Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow and ranking member John Boozman said they supported Xochitl Torres Small to become Agriculture deputy secretary, all but assuring her promotion from undersecretary for rural development.
“It is clear to me that Ms. Torres Small has a proven track record as a strong leader, which will be needed as the department faces unprecedented challenges like tackling the climate crisis and helping farmers manage geopolitical risks,” Stabenow, D-Mich., said at a hearing Wednesday.
Boozman, R-Ark., who said he was dissatisfied with the Agriculture Department’s failure to provide him information about potentially billions of dollars in unspent pandemic funds, said he hoped Torres Small would improve transparency as the department’s second most senior leader.
