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NRECA Urges Congress to Pass $10 Billion in Low-Income Energy Aid

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and six other energy groups wrote a letter to leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related agencies urging Congress to approve an additional $10 billion in emergency assistance to low-income Americans struggling to pay their electric bills during the...

What Biden’s Victory Means for Electric Cooperatives

Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential race sets the stage for potentially sweeping environmental policy changes. However, his planned policy agenda would be muted by what now looks to be a divided Congress, with a Republican-led Senate and a diminished Democratic majority in the House. In the near term, Biden is expected to push for a broad economic stimulus plan shortly after he...

USDA Investment to Upgrade Arkansas Power Grid

US Sen. John Boozman and US Rep. Bruce Westerman recently announced that US Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds will go toward modernizing a power grid by installing fiber-optic cable to supply a secure high-speed communications path to nearly 60,000 Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative customers. Specifically, a $151 million investment through the Department’s Electric...

House Bill Would Give Coops Tax Credits to Help Pay Retirement Costs

NRECA is supporting a bipartisan House bill that would give electric cooperatives a temporary tax credit to help keep their retirement plans funded during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Preserving Employee Retirement Savings Act would provide a two-year tax credit for up to 20% of the retirement costs paid by coops and other small businesses experiencing hardships because of the pandemic....

NRECA Supports Bipartisan Legislation Giving Electric Cooperatives Tax Credit for Retirement Funds

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) supports The Preserving Employee Retirement Savings Act, introduced by Reps. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., and Mike Kelly, R-Pa., which would grant electric cooperatives a two-year tax credit for up to 20% of their retirement fund costs. The tax credit could generate as much as $100,000 in 2020 and 2021 for each eligible electric...

US Department of Commerce Invests $4 Million in Workforce Training Center

US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross recently announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $4 million grant to the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives to construct a new lineworker training facility in Mandan, ND. The EDA grant will be matched with more than $1 million in local investment.

Trump Administration Invests $371 Million to Improve Rural Electric Infrastructure in 11 States

The Trump Administration recently announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $371 million to build and improve critical electric infrastructure that will benefit more than 222,000 rural residents and commercial customers in 11 states. Specifically, this funding will help build and improve 3,741 miles of line to improve electric reliability and...

New Legislation in Congress Could Save Coops Billions

Members of Congress introduced a bipartisan bill Thursday in both the House and Senate that could save electric cooperatives more than $10 billion by allowing them to reprice loans from the Rural Utilities Service at current low interest rates.

NRECA Releases Statement on Social Justice

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) released a statement on social justice in America expressing its commitment to promoting a positive and inclusive culture.

Senators Push to Ensure Eligibility of Cooperatives in Paycheck Protection Program

U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to clarify that rural electric cooperatives are eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was created under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to help small businesses...

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