[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 197 (Thursday, November 19, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H5939]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            RURAL HEALTH DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
November 19, today, as Rural Health Day. Each year, the third Thursday 
in November is an opportunity to highlight both the challenges and the 
triumphs of rural healthcare.
  Nearly 60 million Americans call rural America home. It is a great 
place to live, to work, and to raise a family. To ensure the vitality 
and the vibrancy of rural America, investments in infrastructure, 
technology, and, of course, healthcare are critical.
  Americans in every corner of the Nation deserve access to reliable, 
quality healthcare, but rural America faces its own unique health 
challenges that need to be addressed. Long distances to the nearest 
hospital, many uninsured and underinsured residents, and a growing 
elderly population, these are just a few obstacles that rural residents 
face when it comes to healthcare.
  This year, COVID-19 has placed an incredible strain on our healthcare 
systems, and rural hospitals have been particularly hit hard.
  Telehealth has emerged as a critical tool to better serve rural 
communities. The pandemic has underscored the value telehealth adds to 
communities across the Nation, particularly in rural America.
  This summer, I was pleased to introduce the bipartisan Helping to 
Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth Act, or the HEALTH Act. The HEALTH 
Act seeks to extend benefits and access to this critical healthcare 
medium to more seniors regardless of their geographic location.
  As a lifetime resident of rural Pennsylvania and having spent nearly 
three decades as a therapist and a licensed nursing home administrator, 
I have been amazed how telehealth services make life easier for rural 
and underserved communities, particularly older Americans. The HEALTH 
Act will cut red tape and provide community health centers and rural 
health clinics the ability to offer these vital health services to 
their patients on a more permanent basis.
  Telehealth services, however, are not possible without reliable 
access to high-speed, uninterrupted broadband connectivity with 
sufficient bandwidth to be able to handle these platforms.
  Now, I have long been an advocate of rural broadband. Investing in 
the critical infrastructure needed to deliver this critical resource 
for all Americans must be a top priority.
  From telehealth to telework, content streaming to online shopping, 
tele-education, now, more than ever, we depend on a reliable broadband 
and high-speed internet connectivity for our everyday lives. During the 
COVID-19 pandemic, the digital divide affecting rural America has never 
been more apparent.
  In time, the coronavirus will be a thing of the past, but a national 
need for reliable broadband connectivity is not going anywhere. By 
continuing to encourage investments in broadband, we can strengthen the 
rural healthcare system and keep the people who call it home healthy.

                          ____________________