[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 196 (Thursday, November 20, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H4853]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH MONTH

  (Ms. McCLELLAN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate National 
Rural Health Day and National Rural Health Month.
  Due to a lack of infrastructure and support, rural communities suffer 
from the worst health outcomes nationwide. Pharmacy deserts, maternal 
health deserts, mental health deserts, worker shortages, and more limit 
people's access to care, sometimes forcing residents to travel 1 hour 
or longer for primary and emergency care.
  These communities that already need help accessing affordable, 
quality care now face a growing crisis due to draconian cuts to 
Medicaid and the big, ugly law signed in July, which will make it 
harder for rural communities to access the care that they need.
  Mr. Speaker, 338 rural hospitals from across the country have been 
identified as at risk, 6 in Virginia, 1 in my district.
  I traveled around rural areas during our recesses talking to these 
providers about their concerns. I was accused by my Republican 
colleagues of fear-mongering. Yet, I was amplifying the fears that they 
had. Lo and behold, weeks after visiting some of these providers, three 
rural providers closed their doors citing the big, ugly law's Medicaid 
cuts.
  A Farmville hospital announced the closure of its labor and delivery 
unit, citing a reduction in Federal care. We need to do more for our 
rural communities in providing care, not less.
  Mr. Speaker, it's not too late to address this health care crisis of 
Republicans' making. We can start by permanently extending the enhanced 
premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act to prevent millions 
more from seeing their premiums skyrocket.
  This Rural Health Day, I urge my colleagues on the other side of the 
aisle to recognize this issue for what it is, and to act now.

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