{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["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"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=7050AECE-76E1-47EB-B541-F67EE64A0EAB"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.825350871309638, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}