Transforming Hiring in Rural Industries and Vital Economies Act of 2023
This bill establishes the White House Rural Council within the Executive Office of the President to make recommendations and coordinate the efforts of the executive branch regarding economic development in rural areas.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6662 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6662
To establish a White House Rural Council, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 7, 2023
Mr. Cartwright (for himself, Mr. Rogers of Kentucky, Ms. Pingree, Mr.
Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, and Mr.
Costa) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a White House Rural Council, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Transforming Hiring in Rural
Industries and Vital Economies Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. WHITE HOUSE RURAL COUNCIL.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Executive Office of
the President a White House Rural Council (in this section referred to
as the ``Council'').
(b) Membership.--
(1) Chair.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall serve as the
Chair of the Council.
(2) Members.--The Council shall be composed of the heads of
the following:
(A) The Department of the Treasury.
(B) The Department of Defense.
(C) The Department of Justice.
(D) The Department of the Interior.
(E) The Department of Commerce.
(F) The Department of Labor.
(G) The Department of Health and Human Services.
(H) The Department of Housing and Urban
Development.
(I) The Department of Transportation.
(J) The Department of Energy.
(K) The Department of Education.
(L) The Department of Veterans Affairs.
(M) The Department of Homeland Security.
(N) The Environmental Protection Agency.
(O) The Federal Communications Commission.
(P) The Office of Management and Budget.
(Q) The Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(R) The Office of National Drug Control Policy.
(S) The Council of Economic Advisers.
(T) The Domestic Policy Council.
(U) The National Economic Council.
(V) The Small Business Administration.
(W) The Council on Environmental Quality.
(X) The White House Office of Public Engagement and
Intergovernmental Affairs.
(Y) The White House Office of Cabinet Affairs.
(Z) Any other department, agency, or office of the
executive branch as the President or Secretary of
Agriculture may designate.
(3) Designees.--Any member of the Council may designate a
senior-level official, who is employed full-time in the
department, agency, or office of such member, to carry out the
duties of the member under this section.
(c) Meetings.--Not later than six months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and every six months thereafter, the Council
shall convene a meeting of representatives of the executive
departments, agencies, and offices represented on the Council to
develop plans to coordinate the efforts of such executive departments,
agencies, and offices and facilitate efficient services to
stakeholders. At such meetings, each such representative shall--
(1) share information regarding the rural economic
development efforts and activities of the representative's
executive department, agency, or office;
(2) identify opportunities for collaboration and
coordination of research agendas, vulnerability assessments,
data collection and analysis, and planning and implementing
rural economic development projects;
(3) identify rural economic development information needs,
research gaps, and decision support needs that are not met by
any executive department, agency, or office represented on the
Council and make available such identification for purposes of
information to be submitted to the Council;
(4) identify common and complementary goals for rural
economic development within each region to be prioritized for
the coming year and beyond;
(5) identify barriers to rural economic development
planning and implementation that can be overcome or minimized
through Federal action and specific suggestions for
improvement;
(6) evaluate progress and jointly develop a strategy for
realizing rural economic development-related goals, including
clearly identified responsibilities by each collaborating
regional office, center, or program; and
(7) share experiences and best practices in stakeholder
engagement and communication, decision support, and economic
development interactions that support the realization of
identified rural economic development goals.
(d) Duties.--The Council shall carry out the following:
(1) Coordinate with the Domestic Policy Council and the
National Economic Council to develop the policy of the Council.
(2) Coordinate with departments, agencies, and offices of
the executive branch to develop policy recommendations that
promote economic prosperity and quality of life in rural areas
(as defined by the Secretary of Agriculture) throughout the
United States.
(3) Make recommendations to the President, through the
Director of the Domestic Policy Council and the Director of the
National Economic Council, on how to best use Federal
investments in rural areas for the purpose of facilitating job
growth and economic development.
(4) Coordinate and increase the effectiveness of Federal
engagement with rural stakeholders, including agricultural
organizations, small businesses, education and training
institutions, health care providers, telecommunications
services providers, research and land grant institutions, law
enforcement, State, local, and Tribal governments, and
nongovernmental organizations regarding the needs of rural
areas throughout the United States.
(5) Coordinate Federal efforts directed toward the growth
and development of geographic regions that encompass both urban
and rural areas.
(6) Identify and facilitate rural economic opportunities
associated with energy development, outdoor recreation, and
other conservation-related activities.
(e) Administration.--The Secretary of Agriculture (or staff
designated by the Secretary) shall provide to the Council
administrative support services and additional resources, as
appropriate, to the extent permitted by law and within existing
appropriations. The Secretary shall determine the amount of funding and
personnel necessary for the Council to carry out its duties and the
amount of funding and personnel each department, agency, or office
represented on the Council should contribute in order for the Council
to carry out such duties. Such department, agency, or office shall,
upon the request of the Secretary, make available to the Council
personnel, administrative support services, and information.
(f) No Additional Funds Authorized.--No additional funds are
authorized to carry out the requirements of this section. Such
requirements shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized.
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Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.
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