BREAKING: Dem Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson on Friday announced that the USDA Rural Development bureau “has awarded $405,435 in grant funds through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Loans and Grants” to two farms in his district as part of the Inflation Reduction Act that Thompson actually voted for.
Pillow Farms in Yazoo City, Mississippi will recieve $305,450 “to install an energy efficient grain dryer system,” while Rushing Farms in Lena will get $99,985 “to provide energy efficiency improvements by installing stir fans, vent doors, heaters, fans, service doors, and cool cell improvements to four poultry houses” located on the property. AND THOMPSON VOTED FOR IT.
What’s even fucking crazier is that there could be hundreds – maybe even thousands – of similar press releases from other members of Congress informing their constituents that they “secured” funding for this or that project in their district or state – and for them to do so is entirely consistent with their voting record on the legislation that appropriated the funds. Hell, there may even be more such factually honest press releases than those heralding concomitantly financed projects by members that claim to have “secured” the funding despite having voted against the legislation.