Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act
Latest action (23 Jul 2026): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 9908, the Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop, within one year of enactment, a national strategy for building a cybersecurity workforce for rural hospitals. In creating the strategy, the Secretary must consult with officials from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Departments of Education and Labor, the National Cyber Director, and rural health care representatives from each of the nine census geographic divisions. The strategy must address partnerships between rural and non-rural hospitals, schools, and private organizations; development of cybersecurity training curricula for community colleges and vocational schools; and identification of workforce challenges and solutions specific to rural hospitals. The Secretary would also have to brief Congress annually on progress and effectiveness, and publish free instructional materials to help train rural hospital staff in basic cybersecurity practices.
The bill primarily affects rural hospitals—including critical access hospitals, sole community hospitals, low-volume hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals as defined under Medicare law—along with federal agencies, educational institutions, and workforce training organizations that would participate in developing and delivering the strategy and materials. The bill specifies that no additional funds are authorized for these activities, meaning implementation would rely on existing agency resources.
The bill was introduced on July 23, 2026, by Rep. Erin Houchin with several cosponsors, and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It has not yet been voted on, and would need committee action, House and Senate passage, and the President's signature to become law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a workforce development strategy to address the need for cybersecurity professionals in rural hospitals.
Among other topics, the strategy must consider (1) partnerships between rural hospitals, hospitals that are not rural hospitals, educational institutions, and private nonprofit or for-profit entities; and (2) the development of a cybersecurity curriculum for use in rural educational institutions. HHS must annually brief Congress on the strategy and any programs or initiatives established thereunder.
Additionally, HHS must disseminate free materials that rural hospitals may use to train staff about cybersecurity.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 9908 do?
- H.R. 9908, the Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop, within one year of enactment, a national strategy for building a cybersecurity workforce for rural hospitals. In creating the strategy, the Secretary must consult with officials from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Departments of Education and Labor, the National Cyber Director, and rural health care representatives from each of the nine census geographic divisions. The strategy must address partnerships between rural and non-rural hospitals, schools, and private organizations; development of cybersecurity training curricula for community colleges and vocational schools; and identification of workforce challenges and solutions specific to rural hospitals. The Secretary would also have to brief Congress annually on progress and effectiveness, and publish free instructional materials to help train rural hospital staff in basic cybersecurity practices. The bill primarily affects rural hospitals—including critical access hospitals, sole community hospitals, low-volume hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals as defined under Medicare law—along with federal agencies, educational institutions, and workforce training organizations that would participate in developing and delivering the strategy and materials. The bill specifies that no additional funds are authorized for these activities, meaning implementation would rely on existing agency resources. The bill was introduced on July 23, 2026, by Rep. Erin Houchin with several cosponsors, and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It has not yet been voted on, and would need committee action, House and Senate passage, and the President's signature to become law.
- Has H.R. 9908 become law?
- Not yet. As of 23 Jul 2026, H.R. 9908 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 9908?
- H.R. 9908 was sponsored by Rep. Erin Houchin [R-IN9] (Republican-IN), with 5 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 9908?
- Introduced (23 Jul 2026).
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