Rural Tennessee is a main source of food and energy for our country. Our economy depends on its abundant natural resources. Rural America is brimming with possibility. Yet our government too often treats rural America and rural American values as an afterthought, and it shows. Rural Americans today die younger than urban Americans. Farm income has plummeted and job growth is lagging compared to urban areas. Issues that affect everyone in the United States are amplified in rural areas. Access to quality health care, including mental health care and addiction care, is often literally out of reach.
- Invest in rural communities. We need to enable rural communities to build new businesses, access services, build strong communities, fund strong schools and seize new economic opportunities.
