Mayor Pete Buttigieg Releases Plan to Unleash the Economic Potential of Rural America
DES MOINES, IA — Today, Mayor Pete Buttigieg announced an ambitious new plan to significantly grow and empower rural communities to lead the way in addressing America’s most urgent challenges. Pete will roll this policy out on a two-day, seven county swing through Southeast Iowa.
Rural America provides the majority of domestic food and energy, but too often our government treats it as an afterthought, resulting in farm incomes plummeting, young people leaving for cities, and a growing disparity of life expectancy in rural areas. To address these pressing challenges, Pete’s plan focuses on real solutions and taps into the potential of rural America with forward-looking proposals to grow jobs through Regional Innovation Clusters and manufacturing partnerships, guarantee Internet for All, address monopolies in agriculture, invest in education, and empower rural communities to lead the way on solving climate disruption.
“I grew up and live in a mid-size, Midwestern city surrounded by farms and fields, and I’ve seen an overlooked community lift itself up with determination and creativity,” said Buttigieg. “Just as my own hometown rose up to start a new chapter and meet the future with a fresh approach and new ideas, we can tackle this moment of urgency head on to create opportunity for rural Americans if we empower our communities rather than overlook them. This plan unleashes the potential of small towns across America with good jobs, an opportunity to grow a business, and the infrastructure to raise a healthy and happy family.”
“In the military, I served with patriots from both small towns and big cities, and together we made America stronger,” added Buttigieg. “At this critical time in our history, we must realize the potential of every part of our country to meet our national challenges.”
The plan drives growth and empowers rural America to lead through innovative policies that:
• Invest in opportunities and jobs for rural Americans
Provides up to $500 million in federal funds to develop and support a national network of 1,000 Regional Innovation Clusters.
• Position people living in rural communities to fill those jobs
Doubles apprenticeships and expand access to other “earn-and-learn” opportunities. Reduces the teacher shortage in rural areas by 50% within 15 years.
Provides free public college tuition for low- and middle-income students and supports satellite hubs for colleges.
Invests $25 billion in HBCUs and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), including Tribal Colleges and Universities.
• Empower rural America to combat the climate change crisis
Invests nearly $50 billion over a decade on innovative research.
Pays farmers for conservation efforts.
Establishes next-generation Resilience Hubs to share climate resilience data and tools.
• Guarantee Internet for All
Ensures full high-speed broadband coverage with an $80 billion Internet For All initiative to close learning gaps and increase entrepreneurship.
• Restore balance for family farms and with investments in anti-trust enforcement
Doubles funding for antitrust enforcement and halve the reporting threshold.
Revives regional antitrust enforcement.
• Address population decline through fixes to immigration
Creates a new, place-based Community Renewal (CR) visa to provide opportunities for people who want to move to America and help build our economy where they are needed most and where they will do well.
Rural America can not only meet our national challenges at this critical moment in history — they can lead the way in tackling them. Read Pete’s full plan to uplift rural communities with strong leadership for a new era.
