Today the Republican National Convention begins in Cleveland but at next week’s Democratic National Convention 17th District U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos will be speaking.
She says she’ll address a meeting of the rural council in Philadelphia, which she expects between 150 and 300 to attend.
Bustos tells WGIL that she’ll be speaking on the importance of rural America.
“We’ve taken some hits that are harder than some of the urban areas, so I’m here to say while we’ve had challenges we also have great opportunity,” Bustos says. “And I want to make sure when we have a new president, and I hope that President is Hillary Clinton, that rural america is not a back burner issue.”
Currently a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, Bustos says she’s proud of legislation she’s been involved with to lift up rural america.
She touts that committee’s passing of a five-year farm bill, signed into law in 2014 and House Democrats Make it in America legislative agenda, a series of bills designed to incentivize companies to create products and jobs domestically.
Outside of ag, Bustos says this area’s base is manufacturing.
“We have the right foundation in place for manufacturing but we have to have the right policies,” Bustos said before going on to talk more about incentivizing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.
Bustos was already a convention superdelegate, as all active members of Congress are.
She voiced her support for Hillary Clinton to WGIL in November, prior to any nominating primaries or caucuses.
