Proposed legislation related to rural health: October 10, 2025 – December 3, 2025

Throughout: Where is John Joyce?

October 10, 2025 alert: H.Rept.119-325 – Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025. Bill: H.R.2493. Surprisingly, although this was largely a Democratic bill, the House Energy and Commerce committee held a markup session on September 17, 2025 and passed it that day on a unanimous vote. The committee issued this report on October 3 and placed it on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 278.
Vote on the floor of the House has not yet been held.

H.R.5821 - Rural Hospital Fairness Act. To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the treatment of certain hospitals as critical access hospitals under the Medicare program.
Introduced October 24, 2025 by Doug LaMalfa (R-CA). No cosponsors. Referred to Ways and Means the same day.
Comment: I am surprised at the lack of support for this bill. It seeks to undo the harm of Trump’s BBB by carving out an exception for rural hospitals that were deemed a “critical access hospital” before January 1, 2002. This would restore funding for a great many rural hospitals and clinics.

H.Res.891 - Supporting the goals and ideals of “National Rural Health Day.”
Introduced November 18, 2025 by Diana Harshberger (R-TN). Cosponsored by 26 Democrats and 12 Republicans. Neither John Joyce nor Lauren Boebert was among the Republicans who cosponsored this resolution. Referred to Energy and Commerce the same day.
From the resolution: Resolved, That the House of Representatives—(1) supports the designation of “National Rural Health Day”; (2) recognizes and supports the goals and ideals of National Rural Health Day; (3) celebrates rural health care providers and the millions of individuals in the United States that rural health care providers serve; and, (4) expresses a commitment to advancing policies to improve health care accessibility and affordability in rural areas of the United States.
Comment: Dear Ms. Harshberger and your Republican colleagues, I have a suggestion for you. Instead of passing resolutions, why don’t you vote for legislation that will restore the cuts to rural hospitals and clinics contained in Trump’s Big Bad Bill? Sincerely, A Resident of a Rural County.

H.R.6407 - RCORP Authorization Act. To amend the Public Health Service Act to maintain the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.
Introduced December 3, 2025 by Carol Miller (R-WV). Cosponsored by Paul Tonko (D-NY), Earl Carter (R-GA), Terri Sewell (D-AL), and Eugene Vindman (D-VA). Referred to Energy and Commerce the same day.
Note: RCORP = Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.
From the bill: The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (in this section referred to as the ‘Administrator’), shall maintain a program to be known as the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program to establish and expand prevention, treatment, and recovery services in rural areas (as defined by the Secretary) for substance use disorders (including opioid use disorder), related behavioral health conditions, and other related public health issues.

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