Kuster Pushes for Legislation To Bolster Care for Rural Veterans

Press Release

Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) announced her support for H.R.7414, the RURAL Veterans Act. This bipartisan legislation will help the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recruit and retain health care professionals for rural and highly rural community-based outpatient clinics and medical centers, like those in New Hampshire.

"It is impossible to overstate the incredible service and sacrifice of our Granite State veterans," said Rep. Kuster. "We must ensure our veterans are able to access the care and benefits they have earned and deserve, regardless of where they live. Workforce shortages remain a serious challenge for health care facilities throughout rural communities and this legislation would take important steps to improve and support the Department of Veterans Affairs' hiring and recruitment of health care professionals in rural settings. I will continue to work across the aisle to support the men and women who have served our nation in uniform."

Specifically, the RURAL Veterans Act will:

Require the director of each Veterans Integrated Service Network that contains at least one rural or highly rural community-based outpatient clinic to annually develop and maintain a strategy to recruit health care professionals;
Mandate the Office of Rural Recruitment to conduct a study on the feasibility of a scholarship program for health care professionals to attend the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in exchange for service as full-time employees at a rural or highly rural community-based outpatient clinic or medical center of the VA for a specified period of time; and
Establish the Rural Health Quality and Access Fellowship program to provide fellowships to health care professionals at the graduate or postgraduate level who serve on a short-term basis as full-time employees at a rural or highly rural community-based outpatient clinic or medical center of the VA and conduct research on:
Improving the quality of rural health care;
Access to health care in rural areas;
Recruitment and retention of health care professionals in rural areas.

Source