Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2026
Latest action (4 Aug 2026): Introduced
What this bill does
S. 5232, the Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2026, would amend the Public Health Service Act to let the Secretary of Health and Human Services award grants for two related purposes: establishing new physician residency programs in rural areas (or adding rural training sites to existing programs), and providing technical assistance to organizations applying for or running those grants. Residency grants would run three years, technical-assistance grants four years, both extendable at the Secretary's discretion and able to be fully funded upfront. Supported residency programs would train physicians in rural areas for more than half their residency, focused on fields like family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, general surgery, or maternal health/obstetrics.
Eligible applicants include nonprofit and for-profit entities, Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, rural hospitals, rural health clinics, Tribal or urban Indian health centers, and graduate medical education consortiums such as medical schools and HBCUs. The bill would authorize $12.7 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, with funds remaining available until spent.
The bill was introduced in the Senate on August 4, 2026, by Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) with Sen. Susan Collins as a cosponsor. It has been read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, where it awaits further committee action before any vote.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process. It was introduced into Congress on August 4, 2026. It will typically be considered by committee next before it is possibly sent on to the House or Senate as a whole.
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