The Daily Yonder Groups Organize Effort to Delay OMB’s Redefinition of ‘Nonmetropolitan’ The Aspen Institute and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution say the Office and Management and Budget should pause to learn what the full impact of the change will be and to look at other issues.
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A group of researchers, service organizations, and nonprofit leaders are organizing a national campaign to urge the Office of Management and Budget to delay redefining Metropolitan Statistical Areas, the county categorization system that underlies many rural-focused federal programs.
The change would increase the minimum population of cities that constitute the core of Metropolitan Statistical Areas from 50,000 to 100,000. The proposal, which is open for comments through Friday, March 19, would result in reclassification of about 140 metropolitan areas as nonmetropolitan, affecting about 250 counties with 18 million residents, according to an OMB estimate based on
Federal Rural Policy Scan: Rebuild Rural America Act of 2021 aspeninstitute.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from aspeninstitute.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
February 1, 2021
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John Molinaro & Solveig Spjeldnes
In the last two election cycles, much has been written and said about the disproportionate influence that rural voters and rural states have on the outcome of national elections. Some have proposed elimination of the Electoral College as a solution to this perceived problem.
We question the wisdom and potential efficacy of this proposed quick fix for what ails us. However, before we get into the question about whether steps should be taken to limit the disproportionate Electoral College influence of rural voters, we think it is pertinent to examine how we got here, and just how many rural voters there truly are.
Key appointments announced
As the Biden administration was officially sworn in, the USDA also officially announced senior staff positions that don’t require confirmation.
Gregory Parham, D.V.M., was named interim deputy assistant secretary for administration. Parham served as assistant secretary for administration from 2013-2016. Previously, he served as administrator of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Prior to that, Parham served as APHIS associate administrator and as the deputy administrator for marketing and regulatory programs, business services. He joined USDA in 1982 and has worked for several agencies. Parham holds a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University and doctorate and bachelor’s degrees from Ohio State University.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the names of individuals who will hold senior staff positions in Washington, D.C.
Gregory Parham, D.V.M., was named Interim Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration. Dr. Parham served as Assistant Secretary for Administration from 2013-2016. Previously, he served as Administrator of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Prior to that, Dr. Parham served as APHIS’ Associate Administrator and as the Deputy Administrator for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Business Services. He joined USDA in 1982 and has worked for several agencies. Dr. Parham holds a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University and doctorate and bachelor’s degrees from The Ohio State University.