[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9093 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9093

  To prioritize healthcare facilities and mental or behavioral health 
 facilities in the Community Facilities program for fiscal years 2025 
 through 2031, and allow loans and grants under the program to be used 
 for medical supplies, increasing telehealth capabilities, supporting 
    staffing needs, or renovating and remodeling closed facilities.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 23, 2024

Ms. Underwood introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                        Committee on Agriculture

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                                 A BILL


 
  To prioritize healthcare facilities and mental or behavioral health 
 facilities in the Community Facilities program for fiscal years 2025 
 through 2031, and allow loans and grants under the program to be used 
 for medical supplies, increasing telehealth capabilities, supporting 
    staffing needs, or renovating and remodeling closed facilities.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Prioritizing Rural Hospitals Act''.

SEC. 2. PRIORITIZATION UNDER THE COMMUNITY FACILITIES LOAN AND GRANT 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--In selecting recipients of direct loans or grants 
for the development of essential community facilities under section 
306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1926(a)) for fiscal years 2025 through 2031, the Secretary of 
Agriculture shall give priority to entities eligible for those direct 
loans or grants to develop facilities to provide healthcare or mental 
or behavioral healthcare.
    (b) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity described in subsection (a) 
that receives a direct loan or grant described in subsection (a) may 
use the direct loan or grant funds for medical supplies, increasing 
telehealth capabilities, supporting staffing needs, or renovating and 
remodeling closed facilities.
    (c) Reservation of Funds.--Of the amounts made available for 
guaranteed loans under section 310B(g) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2031, 10 
percent shall be reserved to carry out this section.
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