Democrats on the congressional Joint Economic Committee are laying out a series of policy priorities for rural America in a new report, and they include passing a new farm bill. The JEC’s ranking Democrat, Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, said energy and broadband provisions in the Senate Agriculture Committee’s bipartisan farm bill are examples of what is needed to address key rural needs.

Senate and House Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee on Wednesday released a report, "Investing in Rural America," on the needs of rural America and promised to push congress to invest more in rural areas. In a call to reporters, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., the ranking Democrat on the committee, said, "Many rural communities are still recovering from the Great Recession, more than 10 years after it hit us. Millions of rural residents lack reliable access to broadband. The rural population is aging and shrinking, and wages have been stuck for too long. But rather than run from these challenges, we need to tackle them head on."

A study released the eight Democratic members on the congressional Joint Economic Committee relies on data showing where rural areas are lagging their urban counterparts and what policy solutions might close gaps. The report, Investing in Rural America, looks at several aspects of the rural economy including infrastructure, family financial security, housing, clean energy and public lands, health care, and agriculture.

The lack of access to broadband and health care in less-populous areas of the U.S. are two of the issues that Democrats hope they can use to loosen the Republican grip on rural voters. A study being released today by the eight Democratic members on the congressional Joint Economic Committee relies on data showing where rural areas are lagging their urban counterparts, and what policy solutions might close gaps.