Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet alongside U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), co-chairs of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, introduced a resolution designating November 16, 2023, as National Rural Health Day. The resolution passed the Senate unanimously and reaffirms the senators’ continued commitment to advance policies that improve health care access and affordability for rural communities across the country.

"I hear repeatedly about the challenges rural communities face accessing health care," said Bennet. "As Co-Chair of the Rural Health Caucus, I'm working to address these barriers and make it easier for Americans in rural communities to access care. With this resolution, we are making a bipartisan commitment to ensure Coloradans who live and work in rural communities can get the health care they need."

“As a doctor from a frontier state, I know firsthand how important it is for all patients to have access to high-quality care wherever they live,” said Barrasso. “Rural health clinics and frontier hospitals throughout Wyoming have a long record of ensuring our rural communities receive primary care close to home. Our resolution honors the hard work of these providers and reinforces Congress’ bipartisan support of the work they do to serve patients in Wyoming and across rural America.”

“Health care comes up with nearly every person I meet in rural communities across Greater Minnesota,” said Smith. “Small towns and rural places are resilient, but they shouldn’t have to jump through a bunch of hoops just to get the care they need. Everyone deserves access to affordable, high-quality health care no matter where they live.”

“Ninety-three percent of Tennessee is rural, making rural health care a critical aspect of our state’s economy. Through my bipartisan Rural Health Agenda, I have worked tirelessly to ensure access to quality and affordable health care in rural areas,” said Blackburn. “Recognizing November 16th as National Rural Health Day will bring attention to the importance of rural health care while also acknowledging the challenges we still face in this critical sector.”

Earlier this year, Bennet, Barasso, and Blackburn introduced The Rural Health Clinic Burden Reduction Act to provide regulatory relief for rural health clinics. This month, Bennet introduced legislation to study barriers to mental and behavioral health care for farmers and ranchers. 

In addition to Bennet, Barasso, Smith, and Blackburn, U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Jerry Moran (R-Kans.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Martin Henrich (D-N.M.) also co-sponsored the resolution.