We—as rural faith leaders—are no strangers to big ideas, innovative planning, and bold action. For two generations, bad political decisions and bipartisan neglect have created continuous economic and public health crises throughout the small towns and rural communities we call home.

Today, as we face this pandemic of biblical proportion, privatization of the common good has predictably failed, leaving thousands of rural communities with crumbling infrastructure and broken lives.

Frontline public health workers are already working overtime and facing enormous personal health risks. Rural people are poorer, sicker, and older than our urban neighbors and the rural hospital closure crisis has put these people at unimaginable risk.

In times of great trouble and suffering, we must turn to the wisdom of King Solomon who wrote, “Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.” (Proverbs 22:16)

The President and Congress need to take clear and decisive action now to limit the reach of the crisis and minimize long-term damage of the rapidly expanding COVID-19 outbreak and “give justice to the weak” and “maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.” (Proverbs 82:3)

Based on the wisdom of Solmon, we are calling on the President and Congress to prioritize the following seven actions to address the coronavirus crisis in rural America.

1. Dramatically increase federal spending on frontline healthcare workers, rural hospitals, and public health institutions

2. Pass policies that end predatory collections, foreclosures, utility shutoffs, deportations, and detentions

3. Prioritize antipoverty, unemployment, and food assistance programs in high poverty regions and communities of color

4. Pay counties and local governments to maintain local services and operations

5. Support rural kids and teachers by expanding funding for public education

6. Grant assistance to rural small business owners, farmers, farmworkers, and food processing workers so they can afford to stay home and limit exposure

7. Put rural America back to work building and repairing infrastructure, like roads, drinking water facilities and energy resources are in need of major updates.

This sign on letter is being circulated by the "Rural People of Faith Working Group" facilitated by RuralOrganizing.org. As Congress and the President consider legislation to address the COVID-19 pandemic, we are looking for rural people of faith to sign this letter in support of policies that put those on the margins first. If you have questions about this letter, email organize@ruralorganizing.org.