Congressman Walz is one of 33 representatives to sign a letter asking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader John Boehner, "urging them to ensure that rural areas receive an equitable share of any economic stimulus package." The letter said in part:
“As representatives of rural districts,
we know that rural communities are prepared with ready-to-go
infrastructure projects that could put people to work within months,”
the members of Congress wrote. “Rural communities have the workforce
and the infrastructure needs to effectively utilize new federal
spending. Rural areas should be provided with an equitable share of
economic stimulus funds to improve their local economies just like
metropolitan communities.”
The
Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act of 2008, H.R. 7110, included a
provision to distribute stimulus funds between rural and metropolitan
communities.
The
letter explained that funds in the Federal Transit Administration
Transit Capital Assistance Grants were specifically reserved for rural
formula grants.
The representatives said Congress should “build on the precedent created by the transit funds in the Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act with guarantees in new economic recovery legislation to ensure an equitable distribution of all infrastructure funds between rural and metropolitan areas.”
One of the hardest-fought battles of the 110th Congress--the expansion of SCHIP to insure more children--is coming up again this week in Congress. The New York Times reports on the bill in Congress Set to Renew Health Care for Children. Congressman Walz supported earlier version of the legislation; in an emailed response to a question about the measure, his district director writes that his support is unchanged.
Another item remaining the same for the 111th Congress appears to be the inclusion of Congressman Walz in the NRCC's hit list for boilerplate attack press releases. In The "Party of New Ideas" goes to the Oldest Trick in the Book, Kagro X at Congress Matters looks at a recent example in an entertaining read. Brownsox at DailyKos picks up on the CM post in Hilarious NRCC release uncovers 2010 target list.
Oh Noes! Here's another one that the district media might see, with Mary Jo Kilroy highlighted as a target on the hapless Republican House caucus site. Guess they didn't like the idea of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 anymore than Stephen Colbert did.
Who knows, perhaps the Republicans might even field a candidate in the First who will do better than the last one, who garnered all of 32.93 percent in November despite reporting slightly over $1 million in receipts to the FEC. Walz received 62.5 of the vote in a three-way contest.
That nearly 30 point spread might provide thoughtful readers with a hint of why--unlike this time in January, 2007--we have no news of possible Republican challengers in MN-01, however much the NRCC is warming district media fax machines and email inboxes. Perhaps a lamb be sent out as well as press releases.
Clip art: Artist's rendition of next Walz opponent. On the other hand, this cautionary tale from the Muppets of the dangers of taking lost lambs for granted should keep Walz's campaign political director on his toes:
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