Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026. It directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide temporary zero-percent interest loans through the community facilities direct loan program. These loans are specifically for constructing, improving, or renovating eligible rural hospitals. To qualify, hospitals must meet specific location, distance, and financial criteria set forth in the legislation. The initial term for these zero-percent interest loans is five years, with options for assessments and potential renewals or refinancing under standard program rates. Additionally, the bill makes participating hospitals eligible for specific technical assistance grants to support operational improvements and financial stability.
Yes· 3 of 19
- Scored +9
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
Directly targets rural communities by preventing hospital closures and funding crucial facility upgrades.
- Scored +8
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
Provides temporary zero-percent interest loans and technical grants to help rural hospitals upgrade facilities and maintain healthcare access.
- Scored +7
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
Particularly helps older populations who rely heavily on local critical access hospitals and Medicare services in rural areas.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Section 306B(a) provides temporary zero-percent interest loans for constructing replacement facilities or improving existing hospital facilities. This is positive because it gives rural hospitals financial breathing room to upgrade their buildings without getting crushed by high interest rates, helping to keep doors open for patients.
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Section 306B(e) allows hospitals that receive these loans to also qualify for technical assistance grants to support operational improvements and financial stability. This is a positive outcome because it helps hospital management run things more efficiently, ensuring long-term care for the community.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Section 306B(b)(1)(E) requires eligible hospitals to be financially stable, having not less than 30 days of cash on hand and a projected debt-service coverage ratio of at least 1.2. This could be a negative hurdle because the very hospitals in the most desperate financial trouble might not qualify for this help, leaving the most vulnerable communities without support.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Directly targets rural communities by preventing hospital closures and funding crucial facility upgrades. Would retired people be better off under this? — Greatly benefits retirees living in rural areas who depend heavily on nearby hospitals and emergency services. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Particularly helps older populations who rely heavily on local critical access hospitals and Medicare services in rural areas. Would farmers be better off under this? — Leverages USDA rural development programs to ensure that agricultural communities retain essential hospital infrastructure. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Helps ensure that low-income individuals reliant on self-pay or local community hospitals do not lose vital healthcare access. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Secures local medical facility access for individuals with disabilities who face challenges traveling long distances for care. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Supports healthcare availability for middle-aged residents needing continuous local medical and emergency care. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — Improves local healthcare availability for veterans living in geographically isolated rural regions. Would women be better off under this? — Supports maternal and general healthcare infrastructure available to women in rural communities. Would children be better off under this? — Preserves local pediatric and family health services within rural communities. Would men be better off under this? — Preserves local healthcare and emergency access for male residents in rural areas. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Supports community stability and local healthcare infrastructure used by middle-class rural residents. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — May assist remote rural areas where Native American populations reside alongside other rural residents. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Maintains local healthcare access and emergency medical services for young families and individuals living in rural areas. Would business owners be better off under this? — Enhances overall economic viability and infrastructure in rural regions where businesses operate. Would immigrants be better off under this? — Maintains community safety net healthcare services that may be utilized by immigrant populations in rural areas.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Provides temporary zero-percent interest loans and technical grants to help rural hospitals upgrade facilities and maintain healthcare access.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — Directly benefits rural infrastructure through targeted hospital construction and renovation loan programs via the USDA.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — Provides meaningful economic impact and infrastructure support for rural communities through hospital revitalization.
- 6/4/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/19/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Jerry MoranRepublican · Kansas
James RischRepublican · Idaho