From the White House to the county courthouse, we have you covered on rural politics and policy. Look no further for election analysis and rural voter data, reporting on how policymakers and federal programs are aiming to serve rural communities, or simply the many roles rural people and places play in democracy and civic life.
As Energy Transition Nears, New Bill Creates an Economic Pathway for Fossil-Dependent Communities
The new legislation will create an endowment fund and federally-chartered corporation to support communities struggling economically due to waning extraction industry.
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White House Announces ‘Rural Playbook’ and 30-Community Tour, Starting in Iowa
The initiative will help underserved rural communities gain access to federal stimulus funding, according to the White House.
Commentary: The Growing Diversity of Rural Leadership
In small cities like Wilson, North Carolina, diverse young leaders are building stronger communities. Progressives need to invest in their future.
Biden’s Budget Proposal Would Boost USDA Funding by 9%
The White House is proposing $31.1 billion in new spending for rural priorities, including economic development, high speed internet, housing, conservation, energy, and climate mitigation programs.
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Bipartisan Bill to Create a Permanent Office for Rural Prosperity at the White House
The Rural Prosperity Act is meant to cut red tape and make it easier for rural Americans to access government services and economic development initiatives.
Writing Her Own Story in Rural Politics
A political writer-turned-politician talks about how politics became more than a story to cover.
Analysis: In Face of National Apathy, Local Groups Lead Rural Democratic Efforts
Local organizations are playing the long game trying to rebuild a Democratic presence in small cities and rural parts of Texas and Virginia.
Gun Storage Tax Break Is Rare Point of Unity in Firearms Debate
Lawmakers across many states want to increase gun control through tax incentives on safe storage of weapons.
Illustrating the News: What the Expanded Child Tax Credit Means for Rural Families
The American Rescue Plan temporarily expanded the size of the Child Tax Credit and who was eligible to receive it. We break down how the expansion affected rural communities and what’s next for families that relied on it.
Congress’ Final 2022 Budget Includes Increases for Rural Housing Programs
The long-awaited 2022 budget adds support for rural homeowner programs but drops proposals for significant increases in rental assistance. HUD programs, which support a variety of rural housing initiatives, got larger increases.
Commentary: Democrats Should Keep Their Focus on Needs of Poor and Working-Class Americans
President Biden has signaled that he wants to shift away from the most successful accomplishments of his first year in office. That’s not going to help the nation, and it will only make the Democrats’ “rural problem” worse.
Analysis: Read Between the Lines to See Rural America’s Place in Biden’s Address
The president made few direct references to rural America in his State of the Union Address. But rural topics abounded in the economic, social, and rhetorical elements of his message.
Rural Politics of the Green Transition: A Glimpse from Maine
The construction of a “Clean Energy Corridor,” which would transmit hydropower from Quebec to Massachusetts through Maine, was halted by Maine voters who did not feel their concerns were heard, or their interests considered, in the headlong rush to renewables.
Roadblocks on ‘The Oregon Way’ to Protecting State’s Rivers
A compromise built over two years to add more Oregon streams and rivers to a list of protected waterways is being upended by local officials and and interest groups. Experts worry business interests stand in the way of communities’ safety and well-being.
Small Cities Worry Cybersecurity Money Won’t Reach Them
Experts worry that a complicated application process could make the federal funds for cybersecurity hard to get for smaller communities.
Commentary: What the Left Doesn’t Understand about Rural America
To win in rural communities, Democrats need to show up and help, not heckle.
Illustrating the News: How Are Rural Communities Using American Rescue Plan Funds?
The act’s funds were designed to be flexible, but with many state and local budgets set for 2022 we can start to see how places are patching fiscal holes or taking on community challenges.
Q&A: Why Is the Government Losing Rural America’s Trust?
Rural sociologist Loka Ashwood’s book For-Profit Democracy: Why the Government is Losing the Trust of Rural America investigates how rural voices have been ignored by policymakers for generations.
Commentary: How Fracking Collides with Civics in Rural Pennsylvania
In rural Pennsylvania, where the fracking industry is king, residents value self-determination as much as healthy environment.
January 6 Arrestees Aren’t More Likely to Be from Rural Areas
The people charged with Capitol-insurrection crimes are from a broad cross-section of major cities, suburbs, and small towns, a Daily Yonder analysis shows. If anything, rural areas are a little underrepresented among arrestees.
USDA Seeks Equity in Housing, Less Extractive Rural Economies, Secretary of Ag Says
The agency wants to make sure the application process for funding is easier for rural residents, USDA’s Tom Vilsack said in an interview.
Montana’s Abortion Restrictions Place an Extra Burden on Rural Areas, Advocates Say
Three new state laws, including one that prevents telehealth and mail-prescription services, will limit choices during pregnancy, according to Montana’s Planned Parenthood CEO.
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