Mississippi Business Journal » Senator

Undersecretary: ‘I understand the frustration’ over catfish inspections

Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:03:55 +0000

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) has received word that the U.S. Department of Agriculture could complete a final rule for implementing a catfish inspection program by this October, Cochran reports in a release. Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, USDA undersecretary for food safety, today told Cochran the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) is committed [...]

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Brown would make history if confirmed as judge

Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:08:02 +0000

JACKSON — President Barack Obama has nominated attorney Debra M. Brown to be a U.S. District judge for northern Mississippi. If confirmed, Brown would be the first African-American woman to serve as a federal district judge in the state, said a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). “I congratulate Debra Brown on her historic [...]

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Authorities: Suspect in ricin-laced letters case appeared to try to run

Associated Press — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:39:48 +0000

TUPELO — Newly released documents say the man suspected of sending poison-laced letters to President Obama and others appeared to try to evade authorities just days before his arrest. James Everett Dutschke of Tupelo was charged April 27 with making ricin, the substance mailed to Obama, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and Lee County judge Sadie [...]

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Senator claims Obama has cost TVA hundreds of millions of dollars

Associated Press — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:00:42 +0000

NORTH MISSISSIPPI — Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) says President Barack Obama’s plan to consider selling the Tennessee Valley Authority has already cost hundreds of millions of dollars — even if the nation’s largest public utility is never sold. The Tennessee Republican said TVA bonds lost about $500 million in value after the president’s announcement last [...]

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Federation president praises lawmakers for Farm Bill effort

MBJ Staff — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:44:54 +0000

JACKSON — The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) leadership is commending U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss) and his staff for their diligent work to reach a solid compromise on a Senate Farm Bill package. Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry passed a piece of farm legislation that garnered a 15-5 vote. [...]

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Bill amendment aimed at giving state say in La. levee project

MBJ Staff — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:51:35 +0000

SOUTH MISSISSIPPI — The U.S. Senate has accepted an amendment authored by U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) aimed at giving Mississippi a role in a proposed levee project that could result in new flood threats to the Mississippi Gulf Coast if not carefully studied with input from affected parties. The Cochran amendment was incorporated into [...]

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Senator: Is federal bioenergy program undercutting foresters?

MBJ Staff — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:30:33 +0000

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) is questioning whether a U.S. Department of Agriculture bio-based marketing program amounts to a bias against traditional forest products and whether such policies are fair. Cochran broached the topic at a Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee hearing to review the FY2014 budget request for the USDA. The USDA BioPreferred [...]

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Senator presses ag secretary again on fish inspections

MBJ Staff — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:23:20 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) has once again pressed the U.S. secretary of agriculture to explain why a catfish inspection program authorized five years ago has not been implemented. Cochran, who has been fighting to ensure a fair and level playing field for U.S. catfish producers, raised the issue again with Agriculture [...]

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Biotech group sends letter to Cochran urging mandatory funding

MBJ Staff — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:52:13 +0000

AROUND MISSISSIPPI — A group of Mississippi biotechnology companies and state associations have written Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), urging him to support mandatory funding for renewable energy programs in a new Farm Bill. Elevance Renewable Sciences of Natchez and DuPont Corporation, which has operations in Pass Christian and Pascagoula, sent the letter along with supporters [...]

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Senator introduces amendments in wake of La. levee flak

MBJ Staff — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:51:10 +0000

SOUTH MISSISSIPPI — U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) has introduced a series of amendments intended to ensure the safety of Mississippians from flooding or storm surge threats that might result from a new flood control proposal for Louisiana. To various degrees, the three Cochran amendments to the Water Resources Development Act of 2013 (S.601 or [...]

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