H.R.7883 - Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act, has been introduced before Congress. (Washington, DC)The bill directs the Agricultural Marketing Service of the US Department of Agriculture to establish a program to award grants to states or state departments of agriculture to provide support to agricultural fairs for losses sustained by such fairs due to COVID-19.
The bill is bi-partisan.So far, 20 members of congress, both Democrats and Republicans, from across the country have signed on as co-sponsors. No members of Congress from Washington State have signed on yet.
Several members of our congressional delegation are former state legislators who were very supportive of fairs when they were in the state legislature.Please call or email and ask them to co-sponsor HR 7883.Tell them how your fair has been affected by COVID.
You can google your Congressional Representative for contact information or click through from this link: https://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder.In the center of the page, to the right of “District Type”, click “Congressional”, then zoom in on your district. A list of three names will pop up, the bottom one is your Congressional Representative. Click and scroll down for contact information.
Find all of the details about the bill here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house...
The Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA) is promoting the bill.The International Association of Fairs & Expositions (IAFE) is also supporting it.
Questions?Contact me.
Heather Hansen
Representing WA State Fairs Association
360-480-5567
Heather@wafriends.org
Please review and contact your US Representative today.
Here is a list of our Representatives for WA State
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Washington
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District
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Name
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Party
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Office Room
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Phone
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1st
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DelBene, Suzan
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D
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2330 RHOB
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(202) 225-6311
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2nd
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Larsen, Rick
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D
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2113 RHOB
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(202) 225-2605
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3rd
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Herrera Beutler, Jaime
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R
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2352 RHOB
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(202) 225-3536
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4th
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Newhouse, Dan
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R
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1414 LHOB
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(202) 225-5816
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5th
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Rodgers, Cathy McMorris
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R
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1035 LHOB
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(202) 225-2006
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6th
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Kilmer, Derek
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D
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1410 LHOB
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(202) 225-5916
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7th
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Jayapal, Pramila
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D
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1510 LHOB
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(202) 225-3106
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8th
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Schrier, Kim
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D
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1123 LHOB
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(202) 225-7761
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9th
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Smith, Adam
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D
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2264 RHOB
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(202) 225-8901
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10th
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Heck, Denny
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D
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2452 RHOB
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(202) 225-9740
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IMMEDIATE LEGISLATIVE CALL TO ACTION
CRITICAL FEDERAL LEGISLATION HAS BEEN INTRODUCED
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H.R. 7883, the Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act, which will provide $500 million in grant funding to support our fairs has been introduced by U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-20th/CA) and Billy Long (R-7th/MO).
Every fair organization, each board member and all of their local supporters should immediately contact their U.S. Representative and ask them to 1) become a co-sponsor* of House bill 7883, and 2) express to House Leadership this language should be included in the COVID relief package now being considered.
Template link
The bi-partisan legislation, if passed and signed into law, would provide grant funding to rescue fair organizations:
- This bill provides $500 million in Agricultural Fair Rescue Grants to agricultural fairs, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).
- AMS will provide the grant funding to states or state departments of agriculture based on the loss of attendance those fairs have experienced in 2020 when compared to 2019.
- The states or state department will then be required to make grants to fairs, prioritizing those that have faced the greatest financial hardship.
- Grants must be used to assist fairs to continue events that are drivers and promoters of agribusiness.
- Eligible fairs are local, county, or state fairs that help farmers promote their products or expand agricultural markets through conservation programs, agricultural research, educational programs, or other events that encourage agriculture, horticulture, and the domestic arts.
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