IARN — Members of the New Democrat Coalition (NDC) were led by Rep. Cindy Axne, along with fellow NDC Rural Reinvestment Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Cheri Bustos, in writing to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to urge the Department of Commerce to ensure rural America is a top priority when distributing funds and resources made available in bipartisan innovation legislation.
“Rural communities too often miss out on federal funding that would propel them forward, and the upcoming supply chain and innovation investments present a golden opportunity to tap into the workforce and resources that exist in those communities,” Rep. Axne said. “By prioritizing rural America in these investments, we will boost American competitiveness in the global economy all while creating jobs here in Iowa. I’ll continue working with Rep. Bustos and the Rural Reinvestment Task Force to ensure that rural America gets its fair share.”
“No matter where you live in America, you deserve access to world-class opportunities,” Rep. Bustos said. “That’s why I’m proud to lead a letter with Congresswoman Axne and the New Democrat Coalition’s Rural Reinvestment Task Force urging the Department of Commerce to prioritize rural communities as funds are made available through our bipartisan innovation legislation. Our communities have the tools and infrastructure to get the job done – and with federal investments in manufacturing and workforce training, we can revitalize the Heartland for years to come.”
The letter reads in part, “The bipartisan innovation legislation will promote American global leadership, security, and competitiveness; counter the influence and market abuses of adversarial powers; grow our economy, create jobs, and help ease long-term inflationary pressures; strengthen and diversify our global and domestic supply chains; boost production of American-made semiconductors; and usher in the next generation of breakthrough research and technology. To ensure we can unlock the full potential of every community in America toward these goals, we must invest in and leverage the talent and potential of rural America.”
The Rural Reinvestment Task Force was created for the Congress to uplift and highlight the needs of rural America by the New Democrat Coalition. Rep. Axne recently joined fellow task force members in urging President Biden to support the rural communities by lowering barriers to federal resources and ensuring equitable implementation of the bipartisan infrastructure law through specific recommendations.
Read the full letter here.
Story courtesy of the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.
Pictured: Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne hosts a central Iowa roundtable on infrastructure funding on 1-5-2022. The event was held in Clive. (IARN Stock Photo)
