On Wednesday, the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced the nomination of former Representative Xochitl Torres Small (D-New Mexico) to be the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development. During the nomination hearing, Representative Torres Small fielded repeated questions about the Administration’s approach to funding rural broadband, responding to a patricianly intense line of questioning from Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) on changing the eligibility requirements for USDA's ReConnect grant and loan program for broadband projects. Representative Torres Small responded that “If confirmed it’s my job to follow the law…I certainly appreciate the instructions that are in the statute.” She now awaits confirmation from the full Senate, however given that the chamber has just begun its “august recess,” this full nomination will likely have to wait until the Fall.
