Thanks to members of Congress

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in May met with more than 1,500 representatives of the nation’s electric cooperatives in Washington, D.C. The Department of Agriculture includes the Rural Utilities Service and its loan program for electric cooperatives. (Photo by Luis Gomez)

North Carolina's electric cooperatives recently thanked the members of Congress listed below for helping cooperatives provide electricity to members at an affordable rate. These North Carolina congressional members recently sent letters asking budget writers in both chambers and political parties to support the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Electric Loan Program.

This program is critical to ensure that electric cooperative can build electric infrastructure in rural communities at the least possible cost. The RUS Electric Loan Program provides low interest loans to cooperatives to build generation and deliver the electricity needed to power homes and businesses. The program does not cost taxpayers money; instead, the program makes money for the government through interest payments and is projected to earn more than $130 million to help reduce the federal deficit in the next fiscal year.

North Carolina's electric cooperatives urge Congress to maintain an adequate loan level for the RUS Electric Loan Program so they can continue to provide affordable, reliable and safe electric service to rural North Carolina.

Sen. Richard Burr – R

Rep. G. K. Butterfield – D

Rep. Howard Coble – R

Rep. Renee Ellmers – R

Sen. Kay Hagan – D

Rep. Walter B. Jones – R

Rep. Mike McIntyre – D

Rep. Mark Meadows – R

Rep. David Price – D

Rep. Mel Watt – D