Two Minnesota Congressional Representatives Author Investing in Rural America Act

(KNSI) — Two U.S. Representatives from Minnesota have introduced the Investing in Rural America Act to help small communities attract funding for vital services like hospitals and child care centers.

One of the bill’s authors is Seventh District Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach, who said the bill is necessary because “Rural communities across the country are struggling to retain population, much less attract future generations. One way Congress can support them is by eliminating unnecessary regulatory barriers to capital investment.”

Congressman Brad Finstad, who represents southern Minnesota in the First District, agreed, adding his district saw “state-of-the-art facilities like Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center possible because of financing through partnerships with Farm Credit Institutions. The Investing in Rural America Act will strengthen these institutions’ ability to partner with local lenders in providing capital to rural areas and bring increased investment to community facilities, like Lakeview, that serve the entire southern Minnesota region.”

The bill is being introduced as part of the Farm Bill, passed every five years and modifies the Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program to help Farm Credit as it expands its support for rural projects.

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