Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the Confirmation of Janie Simms Hipp to Serve as General Counsel of USDA

Washington, July 30, 2021 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement after the successful confirmation of Janie Simms Hipp to serve as General Counsel of the United States Department of Agriculture.

“I am grateful that the Senate has confirmed Janie Simms Hipp, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, to serve as General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In this new role, she will carry out the duties to enforce the laws and regulations of the USDA and ensure the interests of the American public are served by USDA’s programs and services. Adding Janie’s expertise to the strong senior leadership team at USDA will only further our efforts to expand opportunity for those who live, work and raise their families in rural communities, especially in those communities that have experienced persistent poverty, make good on USDA’s responsibility to provide nutrition assistance to children and families, and contribute to removing barriers to access to USDA programs wherever they exist.”