Missouri’s senior Congressman wants to make sure the new economic stimulus bill being written in Congress includes funds that target rural priorities. Congressman Ike Skelton represents a big rural area of west-central Missouri. He’s a former chairman of the Congressional Rural Caucus.
Skelton has sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking her to make sure the "unique needs of rural America" are part of the bill. He looks at issues in his own district. "Rural water and sewer improvement just have to be at the top of the list," he says.
He also hopes drafters of the package will include money for rural development grants and loans, rural energy initiatives, and expansion of internet broadband access to rural area.
Skelton says says most of the economic recover programs so far have helped city-based businesses and corporations. He says that worries him "a great deal."
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