GALLIPOLIS — U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson is making his pitch to ensure rural areas of Appalachia are included in the economic stimulus package being undertaken by Congress.

Wilson, whose Sixth Congressional District includes Gallia and Meigs counties, asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be sure a fair share of the economic recovery package is slated for the 50 million Americans who live in rural communities.

Some economists have indicated that infrastructure spending in a recovery bill should be spent mostly in urban and suburban communities because they believe that’s where the greatest public benefit lies.

Wilson believes that spending on rural projects is also vitally important.

“One hundred percent of the district I represent is designated as Appalachia, and most of it is very rural,” Wilson said. “The hard-working families of rural Ohio deserve equal consideration as the stimulus package is developed. I reject the idea that spending a portion of the stimulus package on rural America is inefficient spending.”

In his letter, Wilson said he “strongly supports” inclusion of infrastructure spending in the recovery package.

“However, legislation with infrastructure spending that ultimately only funds projects in urban and suburban communities will fail to provide the broad economic benefit the American people need,” Wilson wrote.

“As a representative from a rural district, I know that rural communities are prepared with ready-to-go infrastructure projects that could put people to work within months,” he added. “Rural communities have the workforce and the infrastructure needs to effectively utilize new federal spending, and should be provided with an equitable share of economic stimulus funds to improve their local economies.”

Wilson said the Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act of 2008, HR 7110, included a provision to distribute stimulus funds between rural and metropolitan communities. Funds in the Federal Transit Administration Transit Capital Assistance Grants were specifically reserved for rural formula grants.

“Congress should build on the precedent created by the transit funds in the Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act with guarantees in new economic recovery legislation to ensure an equitable distribution of all infrastructure funds between rural and metropolitan areas,” Wilson wrote.