MGP Looks To Make the Office Of Rural Health Permanent

Earlier this month, Southwest Washington’s Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Mississippi Representative Michael Guest introduced bipartisan legislation to permanently authorize the Office of Rural Health within the CDC, ensuring the office remains in place through future presidential administrations. The Office of Rural Health would coordinate rural health efforts across CDC programs and accelerate innovation tailored to rural public health needs.

Gluesenkamp Perez said statutory authorization of the Office of Rural Health would improve opportunities for Congress to provide regular funding and support for better coordination of rural health programs. Congress provided $5 million in FY2024 appropriations to support this CDC office. The legislation would direct the head of the CDC to name a Director of the Office of Rural Health who, among other things, would:

Serve as the primary point of contact in the CDC on matters pertaining to rural health
Work with all CDC personnel and offices to develop, refine, coordinate, and promulgate policies, best practices, lessons learned, and innovative programs to improve care and services, including telehealth, for rural populations
Identify disparities in the availability of health care and public health interventions for rural populations
Award and administer grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to provide technical assistance and other activities as necessary to support activities related to improving health and health care in rural areas.

Farm Families Need A Seat At The Table

“Living in a rural community, I know it can be difficult to access high-quality healthcare on a regular basis – and rural Americans face higher overdose and suicide rates,” said Gluesenkamp Perez. “As the CDC works on public health initiatives and innovations, it’s critical that rural families have a seat at the table. I’m introducing this bipartisan legislation to ensure our federal resources are effectively addressing rural disparities in health.”

Click Here to read the proposed legislation. The lawmakers previously introduced the legislation in the 118th Congress.

On the senate side, Oregon’s Jeff Merkley, and Mississippi’s Cindy Hyde-Smith have introduced companion legislation.

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