[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 21, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H3021-H3023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IMPROVING CARE IN RURAL AMERICA REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2025
Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 2493) to reauthorize certain programs regarding rural
health care.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2493
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 ``Improving Care in Rural
America Reauthorization Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. RURAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES OUTREACH, RURAL HEALTH
NETWORK DEVELOPMENT, AND SMALL HEALTH CARE
PROVIDER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAMS.
(a) Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grants.--Section
330A(e) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c(e))
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Use of funds for rural underserved populations.--In
awarding a grant under this subsection, the Director shall
ensure that the funds made available through the grant will
be used, as appropriate--
``(A) to meet the health care needs of rural underserved
populations in the local community or region to be served;
and
``(B) for other activities to ensure the rural underserved
populations in the local community or region to be served
will be involved in the development and ongoing operations of
the project.''.
(b) Rural Health Network Development Grants.--Section
330A(f) of the Public
[[Page H3022]]
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c(f)) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(4) Use of funds for rural underserved populations.--In
awarding a grant under this subsection, the Director shall
ensure that the funds made available through the grant will
be used, as appropriate--
``(A) to increase access to quality health care services
through integrated health care networks for the rural
underserved populations in the local community or region to
be served; and
``(B) for other activities to ensure the rural underserved
populations in the local community or region to be served
will benefit from and be involved in the planning,
development, and ongoing implementation of the network.''.
(c) Reauthorization.--Section 330A(j) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c(j)) is amended by striking ``2021
through 2025'' and inserting ``2026 through 2030''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Tennessee (Mrs. Harshbarger) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Pallone) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2493, the
Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025, led by my
friend from Georgia, Congressman Carter.
Too often where a patient lives determines whether they are able to
access adequate healthcare services, and patients who live in rural
areas, in particular, often face barriers like a shortage of local
providers and transportation challenges of traveling longer distances
to reach points of care.
To overcome these challenges and build toward a healthier future, we
must continue leveraging tools like telehealth to ensure that rural and
underserved communities have access to quality healthcare.
H.R. 2493 reauthorizes grant programs that utilize integrated
healthcare networks to help connect patients to high quality care. More
specifically, the programs we are reauthorizing will help address
critical healthcare gaps in rural communities such as access to
preventive screenings and chronic disease management while improving
services in primary care settings.
We must continue to invest in these community-driven policies to
promote better health outcomes for rural and underserved populations.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I thank the
sponsors, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2493, the Improving Care in
Rural America Reauthorization Act.
H.R. 2493 reauthorizes programs at the Health Resources & Services
Administration that increase access to healthcare services in rural
communities.
Rural communities often face significant challenges to accessing
quality healthcare, including provider shortages, hospital closures,
and long travel times to medical facilities. Rural communities also
often face higher rates of poverty and unemployment which can
contribute to poor health outcomes.
{time} 1430
The community-based programs extended by this bill address the unique
needs of the rural communities they serve by collaborating with local
networks and partnering organizations. This includes implementing
disease prevention and health promotion activities and enhancing
healthcare delivery.
The programs also include the Healthy Rural Hometown Initiative, a
targeted program that works to address the underlying factors
contributing to the five leading causes of death in the United States.
That would be heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, stroke, and
chronic lower respiratory disease.
This is an important bill, and I am hopeful that it will gain strong
bipartisan support. This legislation comes at the same time rural
communities are being devastated by the $1 trillion in healthcare cuts
Republicans passed in their big, ugly bill. These cuts are going to
have a disproportionate impact on rural Americans. Rural clinics and
maternity care centers are already being forced to close their doors,
and another 300 rural hospitals are likely to shutter, closing down
altogether or reducing services.
Madam Speaker, I am pleased that we are considering this legislation
to extend these programs. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote
``yes'' on H.R. 2493, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume
to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).
Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for
yielding.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 2493,
the Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025, a
bipartisan bill that ensures Americans, no matter where they live, have
access to quality healthcare.
Let me be clear, healthcare outcomes should not depend on your ZIP
Code. Today, for millions of Americans living in rural communities,
that is exactly the reality.
Rural residents face serious barriers to care: provider shortages,
long travel distances, hospital closures, and limited access to
specialists. The consequences are real.
Rural Americans experience a 43-percent higher mortality rate
compared to those in urban and suburban areas. That is simply
unacceptable.
This legislation is about addressing those disparities head-on. The
Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act builds on improving
programs that are already making a difference in communities across the
country.
Specifically, this bill reauthorizes critical rural health grant
programs through 2030, programs that expand access to care, improve
care coordination, strengthen rural health networks, and support
quality improvement for providers.
These are not just theoretical ideas. They are programs with a track
record of success. In fact, more than 85 percent of grant recipients
have demonstrated measurable improvements in clinical outcomes,
including better control of chronic conditions like diabetes and
hypertension. That means healthier patients, stronger communities, and
lower costs.
One of the most important aspects of this bill is that it provides
community-driven solutions. We are not imposing a one-size-fits-all
approach from Washington. Instead, we are empowering local providers,
local leaders, and local communities to identify their own needs and
build solutions that work for them.
The bill ensures that rural communities are directly involved in
planning and implementing these programs so that care is tailored,
targeted, and effective. That is how you get results.
As a pharmacist, I have seen firsthand how critical access to care
is, especially in rural areas where providers are already stretched
thin.
This legislation also helps to expand telehealth services so patients
can access care without traveling hours, improve coordination between
providers to reduce gaps in care, and strengthen small clinics and
hospitals that are often the backbone of rural communities.
When a rural hospital closes, it is not just the loss of healthcare.
It is a loss of jobs, a loss of economic stability, and a loss of
security for the entire community.
At the end of the day, this bill is about fairness. It is about
making sure that whether you live in a big city or a small town, you
have access to the care you need. It is about strengthening our rural
communities, improving health outcomes, and ensuring that no American
is left behind.
We have an opportunity today to build on successful programs, deliver
real results, and make a meaningful difference in people's lives.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, this is an important piece of
legislation,
[[Page H3023]]
particularly for rural areas. I urge my colleagues to support this
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Madam Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Harshbarger) that the House suspend
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2493.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________