Rural-urban gaps must be closed

Over the past year and a half, our nation has overcome some truly daunting challenges. This experience made even more visible one of the most pressing issues of our time: the growing wealth gap in this nation — an entrenched problem only exacerbated by a pandemic that severely impacted many hardworking Americans.

That's why, last month, I was honored to accept an appointment to serve on the U.S. House's Bipartisan Select Committee on Economic Disparity & Fairness in Growth. My role will focus on studying how we create economic growth in rural communities and help family farmers survive — two challenges that have proved especially difficult over the past several decades.

In 2019, the rural poverty rate in this country was 15.4%, compared with 11.9% for urban areas. In 2019, more than 21% of rural children in the United States fell below the poverty line, compared with 16.1% of children in urban communities. And since 2013, rural America has accounted for just 4% of employment growth despite having 14% of the country's population.

These statistics are especially jarring to me because I represent a congressional district that begins in the suburbs but quickly gives way to small towns and farmland largely covered by corn and soybeans this time of year. There is something magical about spending time in the small towns that make up the majority of my district. I firmly believe that the economic vitality of rural America is critical to our nation's long-term prosperity. That's why I've focused so intently in Congress on supporting family farmers and small businesses.

But addressing these disparities is also deeply personal for me. Growing up in the rural South, I saw firsthand how hard many families had to work just to get by. My mom worked two jobs and went to school for most of my childhood — often driving 40 miles each way to attend community college to earn her teaching degree over nine years. My grandmother worked in a factory — and often spent her nights watching me and my siblings. My grandfather was a farm foreman before the 1980s farm crisis drove him out. I recently visited the place he worked while I was growing up. The grain bins are no longer operating — but serve as a stark reminder of better days for this town in rural America.

Here in Minnesota's Second Congressional District, I see the same challenges — and I hear from folks desperate for solutions. Since the day I was sworn in, I've met with farmers who feel overlooked by politicians in Washington who don't understand their contributions. I've spoken with constituents who feel like they can't receive affordable, quality health care in their own communities. And I've heard from parents who are frustrated by a lack of job opportunities that could convince the next generation to return home and put down roots.

The challenges facing rural America, while longstanding, have been made even more urgent as a result of the COVID-19 public health crisis. The simple fact of the matter is this: through no fault of their own, folks in rural communities oftentimes face an uphill battle in building wealth and achieving a middle-class life. And the disparities we see in America across race are even more pronounced in rural areas, especially across regions in the deep South.

Family farms, which are the backbone of this country, are struggling more than ever to withstand volatile markets and extreme weather — and to pass their farms on to the next generation. Millions of young people living in small towns lack access to the same educational opportunities as their peers in urban and suburban communities. And many rural communities can't access the high-speed internet they need to work or connect with their families and friends.

Addressing these challenges will be no simple matter. It will require a comprehensive and forward-thinking set of solutions to create a path ahead for sustainable long-term growth and opportunity for all.

This is no small task — but it is one that I am honored to take on.

Angie Craig, a Democrat, represents Minnesota's Second Congressional District in the U.S. House.