Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Natural Resources, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Summary
The bill changes the definition of “rural” used by the USDA, DOE and related agencies, increasing the cutoff from 10‑20,000 residents to 25,000 and excluding certain groups such as prisoners and military bases. It applies to broadband, telemedicine, loan, water, and housing programs and adds language to cover U.S. territories. By standardizing the threshold, larger small towns can more easily qualify for rural assistance.
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