Biden administration officials will crisscross the United States in April to tout improvements to rural communities funded by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The “rural playbook” tour will include stops in several states as White House officials publicize billions of dollars’ worth of funding aimed at improving forest fire readiness, rural broadband access, transportation networks, and water quality, among other items.
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“Rural America is the source of the food we eat, the water we drink, and the energy we use,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said during a Monday morning call with reporters. “Some of the most iconic landscapes in our country are located in rural America.”
Only 10% to 15% of the U.S. population is considered rural, but people living in those areas face higher unemployment rates, poorer access to amenities, and fewer economic opportunities compared to those in suburbs and cities.
The tour will include appearances by Vilsack, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu.
“This funding will help establish and rebuild clean water infrastructure for underserved and rural populations, which will further the president’s goal to ensure that everyone has access to clean, safe drinking water,” Haaland said during the call.
The playbook includes more than 100 programs funded by the infrastructure law, according to a press release.
The Interior Department will distribute $420 million for rural water systems in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The administration has also announced a $1 billion “America the Beautiful Challenge” that will use federal conservation and restoration investments to boost land, water, and wildlife conservation efforts.
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“I have always believed that for America to succeed, rural America must succeed,” Joe Biden said in a prepared statement. “Since taking office, my administration has focused on building pathways to the middle class for rural Americans in rural America — including investing in rural infrastructure and rebuilding the communities that feed and fuel our country.”
