S.2131, the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture Appropriations Bill includes provisions that reduce Section 502 loan funds by $400 million and raise the minimum interest rate from 1 to 2 percent. Attached please is a letter to the Senate opposing both and urging the Senate to restore the 1 percent loan and increase the program…
Category: Key Issues
Congratulations President Biden and Vice President Harris
TO: President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris. Congratulations on your victory. As you take office, we urge you to address the pressing need for decent housing in rural America A recent Wall Street Journal article noted, “Fewer homes are being built per household than almost any other time in US history, and it is even…
Disaster Assistance for Rural America
In the past month, three major hurricanes have devastated coastal communities in Texas and Florida and virtually the entire island of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Damage assessments for Texas and Florida amount to over $270 billion and details are not yet known for Puerto Rico and the USVI. By contrast, total…
What Happened on the Way to the Trump Budget for Rural Development — The Story So Far
The drumbeat for a dramatic re-ordering of federal rural development policy came with the release of the Trump Administration’s so-called “Skinny Budget” for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 in March. “Skinny” because it was short on details, the first budget of the Trump era proposed a $54 billion reduction in domestic discretionary spending with an increase…
Nearly 600 Rural Organizations Signify Opposition to White House Proposal for USDA Reorganization and Budget Request in Advance of Congressional Hearing
Rural Organizations from across the country wrote to Congress, voicing opposition to the Administration’s proposal to eliminate the Under Secretary for Rural Development and funding for rural development programs. Washington, D.C.—June 12, 2017— Today, nearly 600 organizations sent a letter to Congress opposing the Administration’s proposal to eliminate the Under Secretary for Rural Development at…
President Trump Signs Executive Order on Prosperity for Rural America
On April 25, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Promoting Agriculture and Rural Prosperity in America.” The executive order includes seven sections. Section 1 outlines the importance of having a secure and affordable food, fiber, and forestry supply for the country, and that the promoting rural communities is in the national interest. Section…
National Rural Housing Coalition Releases 2017 Impact Report
On Tuesday, April 4, the National Rural Housing Coalition (NRHC) released its 2017 Impact Report. The report, which was funded through the generous contribution of Capital One, included the findings from the 2017 Impact Survey as well as the success stories from 23 rural housing organizations. The purpose of the Impact Report is to inform…
Infrastructure Includes Substandard Housing
The lack of adequate water and waste disposal systems is a major infrastructure need of rural America and it is directly link to another pressing infrastructure need – substandard housing. Most violations of federal drinking water standards are made by small communities with limited resources to dedicate to compliance. Small and rural drinking water systems…
2016 Omnibus Bill Includes Record Funding For Rural Housing Programs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bob Rapoza National Rural Housing Coalition Phone: (202) 393-5225 2016 Omnibus Bill Includes Record Funding for Rural Housing Programs WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2015 – Yesterday, Congress released the omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year (FY) 2016. This bill funds several programs, including the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program, Section 521 Rural Rental Assistance, and…
Do Presidential Hopefuls Have a Plan for Rural America?
The presidential hopefuls are well underway in their respective campaigns, with a combined total of six debates over the past few month. While many candidates are focused on how they can make America stronger, there has yet to be any major discussion on what their plans are for rural America. Read more in Bob Rapoza’s…