Representatives Craig and Newhouse Lead Bipartisan Introduction of the Rural Prosperity Act

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced the Rural Prosperity Act, a bipartisan bill that would streamline federal services for rural America and cut bureaucratic red tape by establishing the Office of Rural Prosperity – a permanent office in the White House tasked with coordinating federal efforts to support and connect America's rural communities to federal programs and resources. The bill stems from Craig's continued focus on improving outcomes for rural families and economies in Minnesota's Second Congressional District and across rural America.

Craig and Newhouse were joined in introducing the Rural Prosperity Act by Representatives Cindy Axne (D-IA), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ), and Randy Feenstra (R-(IA). U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

"Thriving rural economies in Minnesota and across America are critical to ensuring that every American, regardless of zip code, can achieve the American Dream," said Representative Craig. "It's clear to me that the federal government needs to lift up rural communities and build a country where every American can benefit from our growing economy. I'm proud to lead this bipartisan and bicameral effort to reverse that trend by creating – for the first time in American history – a permanent office in the White House fully focused on rural economic prosperity."

"Rural communities like Central Washington are the heart of this country, and face unique challenges from access to broadband to varying infrastructure needs," said Representative Newhouse. "Adding an Office of Rural Prosperity will not only ensure these vital voices have a seat at the table, but boost local economies nationwide. I'm honored to help lead this effort in the House on behalf of Central Washington, and I urge my colleagues to help pass this legislation and provide the support our rural communities need."

"Far too often I hear from folks in rural Iowa who are concerned that the issues they're facing aren't being prioritized at the very top," said Representative Axne. "Overwhelmed and inflexible programs make it difficult for rural Iowans to get the help they need, which is why I'm proud to be introducing the Rural Prosperity Act. This important piece of legislation will increase the representation of rural America at the executive level, something I've been very passionate about during my time in Congress. I'm honored to help lead this effort in the House, and I urge my colleagues to join us in delivering sorely needed support to folks all across rural America."

"Time and time again, we've seen the federal government overlook and undervalue rural America. Many communities in the First District had not fully recovered from the Great Recession when the COVID-19 pandemic hit," said O'Halleran, who represents one of the largest and most rural congressional districts in America. "From Safford near the southern edge of our district, stretching all the way up to Page at our northern border, we've seen continued disinvestment by the federal government in areas where honest Arizonans are working hard to grow their communities and support their children. I'm proud to join Senator Kelly and my colleagues in the House to introduce this legislation that establishes a permanent office at the White House dedicated to supporting rural communities."

"When it comes to navigating the federal bureaucracy, our rural communities often face heightened barriers and burdensome red tape to access the resources they need to grow and thrive," said Rep. Randy Feenstra. "The Rural Prosperity Act will help consolidate and deliver federal assistance to our families, farmers, and producers – whether it be derecho relief or broadband expansion. This is an important, bipartisan victory for our local communities and rural main streets, and I am proud to support it."

"We want to thank Representative Craig for introducing the Rural Prosperity Act. At Rural Organizing, we strongly support the creation of an office in the White House that can coordinate across federal departments and agencies to ensure that dollars earmarked for rural Americans stay in rural communities and are spent effectively," said Matt Hildreth, Executive Director for Rural Organizing. "That kind of commitment can improve the lives and economies of rural communities by ensuring that federal tax dollars designated for them get to the right places and are used effectively."

Currently, there are more than 400 federal programs dedicated to helping rural communities, spread across 13 departments, and over 50 offices and sub-agencies which can create siloed, duplicative, and ineffective bureaucracy. The bipartisan Rural Prosperity Act would ensure better coordination across federal agencies by:

• Establishing the Office of Rural Prosperity within the White House to coordinate rural economic development programs across government. The office would be led by a Chief Rural Advisor, who will be appointed by the President and be responsible for coordinating all federal rural development efforts.
• Forming a Rural Prosperity Council which consists of members of all of the heads of executive branch departments, agencies and offices that have programs that serve rural areas. The Council would serve as a forum to resolve interagency disputes and coordinate a whole-of-government effort to address the needs of rural communities across the country.
• Developing a comprehensive strategy for rural economic development across the Executive Branch.
• Engaging with stakeholders, including convening public hearings, to identify common challenges faced by rural areas.
• Making recommendations on how to coordinate, streamline, and leverage existing Federal investments to address challenges faced by rural areas.
• Developing a common set of metrics to ensure that all rural development programs are meeting a common set of evidence-backed standards.

Legislative text of the Rural Prosperity Act is available here and a brief summary of the bipartisan bill is available here.

In Congress, Craig has prioritized the voices of rural Americans in Congress. She has effectively used her role on the Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth to advocate for commonsense investments in rural broadband and affordable rural housing. She has also focused on building resilient supply chains in the food and ag space and highlighted the voices of family farmers in her work on the House Agriculture Committee.

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