Rural broadband bill heads to president’s desk
The National Rural Health Association applauds the passage of S. 1916, the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act, which will expand the Universal Service Fund’s (USF) Rural Health Care Program (RHCP) to skilled nursing facilities (SNF). This program provides funding for telecommunications and broadband services used to provide health care in rural communities. SNFs are an important source of health care for many seniors in rural America, and this bill will help these facilities have access to the broadband and telecommunications services that are so important to providing the care their patients need. This important legislation sponsored by rural champion Sen. John Thune (R-SD), was included in the Toxic Substances Control Act conference report. The president is expected to sign the conference report.