Klobuchar, Thune, Hickenlooper, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Access to Rural Broadband

Mar 28, 2023 - Senators Amy Klobuchar, John Thune, John Hickenlooper, and Jerry Moran reintroduced the Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act, which would promote universal access to broadband and other telecommunications services. Companion legislation was introduced by a bipartisan group in the House of Representatives.

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Rural Hospitals That Were Struggling Financially Even Before the Pandemic Are Running Out of COVID Aid

Mar 6, 2023 - Describes challenges faced by rural hospitals as additional COVID-related funding ends. Highlights St. Vincent Health, a Leadville, Colorado Critical Access Hospital, which in 2022 was at risk of closing before receiving a $480,000 bailout from Lake County and an advance of more than $1 million from the state of Colorado.

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A Rural Colorado Hospital Was Down to Its Last Dollar. This Is How It Came Back.

Feb 14, 2023 - Describes how Memorial Regional Health hospital in rural Craig, Colorado recovered from a financial crisis in 2019 and has devised a blueprint that may work for other rural hospitals as they face their own financial challenges. No Colorado hospital has closed in over a decade, but 16 rural hospitals in the state have had to cut services and 7 are at risk of closing.

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Barrasso Leads Bill to Modernize Rural Health Care

Feb 1, 2023 - Announces that Senators John Barrasso, Tina Smith, Marsha Blackburn, and Michael Bennet have introduced The Rural Health Clinic Burden Reduction Act to provide regulatory relief for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). The bill gives RHCs guidance regarding the use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, improves the ability of RHCs to provide mental health services, and removes outdated lab requirements.

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FCC Announces Over $30 Million in Emergency Connectivity Funding for Schools and Libraries

Feb 1, 2023 - Announces that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is committing over $30 million in new funding to provide digital services for approximately 75,000 students across the country, including students in Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Nevada. This funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as homework.

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