Feb 1, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, and Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-New Nork, have introduced the Rebuild Rural America Act, which would deliver federal resources directly to rural communities as they respond to, and recover from, the economic crisis caused by COVID-19.
Traditionally, rural communities must compete against each other for limited grant funding while larger communities are guaranteed assistance through funding entitlements. Gillibrand and Delgado said the pandemic has exacerbated the financial challenges already confronting rural communities as they have been forced to operate with diminished sales tax returns, an abandoned tourism industry, and closures across nearly all retail sectors.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Photo: Monica Sandreczki
Jan 28, 2021 Senator Kirsten Gillibrand made a joint announcement with House Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) Thursday of their newly introduced bill in Congress that would bring more federal resources to rural areas of the country.
The Rebuild Rural America Act would set aside $50 billion dollars in block grants for rural regions, with larger allocations for areas with high poverty rates.
Gillibrand said that a federal program designed specifically for these regions will help to address the unique challenges they face. Too often rural communities can t access the federal grants and other public resources that could help them solve these problems because they don t have the same economic development organizations. They don t have the grant writers or the lobbyists that the larger communities can afford and have, she said.