Gluesenkamp Perez, Guest Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Rural Public Health Coordination

Last week, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Rep. Michael Guest (MS-03) introduced bipartisan legislation to permanently authorize the Office of Rural Health within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which would ensure 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.

Statutory authorization of the CDC 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.

“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 Rep. 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.”

Full text of the legislation is available here.

The lawmakers previously introduced the legislation in the 118th Congress.

Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS) and Jeff Merkley (OR) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.