Buttigieg releases $80B plan to ‘unleash’ rural America’s potential

Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg unveiled a wide-ranging plan Tuesday to invest in rural communities, saying his strategy aims to “unleash” the potential of rural America. 

The plan looks to revamp rural economies by investing in high-speed internet, creating new jobs and combating climate change. 

{mosads}Buttigieg’s campaign said the plan’s Internet for All initiative would cost $80 billion to bring high-speed broadband internet to areas lacking the capability. 

The strategy would create “Regional Innovation Clusters,” which would cost up to $500 million in federal funds to grow rural businesses and develop a new generation of entrepreneurs. 

The South Bend, Ind., mayor also emphasized education, pledging to alleviate the teacher shortage in rural areas and increase the number of rural adults with a bachelor’s degree. 

Buttigieg’s plan also would invest roughly $50 billion over 10 years to help farmers combat climate change. The plan would support agriculture and invest in research and development aimed at tackling climate change through soil and carbon sequestration. 

Buttigieg’s policy rollout comes as 2020 Democratic hopefuls seek to make inroads among rural voters who overwhelmingly voted for President Trump in 2016. 

Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) rolled out their own plans last week to inject new investments into rural America last week.