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Trump’s USDA nominee faces questions about proposed cuts

Andrew Harrer
/
The Washington Post

Sonny Perdue, Donald Trump’s appointee to head the U.S. Department of Agriculture, faced some tough questions last week during his confirmation hearing.

As The Washington Post reports, the new administration’s suggested cuts to rural assistance programs came under scrutiny during the hearing. Perdue is the final cabinet member to receive a hearing, and he said he supports several programs that the President has slated for cuts in his recently released budget.

In fact, President Trump has indicated that he would cut almost five billion dollars from the USDA’s overall budget.

During the hearing, Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan suggested she believed rural America to be “an afterthought” when it comes to the President’s priorities.

Perdue is widely expected to be confirmed, perhaps after the Senate’s April recess.