Democratic Maryland Congresswoman April McClain Delaney has joined Republican Gabe Evans of Colorado to introduce the Rural Recovery Act. The bipartisan measure aims to ensure that the USDA is equipped to respond timely and effectively when rural communities are impacted by natural disasters. McClain Delaney says currently, USDA recovery efforts take too long to reach communities and delays the rebuilding of essential infrastructure. The Sixth District representative says the Rural Recovery Act would provide automatic funding to state Rural Development offices for immediate technical assistance and eliminate the need for submitting separate applications in emergencies. In addition, the measure would authorize 50 million dollars a year for planning, application assistance and project implementation for up to three years after a disaster.