Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act
Sponsored By: Senator Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
In Committee
Summary
Rural hospital cybersecurity workforce development is the bill's core aim. This bill would require HHS to produce a one-year strategy and publish free training materials so rural hospitals can build basic cybersecurity skills.
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- Hospital staff: HHS would publish instructional materials within 1 year to train rural hospital staff on fundamental cybersecurity and run an awareness campaign at no cost.
- Rural workforce: HHS would develop and transmit a comprehensive workforce development strategy within 1 year that identifies workforce challenges unique to rural hospitals and practices to mitigate them.
- Education and training partners: The strategy would include developing cybersecurity curriculum and teaching resources for community colleges, vocational schools, and other rural education providers.
- Federal coordination and accountability: HHS must consult with CISA, the Departments of Education and Labor, the National Cyber Director, and rural provider representatives, and provide annual briefings to specified congressional committees that report programs, individuals trained, and recommendations.
- Funding constraint: The bill explicitly does not authorize any additional appropriations for its purposes.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Rural hospitals: cyber workforce plan
If enacted, the bill would require HHS to make and send Congress a rural hospital cybersecurity workforce strategy within 1 year. The strategy would look at training, school programs, and partnerships and must include input from CISA, Education, Labor, the National Cyber Director, and at least two rural provider representatives from each Census division. HHS would also have to publish free cybersecurity instructional materials on its website within 1 year and run an awareness campaign. HHS would brief Congress each year on updates, programs started, numbers trained, and how well the strategy is working.
Which rural hospitals the bill covers
If enacted, the bill would define key terms for the program. "Rural hospital" would include subsection (d) hospitals in rural areas, critical access hospitals, sole community hospitals, Medicare-dependent small rural hospitals, low-volume hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals. The bill would also define "agency", list the four "appropriate committees of Congress", define the nine Census geographic divisions, and name the HHS Secretary as "Secretary." These definitions would clarify who and what the Act covers.
No new federal funding for the Act
If enacted, the bill would say that no additional funds are authorized to carry out the Act. That means agencies would need to use existing budgets or reassign resources to implement the strategy, materials, and related activities.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
MO • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 6/25/2025
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 6/25/2025
Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 6/26/2025
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
ME • R
Sponsored 7/22/2025
Raphael Warnock
GA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 3/10/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov