02.11.25

President Trump’s Nominees Prioritize Americans’ Health, Safety, and Wellbeing

Under Their Leadership, America’s Farmers, Rural Communities, and Main Streets Will Thrive - and Our National Security Will Be Strengthened

PARTNERING WITH FARMERS AND REVITALIZING RURAL COMMUNITIES

“Beyond agriculture production, USDA is a land manager, research institution, food regulator, protector of animal health and rural lender. There is very little USDA doesn't touch or have an impact on. All of these resources and abilities can be used to improve the quality of life, not only in rural America but all of America. As I've met and talked with Mrs. Rollins, it is clear the needs of American farmers, ranchers and rural communities will be her focus.” – Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.)

“In Iowa, Main Street is in trouble, and I hear from my colleagues that this is true in their states across America. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our rural communities, and for too long under the Biden administration, they've been crushed with red tape and woke program requirements, with no one caring about how that affects the day to day operations. I see a great opportunity for the Trump administration and you, Kelly, to revitalize small businesses in America.” – Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)

  • Brooke Rollins, President Trump’s nominee for secretary of agriculture, promised to run a department that is “aggressive, effective, and focused on its core mission of serving all American agriculture — and all the American people. It must, to borrow a phrase, put America First.”
    • Rollins also spoke of “exploring improvements to the Department’s rural development programs, demanding strong and steady domestic and export markets for our beautiful agricultural bounty, eliminating burdensome and costly regulations that hamper innovation, ensuring nutrition programs are efficient, and putting in the work to make sure we have a healthy and prepared next generation of farmers, ranchers, and entrepreneurs for the next century of American greatness.” (U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Rollins Confirmation Statement – 1/22/25)
  • In 2024, farm income was forecasted to decline by an inflation-adjusted $9.5 billion, or 6.3%, from 2023. (Roll Call: USDA pick Rollins to ‘follow and listen’ to farmers on deportations – 1/23/25)
  • Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominee for secretary of health and human services, touched on how rural hospitals “are closing at an extraordinary rate right now. They not only provide important healthcare for the localities, but also, they're economic drivers for localities all over this country. President Trump is determined to end the hemorrhage of rural hospitals.” (U.S. Senate Committee on Finance: Hearing to consider the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., of California, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services – 1/29/25)
    • Since 2010, at least 141 rural hospitals have closed while an additional 453 are “at risk of closure…” (Fox News: Hundreds of rural hospitals are in danger of shutting down, study finds: ‘At risk of closure' – 2/18/24)
  • Having grown up in a rural community, Kelly Loeffler, President Trump’s nominee to be administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), understands the challenges facing rural small businesses and pledged to refocus the SBA on helping rural small businesses instead of the politically-motivated initiatives of the Biden administration. (U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Nomination of The Honorable Kelly Loeffler to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration – 1/29/25; The Washington Examiner: Congressional Republicans threaten to subpoena Biden administration over swing-state voter outreach program – 7/18/24; Fox News: House small business panel releases year-end report on 'partisan' Biden agency electioneering allegations – 12/11/24)

HELPING MAIN STREET THRIVE AND BOLSTERING THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

“Mr. Kennedy, if confirmed, will have the opportunity to deliver much needed change to our nation’s health care system. He has spent his career fighting to end America’s chronic illness epidemic and has been a leading advocate for health care transparency, both for patients and for taxpayers.” – Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)

“In a time of great power competition, we must, as Mr. Lutnick told us, stay in the lead. America must show the world what leadership is like, what a great economy is like. That will require decisive action… He will approach the job thoughtfully, considering all the relevant interests, as evident by the 44 different stakeholder groups all supporting him.” – Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas)

  • Howard Lutnick, nominee for secretary of commerce, emphasized at his confirmation hearing the need “to look at the supply chain and bring that back to America. We want to create those great jobs in America so that way we can go back to innovating…” (U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Nomination Hearing - U.S. Secretary of Commerce – 1/29/25)
  • Loeffler pledged to “cut red tape and modernize the agency while restoring the accountability and transparency that taxpayers deserve,” “while shifting SBA’s focus from Washington D.C. back to Main Streets across America.” Small businesses make up 99 percent of all American businesses. (U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Nomination of The Honorable Kelly Loeffler to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration – 1/29/25; Fox Business: Small Business Administration nominee Kelly Loeffler says small biz is in her DNA – 1/29/25)
  • A January 2025 survey released by the National Federation of Independent Business found that small business optimism reached its highest rating since October 2018, as Main Street businesses expected the return of the pro-growth policies of the Trump administration and the end of the Biden administration’s crushing regulatory agenda. (Fox Business: Small business optimism jumps to 6-year high following Trump win – 1/14/25; American Action Forum: The Biden Regulatory Record – 1/29/25)
  • Kennedy pledged to “create an honest, unbiased, science-driven HHS, accountable to the President, to Congress, and to the American people. We will reverse the chronic disease epidemic and put the nation back on the road to health.” (U.S. Senate Committee on Finance: Testimony of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Nominee of President Trump to be  Secretary of Health & Human Services – 1/29/25)
  • U.S. per capita health care spending “is almost twice the average of other wealthy countries,” “yet our health outcomes are generally not any better — and in many cases worse.” (Peter G. Peterson Foundation: Chart Pack: Healthcare – 9/27/24)

STRENGTHENING AMERICA’S NATIONAL SECURITY

“The intelligence community needs to refocus on its core mission – collecting intelligence and providing unbiased analysis of that information. That’s what Tulsi Gabbard is committed to ensuring if she is confirmed to be DNI. And I believe she has the knowledge and leadership capabilities to get it done.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)

  • Lt. Col. Tulsi Gabbard, nominee for director of national intelligence, has served in the U.S. Army for 22 years and has completed deployments to Iraq, Kuwait, and the Horn of Africa. (CNN: Tulsi Gabbard Fast Facts – 11/14/24; Tulsi Gabbard: Tweet – 9/14/21)
    • “Once confirmed, I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to keep America safe and to bring badly needed reforms to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.” – Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
  • There were a number of significant failures within the intelligence community under the Biden presidency:
    • Leading up to the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, there was no “clear prediction of an imminent Taliban takeover” of Kabul. (The New York Times: Intelligence Warned of Afghan Military Collapse, Despite Biden’s Assurances – 8/17/21)
    • Once Ukraine was invaded in 2022, intelligence sources predicted that Kyiv “would be overrun within one to four days of a Russian attack,” yet the capital city remains in Ukrainian hands today. (CNN: US concerned Kyiv could fall to Russia within days, sources familiar with intel say – 2/25/22)
    • The United States was “caught off guard by the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.” (Politico: Inside the US intel dilemma on Gaza a year after Oct. 7 – 10/6/24)