[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 113 (Wednesday, July 13, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H4826]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      21ST CENTURY HEARTLAND TOUR

  (Mrs. BUSTOS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mrs. BUSTOS. Madam Speaker, I proudly come from a rural district in 
the State of Illinois. We have some of the best farmland anywhere in 
the world and what I would consider to be some of the hardest workers 
in America. But too often, communities like ours have been left behind 
or left out.
  We have had manufacturing jobs that have been sent overseas. We have 
had access to health care that has been very challenging. Net farm 
income has dropped. Many of our rural communities are without high-
speed Internet. That hurts our businesses and even affects our children 
doing their homework.
  But even with these challenges, rural America holds tremendous 
potential. That is why I am kicking off what I am calling the 21st 
Century Heartland Tour. I am doing this to put Illinoisans in rural 
communities back to work, position ourselves to lead the Nation in 
clean energy, and to support our growers and producers who put food on 
the table of millions of Americans every single day.
  Madam Speaker, let's work together to ensure a strong and thriving 
21st century heartland.

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