The United States Senate has designated November 20, 2025, as National Rural Health Day to recognize the work of rural health care providers across the country. The bipartisan resolution was introduced by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.), who co-chair the Senate Rural Health Caucus. The measure passed unanimously in the Senate.
Senator Barrasso commented on the importance of rural health care, stating, “The rural and frontier providers across Wyoming and the West have a long record of ensuring patients receive the care they need close to home. As a doctor, one of my top priorities is ensuring all patients have access to high-quality care wherever they live. Our resolution honors the hard work of providers in rural communities and reinforces Congress’s bipartisan support of their work to serve patients throughout rural America.”
Senator Bennet highlighted ongoing challenges for rural residents: “Rural Coloradans face enormous challenges to access quality health care – from aging infrastructure, staffing shortages, and rising health coverage costs. National Rural Health Day is an opportunity for us to shed light on the barriers they face and recommit to making sure every American can access the care they need, no matter where they live.”
Senator Blackburn noted that most counties in Tennessee are classified as rural: “78 of Tennessee’s 95 counties are rural, making rural health care a critical issue for our state. As co-chair of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, I have worked tirelessly to ensure access to quality and affordable health care in rural areas. The Senate’s passage of our resolution recognizing November 20th as National Rural Health Day highlights our renewed focus on lowering costs and increasing access to care for people in rural communities.”Â
Sharon Weber, Manager at the Wyoming Office of Rural Health, also expressed appreciation for those working in these settings: “National Rural Health Day provides an opportunity to recognize and applaud our rural health care professionals. In rural health care, distance is a challenge, and the devoted health care professionals are our most valuable resource. The Wyoming Office of Rural Health is dedicated to bridging gaps and supporting the hardworking medical professionals who tirelessly deliver care. The well-being of our rural communities relies upon the incredible professionals who deliver compassionate, high-quality care in rural Wyoming.”
Several other senators co-sponsored this resolution from both parties.
