State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act of 2018

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2278) to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide grants to improve health care in rural areas.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2278, the State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act led by Senator Pat Roberts and by my Energy and Commerce Committee colleagues Representative Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and my fellow Oregonian, Kurt Schrader, here in the House.

This important legislation reauthorizes and enhances Federal grants to States for improving healthcare in rural areas through the operation of State Offices of Rural Health.

Now, in my home State of Oregon, the Oregon Office of Rural Health has been the coordinating body for frontier health since the 1970s. This office partners with the Oregon Health & Sciences University to improve the delivery of statewide resources to rural areas, such as the Second District.

Telehealth, rotational programs for medical students in rural communities, and recruitment of healthcare providers are just a few examples of the Oregon Office of Rural Health's work to help patients in Oregon's rural areas.

I am proud of the great work that they do, and this bill will enhance their ability and those of all State Rural Health Offices to equip communities with the tools they need to strengthen the delivery of healthcare in rural and underserved areas.

So, Mr. Speaker, I strongly support passage of this legislation. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin), who is a cosponsor of this very important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Health.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to thank Members on both sides of the aisle, my colleagues who have worked so hard on this legislation, and, frankly, our friends in the Senate, as well, who worked with us on this. We are glad to bring this to a conclusion and another very important healthcare bill will make its way to the President's desk.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act.

Since 1979, as alluded to before, Oregon's Office of Rural Health has provided services critical to the folks in the rural portion of my State. Thirty-six percent of Oregonians live in rural communities, and as we know, these communities often face challenges not experienced in urban or suburban settings.

People in rural areas might have long distances to travel over mountainous terrain just to see their doctor, or they might have issues even finding a primary care provider or specialist who can help them where and when they need it. That is why we need the Offices of Rural Health and why the House should pass this bill today.

Oregonians have come to rely on the services and expertise of the Oregon Office of Rural Health to help build up the healthcare in rural areas so folks in these communities know they will be able to see a doctor, nurse practitioner, or other healthcare professional.

The Office of Rural Health has worked with small hospitals and EMS providers to ensure that patients are safe, the ethics are up to code, and they can work through the often challenging patchwork of programs and regulation.

My State's Office of Rural Health has also been instrumental in providing the data and policy expertise we have needed to ensure that all Oregonians receive the care that the Affordable Care Act and Oregon's healthcare transformation projects have promised.

Everyone, including folks in our rural areas, should have access to quality healthcare. This bill provides the Federal support and resources necessary to ensure that all 50 States' Offices of Rural Health can be there for the patients who need them.

I am proud to have led on this bill in the House with my good friend, Markwayne Mullin. I am grateful to Chairman Walden and Ranking Member Pallone for getting this to the floor before the end of a very interesting session. I thank them for their leadership on this issue and urge support for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2278, the State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act of 2018. I thank Chair Walden and incoming Chair Pallone, along with Congressman Schrader and Congressman Mullin, for their work on this important legislation.

This legislation would reauthorize the Federal grant program that supports Offices of Rural Health in each State, including the Charles D. Cook Office of Rural Health with the New York State Department of Health for the first time.

These offices assist States in strengthening rural health delivery systems and improving access to quality services in rural areas. This work is particularly important because patients and providers in rural communities can face obstacles that can: result in reduced access to care, increase health disparities, and inhibit individuals from experiencing optimal health.

To ensure that States can continue to meet the requirements of this grant program, this reauthorization legislation provides new flexibility for State offices to meet their Federal match requirements, as well as to request a waiver that would allow the State office to continue to receive Federal funding if an office faces an extreme hardship in meeting that requirement.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 2278, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Schrader), who represents Oregon's Fifth Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support, again, of the legislation before us.

I want to commend Congressmen Schrader and Mullin for their great work on this important legislation. It shows great sensitivity to the healthcare needs of rural America and to the corresponding health delivery systems. For that reason alone, this is worthy of our unanimous support.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to rise in support of S. 2278, the State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act of 2018.

This bill, which was introduced by Senators Pat Roberts and Heidi Heitkamp, reauthorizes grants to State Offices of Rural Health.

I also need to thank our House champion of this effort, Representative Markwayne Mullin, a valuable member of the Health Subcommittee.

This legislation already passed the Senate, and today we have the opportunity to pass it on the floor of the House and send it down to the President for his signature.

The majority of counties in the United States are rural. While urban and suburban counties are growing in population, certainly in my own community back in the 26th District of Texas, we have a significant percentage of the population living in rural areas.

Citizens of rural America reap many benefits of their communities, but they

are also faced with unique challenges, particularly when it comes to healthcare. S. 2278 will enable States to maintain and improve upon healthcare in rural areas by reauthorizing grants to State Offices of Rural Health.

Grantees will be required to maintain a clearinghouse for collecting and disseminating information on rural healthcare issues, research related to rural healthcare, as well as innovative approaches to rural healthcare delivery. The grantees will also be tasked with identifying both Federal and State programs to address rural health and to provide technical assistance to public and nonprofit private entities regarding participation in these programs.

State Offices of Rural Health provide much value to the 57 million Americans that live in these areas around the country. Many of us represent towns and counties that are largely dependent upon the strength of rural Members of Congress. For these reasons, I ask Members to join me in supporting S. 2278.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of my bill, the State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act of 2018.

There is a healthcare crisis right now going on in rural America. Rural hospitals are closing their doors at an alarming rate. Eighty- five rural hospitals have closed since 2010, and 673 are vulnerable to close at any time. More closures are coming, and Congress needs to start making changes to ensure that rural Americans have the healthcare they need.

My bill, the State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act, will help Oklahoma's rural hospitals keep their doors open by reauthorizing the Oklahoma Office of Rural Health. This office provides a valuable resource to the hospitals of Oklahoma by helping hospitals explore innovative and collaborative ideas that can lead to improvements and savings.

Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss not to mention that awesome sweater- vest that you are wearing. So in the spirit of Christmas, I believe you just pull that off.