CoinMeta data: Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook stated that the overall inflation in the United States has remained above the Fed's 2% target for over five years. She supports a 25-basis-point interest rate hike at the September meeting and emphasized her commitment to restoring price stability while maintaining a strong job market. She noted that there are approximately 20 million workers in rural communities across the U.S., accounting for about one-eighth of the total employment population, with an unemployment rate that is generally close to the national average, but a lower labor participation rate. The pace of employment growth in rural areas has been slower than in urban regions in recent years. Cook also mentioned that inflation in rural areas was once higher than in urban areas after the pandemic, mainly due to rising energy prices and housing costs. Transportation expenses account for about a quarter of rural households' total spending, which is higher than for urban households, so increases in energy prices have a more significant impact on rural residents. She stressed that small businesses play an important role in the rural economy; there are about 4.3 million small businesses in rural areas, accounting for over 96% of local businesses, and they provide 7.4 million jobs.