About the Caucus
The Congressional Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus provides a forum for Members of Congress to highlight and advocate for policies that aim to improve the delivery of health care and mental health services in rural areas.
In the United States, more than 46 million Americans, or 15 percent of the U.S. population, live in rural areas. Compared with their urban counterparts, rural Americans experience lower life expectancy and poorer health status. In general, residents in rural areas face barriers to accessing health care due to the limited number of providers, especially those providing specialized care, and inadequate health insurance. Rural residents may also lack access to reliable transportation and deal with exposure to environmental and occupational hazards. These disparities underscore the need for greater attention and resources aimed at improving health care and outcomes in rural areas.
For these reasons, the Caucus will seek to promote and advance legislation and policy actions that help increase access to quality, affordable health care and mental health services for all rural Americans. The Caucus will host member meetings, briefings, and events designed to inform and educate Members of Congress of some of the most pressing rural health care issues and highlight potential policy solutions to enhance the quality and efficiency of health care services in rural areas, including:
- Stemming hospital closures
- Ensuring fair and adequate reimbursement rates
- Strengthening the health workforce
- Reducing health inequities
- Expanding telehealth and other innovative care delivery models
The Caucus will also create opportunities for Members to hear directly from patients, providers, and health advocates about the challenges and successes with health care delivery in the U.S., especially in rural communities, and to highlight for their constituents and the media the rural health care issues facing their home districts.
Congressional Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus Membership List:
The caucus currently has 68 members from both sides of the aisle.
- Co-Chair: Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02)
- Co-Chair: Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01)
- Troy Balderson (R-OH-12)
- Becca Balint (D-VT-00)
- Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03)
- Jack Bergman (R-MI-01)
- Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02)
- Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01)
- Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13)
- Mike Carey (R-OH-15)
- Troy Carter (D-LA-02)
- Ed Case (D-HI-01)
- Ben Cline (R-VA-06)
- Joe Courtney (D-CT-02)
- Angie Craig (D-MN-02)
- Sharice Davids (D-KS-03)
- Donald Davis (D-NC-01)
- Monica De La Cruz (R-TX-15)
- Mike Ezell (R-MS-04)
- Shomari Figures (D-AL-02)
- Brad Finstad (R-MN-01)
- Russell Fry (R-SC-07)
- John Garamendi (D-CA-08)
- Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03)
- Jared Golden (D-ME-02)
- Adam Gray (D-CA-13)
- Sam Graves (R-MO-06)
- Mark Green (R-TN-07)
- Val Hoyle (D-OR-04)
- Richard Hudson (R-NC-09)
- Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01)
- Ronny Jackson (R-TX-13)
- Hank Johnson (D-GA-04)
- Dusty Johnson (R-SD-00)
- Robin Kelly (D-IL-02)
- Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01)
- Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23)
- Rick Larsen (D-WA-02)
- Susie Lee (D-NV-03)
- Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03)
- Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02)
- Tracey Mann (R-KS-01)
- Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04)
- Dan Meuser (R-PA-09)
- Carol Miller (R-WV-01)
- Mary Miller (R-IL-05)
- John Moolenaar (R-MI-02)
- James C. Moylan (R-GU-00)
- Chris Pappas (D-NH-01)
- Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01)
- Mark Pocan (D-WI-02)
- Emily Randall (D-WA-06)
- Josh Riley (D-NY-19)
- John Rose (R-TN-06)
- Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25)
- Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06)
- Hillary Scholten (D-MI-03)
- Terri Sewell (D-AL-07)
- Adrian Smith (R-NE-03)
- Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17)
- Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01)
- Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24)
- Bennie Thompson (D-MS-02)
- Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15)
- Mike Thompson (D-CA-04)
- Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ-02)
- Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-03)
- Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02)