From Tessa Gould, One Country Project <[email protected]>
Subject Rural Update 7/11: June Jobs; Childcare in Farm Bill
Date July 11, 2023 9:35 PM
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Good afternoon,

Here's what you need to get caught up this week&hellip;

JUNE JOBS BUOYS BIDENOMICS

Jobs additions continued in June, though at a slower pace indicative of a transition to a more stable economy after record post-pandemic growth.

On his "Investing in America" tour, President Biden touted "<a href="[link removed]">Bidenomics</a>" -- a term which includes the <a href="[link removed]">Inflation Reduction Act</a>, the <a href="[link removed]">CHIPs and Science Act</a>, the <a href="[link removed]">Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act</a>, and the <a href="[link removed]">American Rescue Plan</a> -- as the reason for the U.S. economy's 30-month-long upward trajectory.&nbsp;

These crucial pieces of legislation have in fact <a href="[link removed]">drawn manufacturers to the country</a> -- demonstrating how federal funding can encourage private investment, secure our domestic energy supply, and put the U.S. at the forefront of clean energy technology, all while creating job opportunities for rural Americans.

Federal grant money is so popular that even Republicans who vocally opposed legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act are <a href="[link removed]">cheering for the investments</a> in their states' broadband and infrastructure -- even after trying to <a href="[link removed]">slash funding</a> earlier this year.

The over $3 trillion in <a href="[link removed]">domestic funding</a> presents an <a href="[link removed]">opportunity</a> for Democrats to make inroads with rural Americans. Republicans did not use their time in power to deliver broadband, fix roads and bridges, or prevent hospitals from closing. Democrats, in contrast, can showcase tangible steps to improve infrastructure and economic development in rural regions.

Still, while job opportunities abound and inflation begins to ease, new <a href="[link removed]">Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) restrictions</a> on top of the <a href="[link removed]">end of pandemic-era provisions</a> have led to dangerous spikes in <a href="[link removed]">food insecurity</a> and <a href="[link removed]">uncertainty</a> for working families. More work must be done to secure the finances of everyday Americans. <a href="[link removed]">Read OCP's full statement here</a>.

A FARM BILL FOR FAMILIES

Now that Congress is back in session, it has its work cut out for it: the Farm Bill must be renewed. This process will incorporate some of the most contentious policy issues of the year, from SNAP funding to conservation programs.

Outside of traditional agriculture programs, the steaming hot new issue on the table is <a href="[link removed]">childcare</a>.

Affordable, quality childcare is difficult to find throughout the country. Costs range from $7,000 to over $20,000 per child. <a href="[link removed]">6 in 10 rural families</a> live in childcare deserts. Without any childcare provider, millions of parents are forced to <a href="[link removed]">leave the workplace</a> -- <a href="about:blank">negatively impacting economies</a>. On the flipside, every $1 invested in early childhood programs <a href="[link removed]">yields a $16 return</a>. It's no surprise that <a href="[link removed]">a majority</a> of American families support federal funding for childcare.

The Biden administration has required that <a href="[link removed]">chip manufacturers</a> receiving federal subsidies from the CHIPs and Science Act provide affordable, high-quality childcare for workers who build or operate the plant. Now, it's time for the Farm Bill to help working families juggle raising a family with earning a living.

The Farm Bill presents an opportunity to set an agenda for rural communities' prosperity, from securing the farming foundation to ensuring people can continue to live and work in rural regions. <a href="[link removed]">Read OCP's letter to Agriculture Committees' leadership here</a>.

JUSTICE IS BEST SERVED COLD. CELEBRATION IS BEST SERVED WITH A SLICE OF PIE

We celebrated the Fourth of July with an episode of the <a href="[link removed]">Hot Dish</a> , featuring Jane Matejcek, a Fargo native, Veterans Affairs nurse, and president of Honor Flights North Dakota, which honors veterans who have served our country. Brian Noyes, owner of Red Truck Bakery, joined to talk about how baking can feed a small Virginia town's revitalization. <a href="[link removed]">Listen here</a>.

ICYMI

The Wall Street Journal: <a href="[link removed]">The Math Problem Stymieing Small Businesses in Rural America</a>
Axios: <a href="[link removed]">Study: Maternal deaths widespread beyond the South</a>
CBS News: <a href="[link removed]">Influx in Broadband Funds to Minnesota Will Open the Door to More Telehealth Options</a>
Daily Yonder: <a href="[link removed]">Rural SNAP Recipients Will Have Harder Time with Return to Work Requirements</a>

Texas Tribune: <a href="[link removed]">With New Federal Food Stamps Limits Coming, Advocates Mobilize to Inform Texas Recipients</a>

Reuters: <a href="[link removed]">US Farm Agency Opens Applications for $2.2 Billion in Discrimination Payments</a>

New York Times: <a href="[link removed]">When Trains Block a Road, Local Officials Have Few Options</a>

Axios:<a href="[link removed]">First Look: Biden Begins to Map Big Spending Plans</a>

Texas Public Radio: <a href="[link removed]">Democrats are Targeting Rural Voters Ahead of the Crucial 2024 Election</a>

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