The following is a statement from Matt Hildreth, Executive Director of RuralOrganizing.Org:
Today, House and Senate Appropriators released the 2023 “Omnibus” spending bill. Included in that legislation is $200 million for the new Recompete Pilot Program, which is a significant accomplishment for rural communities.
We appreciate the leadership of Rep. Derek Kilmer, who sponsored this legislation, which was first authorized by the CHIPs bill. Today, we saw that there is very real funding for this new federal block grant program at the Economic Development Agency (EDA).
Recompete will empower persistently distressed communities, including rural communities, with flexible 10-year “Rebuilding Economies and Creating Opportunities for More People to Excel” ( RECOMPETE) Grants to create good jobs in persistently distressed communities, including rural and Tribal communities.
For nearly two years, through our Campaign for Rural Progress, RuralOrganizing.org has focused on passing policies that increase good-paying jobs and wages, decrease daily expenses, and improve the quality of life for rural communities experiencing economic distress. Today, we saw that our organizing work has started to pay off on Capitol Hill. We encourage the House and Senate to pass this spending bill without delay.
— Matt Hildreth
The mission of RuralOrganizing.org is to rebuild a rural America that is empowered, thriving, and equitable. Follow us on Twitter @RuralOrganizing.
###
