CONGRESSMAN
COLLIN C. PETERSON
Minnesota - 7th District       http://www.house.gov/collinpeterson/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2003
CONTACT: Allison Myhre/218-847-5056 or 218-731-1657

Peterson tapped to lead rural caucus

(WASHINGTON, DC) - Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif) has tapped Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson (DFL-7th District) to co-chair the Rural Working Group, a new group in Congress designed to give rural issues a voice at the leadership table.

Peterson, along with Rep. Bennie Thompson (Miss), will lead the select group that includes 26 other Members of Congress who represent predominantly rural areas around the country. They will work to develop a focused agenda specifically designed to benefit rural areas throughout the country.

“We want a stronger voice in Congress for agriculture, for education, for veterans, and for health care in rural areas,” Peterson said. “Redistricting caused a further decline in representation for our less populated regions and my hope is that this group will help to level the playing field a bit when we’re fighting for rural concerns.”

One of Pelosi’s primary goals in creating the group is to enhance knowledge and understanding of rural issues for all Members of Congress.

“Mrs. Pelosi represents an urban district and I represent a conservative rural district,” Peterson said, “but while we see many issues differently we are already finding ways to work together on issues that are important to all of us. She doesn’t come from a rural area, but she listens and she wants to better understand rural America and what we need in rural Minnesota. I think this new group gives us a renewed opportunity to define and advance a rural-specific agenda.”

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NOTE: See story below from the March 31 Roll Call:

 

Pelosi Calls On Rural Members

March 31, 2003
By Erin P. Billings,
Roll Call Staff

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), trying to expand her outreach to her Democratic Caucus, has put together a new group of Members dedicated to giving rural issues a larger voice in the party.

Pelosi recently created the 29-member Rural Working Group to delve specifically into developing a rural agenda and message for Democratic Members. The Minority Leader tapped Reps. Collin Peterson (Minn.) and Bennie Thompson (Miss.) to spearhead the new organization, which will meet weekly.

Cindy Jimenez, spokeswoman for Pelosi, said creating the group is part of Pelosi’s larger effort to reach out to different constituency groups within the Caucus. The goal, she said, is to give Members representing rural districts a seat at the table and a direct line of communication with the Minority Leader.

“These districts have very specific needs with very specific constituencies and philosophies,” Jimenez said. “It’s important that we have an avenue to communicate that all the way up to the leadership and all the way down to the district.”

Jimenez added that the group will help develop larger Democratic policies and message strategy.

“This is one of the things that is a priority for her,” she said. “It’s very important that as we fight for health care, education, transportation, that we address these districts’ specific needs.”

Rural districts are viewed as key to Democratic wins. Many rural districts are swing seats for the party and critical to its success in winning back the House.

While the Rural Working Group is a new entity, it’s not an entirely new idea. Under former Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (Mo.), the Democratic Caucus had a task force devoted to rural Members and their issues.

In a letter to Members, Pelosi said the new group will develop a rural agenda for Democrats, create a strategy for communicating rural policy initiatives, work with communications staff to advance the agenda, engage with third parties and organizations and solicit experts to testify before the Caucus about rural issues.

Other members of the working group include Pelosi and Reps. Rodney Alexander (La.), Marion Berry (Ark.), Sanford Bishop (Ga.), Leonard Boswell (Iowa), Allen Boyd (Fla.), Dennis Cardoza (Calif.), Brad Carson (Okla.), Lincoln Davis (Tenn.), Chet Edwards (Texas), Bob Etheridge (N.C.), Martin Frost (Texas), Ralph Hall (Texas), Tim Holden (Pa.), Chris John (La.), Ken Lucas (Ky.), Jim Marshall (Ga.), Mike McIntyre (N.C.), Mike Michaud (Maine), Brad Miller (N.C.), James Oberstar (Minn.), Earl Pomeroy (N.D.), Mike Ross (Ark.), Max Sandlin (Texas), Ike Skelton (Mo.), Charlie Stenholm (Texas) and John Tanner (Tenn.).

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