S. 5232 – Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2026

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Updated August 11, 2026 at 5:51 AM UTC

The Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2026 amends the Public Health Service Act to create grant programs that help start and expand physician residency programs in rural areas. It provides funding for both the residency programs themselves and for technical assistance to support them. The law targets a wide range of eligible organizations, including hospitals, health centers, tribal groups, and medical schools, and earmarks $12.7 million each year from 2027 through 2031.

Key Provisions

Creates a Rural Residency Planning and Development Program that awards fully funded grants (typically 3‑year terms, extendable) to eligible entities to establish new rural residency programs or add rural training sites.
Specifies eligible residency pathways: general primary care and high‑need specialties (family medicine, internal medicine, preventive medicine, psychiatry, general surgery), maternal health/obstetrics, or other pathways the Secretary approves.
Creates a Rural Residency Planning and Development Technical Assistance Program that provides fully funded grants (typically 4‑year terms, extendable) to help awardees and potential applicants with technical support.
Defines “eligible entity” broadly to include public or private nonprofits, for‑profits, tribal organizations, faith‑based groups, rural hospitals, health clinics, and medical education institutions.
Defines a “rural residency program” as an ACGME‑accredited residency where residents spend more than half their training in rural areas and are intended to practice in rural settings.
Authorizes $12,700,000 in appropriations for each fiscal year 2027‑2031, with funds available until spent.

Legislative Activity

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SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

August 4, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

August 4, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

August 4, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued August 4, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5232

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

August 4, 2026

Ms. Smith (for herself and Ms. Collins) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize rural residency planning and development grant programs, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2026.

2.

Rural residency planning and development programs

Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 330A–2 (42 U.S.C. 254c–1b) the following:

330A–3.

Rural residency planning and development program and rural residency planning and development technical assistance program

(a)

Rural residency planning and development program

(1)

Grants

(A)

In general

The Secretary may award grants to eligible entities to establish new rural residency programs (including adding new rural training sites to existing rural track programs).

(B)

Funding

Grants awarded under this subsection may be fully funded at the time of the award.

(C)

Term

The term of a grant under this subsection shall be 3 years and may be extended at the discretion of the Secretary.

(2)

Applications

(A)

In general

To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including a description of the pathway of the rural residency program as described in subparagraph (B).

(B)

Pathway

A pathway of a rural residency program supported under this subsection shall be for—

(i)

general primary care and high-need specialty care, including family medicine, internal medicine, preventive medicine, psychiatry, or general surgery;

(ii)

maternal health and obstetrics, which may be obstetrics and gynecology or family medicine with enhanced obstetrical training; or

(iii)

any other pathway as determined appropriate by the Secretary.

(b)

Rural residency planning and development technical assistance program

(1)

Grants

(A)

In general

The Secretary may award grants to eligible entities to provide technical assistance to awardees and potential applicants of the program described in subsection (a).

(B)

Funding

Grants awarded under this subsection may be fully funded at the time of the award.

(C)

Term

The term of a grant under this subsection shall be 4 years and may be extended at the discretion of the Secretary.

(2)

Applications

To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(c)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity—

(A)

means—

(i)

a domestic public or private nonprofit or for-profit entity; or

(ii)

an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization; and

(B)

may include faith-based or community-based organizations, rural hospitals, rural community-based ambulatory patient care centers (including rural health clinics), health centers operated by an Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, or urban Indian organization, graduate medical education consortiums (including institutions of higher education, such as schools of allopathic medicine, schools of osteopathic medicine, or historically Black colleges or universities), or other organizations as determined appropriate by the Secretary.

(2)

Rural residency program

The term rural residency program means a physician residency program, including a rural track program, accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (or a similar body) that—

(A)

trains residents in rural areas (as defined by the Secretary) for more than 50 percent of the total time of their residency; and

(B)

primarily focuses on producing physicians who will practice in rural areas, as defined by the Secretary.

(d)

Authorization of appropriations

(1)

In general

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $12,700,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

(2)

Availability

Amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) shall remain available until expended.

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