-NE-1], Rep. Westerman [R-AR-4], Rep. Rogers [R-AL-3], Rep. Roby [R-AL-2], Rep. Graves [R-GA-14], Rep. Kelly [R-MS-1], Rep. Walz [D-MN-1], Rep. Smith [R-TX-21], Rep. Allen,[R-GA-12], Rep. Price [R-GA-6], Rep. Abraham [R-LA-5], Rep. Duffy [R-WI-7], Rep. Boustany [R-LA-3], Rep. Ribble [R-WI-8], Rep. Nolan [D-MN-8], Rep. Cooper [D-TN-5], Rep. Black [R-TN-6], Rep. Peterson [D-MN-7], Rep. Carter [R-TX-31], Rep. Aderholt [R-AL-4]", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398883", "Palazzo Opposes Amendment to Limit Gun Sales In Homeland Security Appropriations Committee", "2016-06-22", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Steven Palazzo", "P000601", "palazzo.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Palazzo Opposes Amendment to Limit Gun Sales In Homeland Security Appropriations Committee \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        June 22, 2016\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC \u2013 Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4)\u00a0released the following statement today following the Appropriations Committee\u2019s passage of the Fiscal Year 2017 Homeland Security Appropriations bill:\r\n\u201cThe 2017 Homeland Security funding bill makes an incredibly strong investment in the defense of our country here at home. Not only does our legislation increase funds for border patrol and the Coast Guard, but it contains no funds for the President\u2019s unconstitutional executive action on immigration and blocks its implementation pending judicial action.\r\n\u201cMore importantly, Republicans on the Committee and I were successful in blocking a Democrat amendment to impose reckless gun control on the American people. This liberal agenda item was yet another attempt to take guns away from law-abiding Americans without due process. The Appropriations Committee has become the last line of defense against these types of liberal moves to take away our freedoms. I will always stand up for the Second Amendment on this committee, the House floor, or anywhere else liberal activists seek to take it away from us.\u201d\r\nThe Homeland bill provides legislation directs $41.1\u00a0billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Homeland Security.\u00a0 The bill also includes $7.3 billion toward disaster relief and emergency response activities through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).\r\nThe committee voted down an amendment by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) by a 16-31 vote that would have allowed the Attorney General to deny a firearm purchase without due process of law.\u00a0\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=041DD1C8-51FF-4175-B191-A67E3056BD2E", "COCHRAN:  MISS. COUNTIES RECIEVE $1.98 MILLION FOR PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES", "2016-06-22", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that counties in Mississippi will share $1.98 million in 2016 Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding.The U.S. Department of the Interior on Wednesday announced the distribution of 2016 PILT payments to local governments with tax-exempt federal property within their boundaries.\u00a0 This year\u2019s $1,988,191 award to Mississippi is $154,248 more than the 2015 payment.\u201cThe Payment in Lieu of Taxes payment is intended to help offset tax revenue losses in counties with federal properties, including wildlife refuges or national parks.\u00a0 The counties are free to use the funding to supplement their general budgets,\u201d Cochran said.For Mississippi, 73 counties will receive 2016 PILT funding, with the five largest payments going to Lafayette County ($220,960), Yalobusha County ($171,684), Sharkey County ($140,873), Grenada County ($118,777), and Wayne County ($86,305).Annual PILT payments are made for tax-exempt federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service.\u00a0 Federal water projects and some military installations are also considered in PILT payment evaluations.Cochran is a senior member of the Senate appropriations subcommittee that funds the Interior Department and PILT program.\u00a0 The Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee last week fully funds PILT for FY2017.\r\n###\r\n  LINKS  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a02016 PILT Payments to Mississippi Counties:\u00a0 http://1.usa.gov/28MVCxi   \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Payment in Lieu of Taxes:\u00a0 https://www.doi.gov/pilt/", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=A353130E-A466-4200-848F-980C1F13FE11", "COCHRAN VOTES TO STOP TERRORISTS FROM PURCHASING FIREARMS", "2016-06-20", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today released the following statement regarding his support for amendments to keep suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms:\u201cCongress can take responsible action to strengthen the enforcement and prosecution of our nation\u2019s laws without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens.\u00a0 The amendments I supported would improve coordination among law enforcement, the Justice Department and the courts to stop terrorists from killing innocent American citizens.\u201dCochran supported an amendment to improve the National Criminal Instant Background Check System (or NICS), by allowing the inclusion of information about terrorist links and mental competence.\u00a0 The Senator also voted in favor of an amendment authorizing certain actions national, state and local law enforcement agencies when a person suspected of terrorist activities attempts to purchase a firearm.In addition, Cochran today opposed two Democrat-sponsored gun-control proposals.\u00a0 All four amendments failed to reach the 60-vote threshold necessary for adoption.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398875", "Palazzo Statement on Passage of Defense Bill", "2016-06-17", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Steven Palazzo", "P000601", "palazzo.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Palazzo Statement on Passage of Defense Bill \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,DC,\r\n        June 17, 2016\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      \u00a0Washington, DC \u2013 Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4)\u00a0released the following statement regarding House passage of the 2017 Defense Appropriations bill:\r\n\u00a0\u201cOnce again, the House has done its work and passed a bill that fully funds our military. And once again, House Democrats turned their backs on our men and women in uniform by voting against this legislation. This marks the third time in a little over a month that they have put their liberal agenda in front of our\u00a0troops and veterans, and\u00a0I\u2019m tired of these political games.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0The common defense of our nation is our number one constitutional responsibility in Congress and should not be held up by partisan gridlock. I was proud to support this year\u2019s defense funding bill, and I hope the Senate will quickly follow suit and send this legislation to the President in short order.\u201d\r\n\u00a0The FY2017 Defense Appropriations Bill provides a total of $517 billion in base defense spending and an additional $59 billion in overseas contingency operations (OCO) funding. It includes an additional $3 billion to prevent end strength cuts as well as a 2.1% pay increase for the military. \u00a0It also\u00a0contains essential funding for gulf coast shipyards, continued investment in unmanned aerial systems, and investments in aerospace critical to our men and women in uniform.This bill also continues to provide sound federal investment to support our military assets in South Mississippi.\u00a0 Overall Mississippi\u2019s 4th Congressional District employs more than 20,000 military and DOD civilian personnel with an annual economic impact of over $1.6 billion.\u00a0\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=82A95AFD-5675-4A0D-904F-24FD4B6009E8", "MISSISSIPPI WATER QUALITY NEEDS ADDRESSED IN SENATE APPROPRIATIONS BILL", "2016-06-17", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today reported that Mississippi should benefit from legislation that would focus Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) actions on assisting state and local agencies with environmental projects rather than writing costly new regulations.Cochran on Thursday led Senate Appropriations Committee approval of the FY2017 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill, which funds the EPA, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Forest Service and numerous federal lands management agencies.\u201cThis bill makes responsible recommendations on where to invest taxpayer funds for stewardship of federal lands and private landowners.\u00a0 It improves environmental policy by emphasizing infrastructure improvements over new EPA regulations,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cFor Mississippi, the bill protects important water quality and infrastructure programs that the administration sought to cut or eliminate.\u201dThe Senate bill reduces certain EPA regulatory accounts and increases capitalization grant funding for state revolving funds that help states and municipalities meet water and wastewater infrastructure needs.\u00a0 The President\u2019s budget request sought to cut this funding.\u00a0 The bill also increases funding for the EPA Nonpoint Source Section 319 Grants program, which enables agricultural states to provide much-needed water quality projects. Cochran also worked to secure $2.0 million for continued U.S. Geological Survey groundwater resource studies to assess declining aquifers in regions within the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain that are experiencing variability in groundwater systems.\u00a0 These resources will help address significant aquifer declines in the Mississippi DeltaImportant to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the committee rejected the administration\u2019s proposal to divert outer continental shelf oil and gas revenues from Gulf of Mexico coastal communities. The proposal is in direct contradiction to current law, Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA).\u00a0 These royalty revenues are currently used for coastal conservation, restoration, and hurricane protection.The Senate bill also rejects the administration\u2019s budget request to eliminate the Beach Monitoring Grant program and provides $9.5 million to support federal, state and local collaborations to ensure that recreational waters are safe for swimming.The bill provides $11 million for the EPA Gulf of Mexico Geographic Program, an increase of $6.5 million over the FY2016 enacted level.\u00a0 This funding will allow the EPA to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, state, local and private parties to leverage resources toward conservation projects on working lands within the Gulf region and Mississippi River Basin.Overall, the Senate FY2017 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill totals $125 million less than the FY2016 enacted level.\u00a0 The bill is now available for consideration by the Senate.Items of interest to Mississippi in the Senate FY2017 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Bill:U.S. Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory \u2013 $27 million, the same as the FY2016 enacted level, to advance ongoing work and collaborative partnerships to optimize research for the commercialization of high-value biomass while helping eliminate hazardous fuels in national forests.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) \u2013 The bill reduces EPA funding by $32 million from the FY2016 enacted level.\u00a0 It focuses funding on returning the agency to its core mission of environmental cleanup instead of writing costly rules that harm the economy.\u00a0 The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds receive more than $2.37 billion, an increase of $113 million over the FY2016 enacted level and $370 million above the administration\u2019s request.\u00a0 Additionally, the Water Infrastructure Finance Act program is funded at $30 million, which will enable hundreds of millions in loans to address water infrastructure challenges.The bill does the following to stop EPA executive overreach:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Prohibits the EPA Waters of the United States rule  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Prohibits the EPA from requiring duplicative financial surety rules on the mining industry  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Continues to prohibit the EPA from regulating certain types of ammunition and fishing tackleEPA Nonpoint Source (Sec. 319) Grant Program \u2013 $185.0 million, $20 million above FY2016 enacted level, to fund this grant program.\u00a0 The bill directs the EPA to reevaluate the allocation formula to ensure that resources are being in spent in areas with the most pressing need.\u00a0 Grants under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act are provided to states to help implement EPA-approved Nonpoint Source Management programs designed to reduce sediment runoff and improve water quality. \u00a0EPA Technical Assistance Programs \u2013 $15 million, not included in the budget request, to support grant awards to qualified not-for-profit organizations for the sole purpose of providing on-site training and technical assistance for water systems in rural or urban communities.\u00a0 Small and rural communities in Mississippi rely on local, on-site technical assistance and training to comply with federal regulations, avoid EPA fines, and operate water and wastewater systems effectively.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) \u2013 $1.49 billion for the FWS, which is $11.9 million below the FY2016 enacted level.\u00a0 Important program increases include funding for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), and funding to support FWS implementation of the RESTORE Act in Gulf Coast States.\u00a0 The bill also provides funding to maintain continued operation of fish hatcheries.National Park Service (NPS) \u2013 $2.74 billion for the NPS, an increase of $68 million above the FY2016 enacted level.\u00a0 This includes important increases for construction backlog, maintenance, and new park units established under the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015, including Cochran\u2019s legislative efforts to expand the Vicksburg National Military Park (http://1.usa.gov/12HSoZ3).U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater Resource Study \u2013 $2 million is provided for the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct enhanced groundwater resource studies to assess declining aquifers in regions within the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain that are experiencing variability in groundwater systems.\u00a0 These resources will help address significant aquifer declines in the Mississippi Delta as a result of agriculture irrigation. \u00a0  \u00a0   Heritage Partnership Program \u2013 $19 million for this NPS program.\u00a0 Mississippi has three National Heritage Areas:\u00a0 Mississippi Hills, Mississippi Gulf Coast, and Mississippi Delta. Civil Rights Movement \u2013 $10 million within the NPS Historic Preservation Fund to document, interpret, and preserve the sites and stories associated with the Civil Rights Movement.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=F4B7FB68-06F9-43B9-8EE4-EED82B84C1CD", "MISS. SENATORS RECOGNIZE JUNETEENTH INDEPENDENCE DAY", "2016-06-17", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today honored the end of slavery by cosponsoring a resolution to designate June 19, 2016, as \u201cJuneteenth Independence Day.\u201d The Senate unanimously approved the measure, S.Res.500, authored by Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas.\u00a0 The resolution designates this year\u2019s \u201cJuneteenth Independence Day\u201d in recognition of June 19, 1865. This date commemorates three significant developments:\u00a0 when slavery came to an end in the United States; when the end of the Civil War was finally announced in Galveston, Texas; and when the full force of the Emancipation Proclamation, issued Jan. 1, 1863, was felt throughout the nation. \u201cJuneteenth recognizes the past and the continued need to work toward a more just nation,\u201d Cochran said. \u201cIt is good that the Senate is marking the importance of this historic event.\u201d\u201cJuneteenth is a significant day in American history \u2013 one that should be commemorated every year,\u201d Wicker said. \u201cThis day represents our continued work to provide equality and justice for all. It is fitting to honor this milestone of freedom, recognizing our nation\u2019s progress.\u201dThe resolution states that the U.S. Senate \u201crecognizes that the observance of the end of slavery is part of the history and heritage of the United States,\u201d and \u201csupports the continued nationwide celebration of \u2018Juneteenth Independence Day\u2019 to provide an opportunity for the people of the United States to learn more about the past and to better understand the experiences that have shaped the United States.\u201dToday, Mississippi, 44 other states and the District of Columbia formally recognize Juneteenth. Celebrations commemorating this historic moment will take place across the country on June 19 \u201cto honor African-American freedom while encouraging self-development and respect for all cultures,\u201d as the measure states.\r\n###\r\n  LINK:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0S.Res.500 is available below or here http://1.usa.gov/1PydOJC", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=827B63C1-59C5-4E3B-B87F-B5D41BA94090", "50th ANNIVERSARY OF JAMES MEREDITHS HISTORIC MARCH AGAINST FEAR HONORED", "2016-06-13", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution authored by U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) commemorating the 50th anniversary of James H. Meredith\u2019s \u201cMarch Against Fear\u201d during the civil rights movement. The measure, cosponsored by Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), recognizes the historical significance of Meredith\u2019s 220-mile walk down Highway 51 from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi.\u201cIn June 1966, James Meredith did something truly courageous, playing a powerful role in Mississippi\u2019s progress during the civil rights era,\u201d Wicker said. \u201cTransformative events like the \u2018March Against Fear\u2019 merit the highest recognition. Our nation is better because of fearless individuals like him, who were willing to pioneer change 50 years ago.\u201d\u201cJames Meredith\u2019s bravery and determination remain an inspiration to this day,\u201d Shaheen said.\u00a0 \u201cHis historic \u2018March Against Fear\u2019 was a clarion call for justice and equality. It is a fitting tribute for the U.S. Senate to honor his tremendous contributions to advancing civil rights.\u201d \u00a0\u201cI am pleased the Senate is commemorating the 50th anniversary of James Meredith\u2019s March Against Fear and his role as a historic leader in the civil rights movement,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cI commend Senator Wicker on his leadership to call attention to this historic event.\u201dFour years after becoming the first African-American to enroll at Ole Miss, Meredith planned a march in June 1966 to challenge the fear that dominated the daily lives of African-Americans in southern states. One mile south of Hernando, he was shot three times by attempted-assassin Aubrey James Norvell.\u00a0 While Meredith recovered, the march he launched continued to Jackson, resulting in thousands of African-Americans registering to vote.Meredith later returned and finished the march at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson. Approximately 15,000 people joined him at its conclusion, making it the largest civil rights demonstration in the history of the state.The resolution, S.Res.488, reads as follows:Recognizing the historical significance and the 50th anniversary of the \u201cJames H. Meredith March Against Fear,\u201d a 220-mile walk down Highway 51 from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi.Whereas the Supreme Court of the United States, in Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), ruled that separating children in public schools on the basis of race violates the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States;Whereas in the years following Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), some Southern States, including the State of Mississippi, continued to uphold racial segregation;Whereas, in 1962, the first African-American integrated the University of Mississippi (referred to in this preamble as \u201cOle Miss\u201d);Whereas, in 1965, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.), which passed Congress with bipartisan support and was signed by President Lyndon Johnson, prohibited racial discrimination in voting;Whereas, in 1966, 4 years after integration, the first African-American student at Ole Miss planned a 220-mile march from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi (referred to in this preamble as the \u201cMeredith March Against Fear\u201d) \u2013\r\n(1)\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0to challenge the fear that dominated the day-to-day lives of African-Americans in the Southern United States, specifically in the State of Mississippi; and\r\n\r\n(2)\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0to encourage the 450,000 unregistered African-Americans in the State of Mississippi to register to vote and to go to the polls;\r\nWhereas, on June 5, 1966, the historic Meredith March Against Fear began at the Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis, Tennessee;Whereas the self-reliant and determined leader of the Meredith March Against Fear carried no food, clothing, or sleeping bag, and was joined only by a small number of African-American supporters and Whites from the North;Whereas on reaching the border between the States of Tennessee and Mississippi, the marchers were greeted with hostility;Whereas, on June 6, 1966, the Meredith March Against Fear continued south along United States Highway 51 through DeSoto County toward the town of Hernando, Mississippi;Whereas 150 African-American men and women greeted the marchers at the town square in Hernando, Mississippi;Whereas the visit of the marchers to Hernando, Mississippi, embodied the purpose of the Meredith March Against Fear, \u201cto explain [to African Americans] that the old order was passing, that they should stand up as men with nothing to fear\u201d;Whereas, on June 6, 1966, about 1 mile south of Hernando, Mississippi, the leader of the Meredith March Against Fear was shot 3 times by an attempted assassin;Whereas, on June 7, 1966, national civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Floyd McKissick, and Stokely Carmichael, resumed the Meredith March Against Fear while their leader recovered from the attempted assassination;Whereas, over the next 3 weeks, the marchers weathered violence and tear gas, but accomplished what the Meredith March Against Fear set out to accomplish;Whereas voter rallies and drives along United States Highway 51 resulted in more than 4,000 African-Americans registering to vote;Whereas the Meredith March Against Fear featured many African-Americans defying the intimidation of hostile Whites;Whereas, on June 25, 1966, the leader of the Meredith March Against Fear, along with 125 allies, resumed the march from the Canton, Mississippi, courthouse, located 15 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi;Whereas the number of marchers doubled to approximately 250 by the time the Meredith March Against Fear reached the city limits of Canton, Mississippi;Whereas 1 mile north of Tougaloo College, the marchers were met by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and hundreds of additional followers;Whereas hundreds of supporters were led through the iron-rod gate at the main entrance to the Tougaloo campus in Jackson, Mississippi;Whereas, on June 26, 1966, the Meredith March Against Fear concluded with a walk from Tougaloo College to the Mississippi State Capitol building in Jackson, Mississippi;Whereas approximately 15,000 individuals attended the climactic conclusion of the Meredith March Against Fear, making it the largest civil rights demonstration in the history of the State of Mississippi; andWhereas the self-sufficiency and resolve that motivated the Meredith March Against Fear made its leader a revolutionary and a powerful figure in the history of the United States: Now, therefore, be it\r\nResolved, That the Senate \u2013\r\n\r\n(1) commemorates the 50th anniversary of the \u201cJames H. Meredith March Against Fear\u201d;\r\n\r\n(2) recognizes the discipline and focus required to complete the James H. Meredith March Against Fear during the most contentious decade in the Civil Rights Movement to encourage African-Americans to defy intimidation and register voters; and\r\n\r\n(3) acknowledges the significance of the James H. Meredith March Against Fear.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=778B89E8-E885-42FA-B3C6-CE55FF995975", "SENATE PASSES COCHRAN SPONSORED RACIAL AMITY RESOLUTION", "2016-06-10", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The U.S. Senate today approved a bipartisan resolution sponsored by U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) to designate Sunday, June 12, as a National Day of Racial Amity and Reconciliation.The resolution (S.Res.491) focuses on the motto on the national seal, \u201cE Pluribus Unum\u201d or \u201cOut of Many, One.\u201d\u201cGood will among the American people strengthens our communities and country.\u00a0 This resolution encourages us to remember that we should work together to meet the challenges facing our nation,\u201d Cochran said.The resolution encourages Americans to join in activities that support the goals and ideals of racial amity and consensus.The measure notes that \u201corganizations and communities across the United States, motivated by the ideals behind the motto of E Pluribus Unum, have joined together in introspection and reflection on how the diversity of the people of the United States has been indispensable in creating the United States.\u201dThe resolution was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).Congress adopted E Pluribus Unum as the motto for the Seal of the United States in 1782.\r\n###\r\n  LINK:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0S.RES.491 available below or here http://1.usa.gov/21cOu26", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=41977EFE-A449-4F36-90E0-ECD6702FF228", "SENATE BILL WOULD INCREASE PELL GRANT AWARDS FOR MISSISSIPPI STUDENTS", "2016-06-09", "2016", "2016-06", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today praised approval of legislation to fund year-round Pell Grants and make investments in health and education programs that benefit Mississippi. The committee on Thursday approved the FY2017 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Bill.\u00a0 The measure includes provisions that could benefit the approximately 90,000 students in Mississippi who rely on federal Pell Grants to finance their undergraduate education.\u00a0 An estimated one million students nationwide are expected to benefit from the committee\u2019s action to restore year-round Pell Grant eligibility.\u201cAccess to year-round Pell Grant funds can help thousands of students in Mississippi complete undergraduate studies,\u201d said Cochran, who is a senior member of the Labor-HHS subcommittee.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m pleased that the committee has embraced the expansion of Pell Grant eligibility, which can help create a more skilled workforce.\u201dUnder current law, full-time students and some part-time students exhaust their Pell Grant awards after two semesters, often making summer studies unaffordable.\u00a0 This can slow progress toward graduation and increase student debt.\u00a0 The Senate bill provides funding sufficient to support an additional Pell Grant award of, on average, $1,650 during the 2017-18 school year.In Mississippi, about 50 percent of students enrolled in two- and four-year post-secondary schools receive Pell Grants.\u00a0 In recent years, undergraduate students in Mississippi received almost $300 million annually in Pell Grant awards.In addition to the Pell Grant provisions, the Senate legislation also addresses programs like Job Corps, which operates centers in Mississippi.\u00a0 Cochran included language in the bill to encourage the U.S. Department of Labor to move forward expeditiously with reconstruction of the Gulfport Job Corps Center, which was badly damaged during Hurricane Katrina.Overall, the FY2017 Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill is $270 million below the FY2016 funding level and $2 billion below the President\u2019s budget request.\u00a0 It also includes 18 program eliminations, equating to more than $1 billion in spending reductions.\u00a0 The bill was approved by a 29 to 1 vote, making it available for consideration by the Senate.Other items of interest to Mississippi in the FY2017 Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill include:   \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0  Job Corps:\u00a0 $1.7 billion is provided for Job Corps centers, a $20.8 million increase from FY2016.\u00a0 Mississippi has Job Corps centers in Batesville, Gulfport, and Crystal Springs.\u00a0 The legislation also urges the Department of Labor to move forward expeditiously with reconstruction of the Gulfport Job Corps Center, which was badly damaged during Hurricane Katrina.YouthBuild:\u00a0 $84.5 million is provided for YouthBuild, a program providing education and job training to unemployed teens and young adults.\u00a0 Mississippi has YouthBuild programs in Gulfport, Jackson, and Greenville.H-2B Foreign Labor Certifications:\u00a0 The bill provides additional resources for the prompt processing of foreign labor certifications.\u00a0 It also blocks the most controversial portions of the Department of Labor\u2019s new H-2B visa program and wage regulations as requested by employer stakeholders.\u00a0 The H-2B program helps meet the need for temporary nonagricultural jobs in seafood processing, construction, forestry, hospitality, construction, and other industries. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Enforcement Related to Fertilizer Handling:\u00a0 Report language included to prohibit OSHA from imposing new and costly enforcement regimes on stakeholders, including application of process safety management standards regarding handling of farm fertilizers.\u00a0 This provision would benefit the Mississippi agricultural community.Aquaculture Report on Antimicrobial Usage and Risks:\u00a0 Report language directing the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, in coordination with relevant federal agencies, to submit a report to Congress on the current risks of unapproved substances used in foreign imported aquaculture and an updated assessment of the human health impacts associated with these risks.Delta States Rural Development Network:\u00a0 $12 million, an increase of $2 million, is provided for the Delta States Rural Development Network, which funds organizations in the eight Delta States (Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Illinois) to address unmet local health care needs and prevalent health disparities through the development of new and innovative projects in rural Delta communities.National Institutes of Health (NIH):\u00a0 The bill increases overall NIH funding and includes $333.4 million for the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Program, an increase of $12.5 million above FY2016.\u00a0 IDeA supports biomedical research infrastructure and personnel in states that historically have had limited access to federal research grants. Mississippi is among 23 states and Puerto Rico currently eligible for IDeA grant awards.317 Immunization:\u00a0 $610.8 million, level with FY2016.\u00a0 The president\u2019s budget proposed deep cuts to this program, which funds childhood immunization at county health departments in Mississippi.Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative:\u00a0 The bill includes report language to build on past success and broaden this initiative for chronic disease prevention in the Mississippi Delta.Preventive Health Services Block Grant:\u00a0 $160 million, level with FY2016.\u00a0 The president\u2019s budget proposed elimination of this program, which supports water fluoridation in Mississippi.High Obesity Counties:\u00a0 $10 million for anti-obesity grants in counties with an obesity prevalence of over 40 percent.Strengthening Master\u2019s Degree Programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities:\u00a0 $9.5 million is included to support graduate education opportunities at the masters level in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.\u00a0 Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University stand to benefit from this increase in funding.Title I Grants to Local Education Agencies:\u00a0 $15.4 billion, a $500 million increase above FY2016, including consolidation of the School Improvement Grants program.\u00a0 Title I provides basic and flexible funding to low-income school districts that allows states, local school districts, and schools to decide how to best use limited resources to improve student outcomes.Corporation for National and Community Service:   \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC):\u00a0 $30 million, level with FY2016.\u00a0 A NCCC campus is located in Vicksburg.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 State Commissions:\u00a0 $17 million, $1 million increase from FY2016 level.\u00a0 Report language included a $7.5 million statutory set-aside to benefit State Commissions, such as Mississippi, and increase the capacity of local current and potential AmeriCorps programs in underserved areas.Institute for Museum and Library Services:\u00a0 $231 million, an increase of $1 million from FY2016.\u00a0 A $314,000 increase was included for the Library Services Technology Act Grants to States account.\u00a0 The Mississippi Library Commission stands to benefit from this increase in funding.\r\n  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=A7F9A208-5700-4410-ACC7-F99C69202274", "BILOXI GAINS NEARLY $9.0 MILLION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, COCHRAN & WICKER REPORT", "2016-05-31", "2016", "2016-05", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today announced that the City of Biloxi will receive a nearly $9.0 million grant to purchase infrastructure easements.The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will award a Public Assistance grant worth $8,955,627 to Biloxi for ongoing work to improve infrastructure damaged during Hurricane Katrina and subsequent storms.\u201cBiloxi will be able to use these funds to improve its water and wastewater systems to withstand future storms,\u201d Cochran said.\u201cThis FEMA grant offers critical funding to Biloxi to make infrastructure upgrades in preparation for future storms,\u201d Wicker said. \u201cLocal residents will benefit from these improvements and the community will be stronger and better equipped in the long run.\u201dThe funding will be used to purchase permanent easements required to replace damaged water and sewer infrastructure.\u00a0 No state or local matching funds are required with this award.FEMA Public Assistance grants provide supplemental disaster assistance to state, local and tribal governments and some nonprofit organizations for debris removal and emergency protective measures.\u00a0 These grants can also fund the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly-owned facilities.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 149, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "House", "p1": "MS", "p2": "2016"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, 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