Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, co-chair of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, alongside U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced and passed a bipartisan resolution declaring November 21, 2024, as National Rural Health Day. The resolution, which passed the Senate unanimously, reaffirms their commitment to improving health care access and affordability for rural communities across the country.
“From aging infrastructure to staffing shortages – rural Coloradans face many challenges to access quality health care,” said Bennet. “National Rural Health Day is an opportunity for us to shed light on the barriers they face and recommit to making sure every American can access the care they need.”
“Rural health clinics and frontier hospitals throughout Wyoming and across the West have a long record of ensuring our patients in rural areas receive the care they need close to home,” said Barrasso. “As a doctor, one of my top priorities is ensuring all patients have access to high-quality care wherever they live. Our resolution honors the hard work of providers in rural communities and reinforces Congress’ bipartisan support of their work to serve patients in Wyoming.”
“Health care is a human right. Everyone deserves affordable, high quality health care no matter where they live,” said Smith. “On National Rural Health Day, we recognize that rural families face unique challenges accessing health care and continue the fight to make sure rural communities can access the care they deserve, when and where they need it.”
“70 of Tennessee’s 95 counties are rural, making rural health care critical for saving lives,” said Blackburn. “National Rural Health Day highlights both the vital importance of rural health care and the ongoing challenges facing these communities. In the U.S. Senate, I will continue to champion my bipartisan Rural Health Agenda, which would help ensure quality and affordable health care for rural Tennesseans.”
This resolution is also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Krysten Sinema (I-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.).
The text of the resolution is available HERE.