A bipartisan path for rural America’s next 250 years

As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, Americans are increasingly reflecting on the story of the country’s past. Rural communities have always been central to that story, from the farms and small towns that fed and powered a growing nation to the innovation and resilience that define it even today.

Yet our nation is confronting major societal shifts: technological disruption, demographic change and the demands of long-term fiscal responsibility. The stakes are high for every American but nowhere are these pressures more evident than in rural communities. These forces could help revitalize rural places or accelerate their decline, depending on the support and strategies in place.

Unfortunately, policymaking has not kept pace with rural realities. For decades, Washington has lacked a coherent strategy for addressing the many changes and challenges facing America’s small and more remote towns.

Recent policy swings in Washington are a case in point. Investments during the Biden administration in infrastructure, clean energy and technological manufacturing promised new opportunities, but getting projects to land in rural areas was challenging. Some large-scale commitments such as the $20 billion Intel mega site in central Ohio have since stalled. 

Implementation of H.R. 1, the Trump administration’s signature legislation, raises uncertainty about the impacts on health care coverage and access for many rural Americans, and tariffs and immigration enforcement policies are reshaping sectors central to their local........

© The Hill