[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 133 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 133

 To express the sense of the Congress that the President recognize the 
  role rural communities play in the economy of the United States and 
express this recognition through appropriate emphasis on rural economic 
  development when preparing the administration's economic proposals.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 4, 1993

   Mr. Clement introduced the following joint resolution; which was 
                referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
 To express the sense of the Congress that the President recognize the 
  role rural communities play in the economy of the United States and 
express this recognition through appropriate emphasis on rural economic 
  development when preparing the administration's economic proposals.

Whereas 3,449,000 square acres or 97.5 percent of the land area in America is 
        defined as ``Rural'' by the United States Bureau of the Census;
Whereas 61,656,000 or 24 percent of the American population reside in rural 
        communities;
Whereas rural areas provide a strong traditional heritage which has continued to 
        be vital to the American spirit;
Whereas rural communities play a vital role in the economic health and well-
        being of the United States;
Whereas 21 percent of total United States employment is located in rural areas;
Whereas the 1980's saw the gap between rural and urban relative income increase 
        to the effect that rural per capita income was only 72.2 percent of 
        urban per capita income;
Whereas the rural poverty rate in 1990 was 16.3 percent higher than in 1972;
Whereas employment rose 21 percent in metro areas between 1979 and 1989, while 
        employment increased by only 12 percent in rural areas within the same 
        time period;
Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 75 percent of all 
        waste water facility development needs are located in rural communities 
        with fewer than 10,000 residents;
Whereas more than one-half of the Nation's 3,100,000 miles of rural roads are 
        unpaved and many of the paved roads are in inadequate conditions;
Whereas the Federal Highway Administration estimates that there are more than 
        180,000 deficient bridges in the United States, most of which exist in 
        rural areas;
Whereas the 1990 Census confirms that more than one-half of all rural counties 
        lost population due to the migration of younger workers in search of 
        higher paying jobs in urban areas; and
Whereas a Federal role is critical to foster an environment conducive to 
        economic growth in rural areas of our Nation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That the 103d Congress urges 
the President to recognize the important role of rural areas when 
planning and implementing the economic agenda of the United States and 
to place considerable emphasis on rural economic development when 
considering infrastructure, small business assistance, and education 
and development initiatives.

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