Perdue Reassures

In a meeting in front of a congressional committee, Sec. of Agriculture Sonny Perdue tried to assure the committee that reorganizing USDA which creates an undersecretary for trade and shifts the under Sec. for rural development to an assistant to the Sec."There is no way this is a diminishment. If you gave me an opportunity in a corporation to have direct access to the CEO and walk in privileges over ideas versus the title of a VP, give me that direct access any time, that's the influence, that's the power is access. So that's the way I view rural development and I look forward to accountability in that."

For his part Colin Peterson, the committee's top Democrat said he is willing to give Purdue's idea a shot. "I take your word that you are going to continue to make that a priority. You're the secretary, you decide how the department should be run and the only thing I would say is that we are going to watch and make sure that rural development gets the same kind of emphasis that it always has. You have said that and I expect that will happen." Perdue said during the hearing he wanted the new position to still be Senate confirmed but told reporters after the hearing that he may have mis-spoken. Either way, Purdue says he wants the position to have the level of a confirmed official.