London, KY, USA / SAM 103.9 FM WWEL | Today's Pop Hits Mar 5, 2021 10:12 AM Congressman Hal Rogers joined Pennsylvania Congressman Matt Cartwright for a bipartisan bill (THRIVE) to provide economic opportunities in rural areas. The acronym for THRIVE is Transforming Hiring in Rural Industries and Vital Economies. The THRIVE Act re-establishes the White House Rural Council, which was disassembled in 2017. This revived a federal effort to invest in southern and eastern Kentucky. A program that is overseen by the White House Rural Council was the “Livable Communities Initiative.” The initiative supports local government to develop housing and transportation in small towns. The Council and the U.S. Department of Education worked together to provide online educational resources for both students and teachers in rural communities. The FCC provided support with a $2 billion commitment for broadband deployment across the United States. The Rural Council began the National Water Quality Initiative joining farmers to improve conservation of working lands, so the lands can be used throughout the future.