Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025

Floor Speech

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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.

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