Sending Office: Honorable Mike Thompson
Sent By:
Jennifer.Goedke@mail.house.gov

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March 20, 2020

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi                          The Honorable Mitch McConnell

Speaker                                                           Majority Leader

U.S. House of Representatives                       U.S. Senate

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy                    The Honorable Charles Schumer

Minority Leader                                              Minority Leader

U.S. House of Representatives                       U.S. Senate

To Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader McCarthy, and Leader Schumer:

As you develop the third tranche of support and relief to our communities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we ask that you remember the unique needs of rural communities. As you know, 60 million people – or one in five Americans – live in rural America. 
Rural counties make up nearly 85 percent of the 1,104 “older-age counties”—those with more than 20 percent of their population age 65 or older. 

We have already seen the devastating economic effects of this pandemic.  Unfortunately, our rural communities may see a disproportionate result of this economic downturn. A recent study found that rural communities were already facing challenges before this
pandemic swept our country.  Rural communities see higher poverty rates, have a lower population in the working age, a higher portion of the population are on disability, and, in some places, educational attainment lags behind other areas.

The folks in our rural communities are hardworking and ready to get back to work, but they will not be able to do so without significant assistance. We respectfully ask that you remember the needs of these constituents as you develop economic support and
growth programs. It may take rural communities longer to make up for current losses and to rebuild to pre-pandemic levels. We appreciate any flexibility that can be built into programs and carve-outs for the special needs of rural communities.

We appreciate how difficult the task is ahead of you, but trust that you will put the needs of everyone in America first – including those of our rural communities.

                                                                        Sincerely,

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