Congresswoman Fischbach Talked Rural Energy Costs and Infrastructure Needs with Traverse Electric Co-Op Leadership in Wheaton

Willmar, MN -- Representative Michelle Fischbach visited the leadership team at Traverse Electric Co-Op in Wheaton to discuss her efforts in DC to cut regulatory red tape, modernize rural energy infrastructure, and ensure families and small businesses maintain access to reliable power. During the meeting, Traverse leaders highlighted the unique challenges facing rural electric cooperatives, particularly aging systems that are vulnerable to severe weather. To ensure energy co-ops have the tools they need to modernize and respond rapidly to emergencies, Rep. Fischbach is taking direct legislative action in Washington as a cosponsor of the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act. This bipartisan bill speeds up funding delivery, allowing co-ops and local communities to rebuild quickly when severe weather strikes. Additionally, the discussion focused on the critical role of Rural Utilities Service (RUS) loans in financing grid upgrades. To back the demand for these infrastructure updates, Rep. Fischbach supported the House-passed 2027 Agriculture Appropriations bill, which boosts RUS loan capacity.