WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Rural Water Association presented Fitz Elder and Bob Ross with Friend of Rural Water Awards during the opening session of the Rural Water Rally being held April 19-20 in Washington D.C.
      “We don’t just thank our elected officials or their chiefs of staff, we say thank you to anyone who is a friend of rural water,” NRWA President Fred Sheldon said during the presentation.
      Elder and Ross are part of the Senate Appropriations staff, and their work directly affects the funding bills passed through the Senate. They detailed some of the challenges of that work during a question and answer panel as part of the opening session.
      “Competition for resources is getting more fierce,” Ross said. “There are lots of difficult decisions.”
      “Farm appropriations touches everyone’s life daily,” Elder added. “It’s food, food safety, water, medicine.”
      The pair explained that the appropriations committee is having to make decisions between numerous programs that support everything from rural housing, infant nourishment programs and utility development. The good news is that rural water does a good job competing with lots of other programs.
      “You have a great story and you do a great job getting that story out,” Elder said. “You build personal relationships with senate staffs. You show them a few projects and let them know what would happen without them.”
                “This is a very popular program that has lots of support,” Ross said of rural water. “We expect that to continue.”

Fitz Elder receives award from NRWA President Fred Sheldon.

Bob Ross receives award from NRWA President Fred Sheldon.

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Fitz Elder receives award from NRWA President Fred Sheldon.

 

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