Hospital in line for $3M in funds
RUSSELLVILLE — Russellville Hospital is in line to receive $3 million for facilities and equipment under a federal spending bill which includes millions of dollars for rural hospitals across Alabama.
The funding is included in the fiscal year 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which was recently approved by the House Appropriations Committee.
The legislation was led by U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, who serves as chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.
The bill would provide $35 million for hospitals and health centers across Alabama. Of that total, $22.1 million would go to rural hospitals in Aderholt’s Fourth Congressional District, which includes Franklin County.
Aderholt said he pushed to restore Community Project Funding, commonly known as earmarks, to the Labor, Health and Human Services bill this year.
“I am proud of the effort to bring back this source of support for hospitals, health centers, and other safety net providers. This bill funds nearly 500 projects for over 200 members. These designated funds will be deeply impactful for communities across the country,” Aderholt said in a released statement.
In addition to the funding for Russellville Hospital, the bill includes $11.9 million for Lakeland Community Hospital in Haleyville and $3 million for Marion Regional Medical Center in Hamilton.
Aderholt said the investments are intended to help ensure rural residents have access to quality health care close to home.
“I have long believed that rural communities should have the same access to top notch healthcare centers and hospitals as larger cities, and these investments are a real step toward that goal. Community-based care is a first step in having better long-term health outcomes,” he said.
The legislation also includes $100 million for the Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program. The program is designed to help rural hospitals that operate at the lower end of the federal wage. Aderholt said the funding program would provide direct financial assistance to eligible hospitals.
The spending bill also contains funding for federal health, education and labor programs. The House proposal would provide about $110.8 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, while also increasing funding for the National Institutes of Health by approximately $100 million. It would reduce funding for some other federal programs as lawmakers continue efforts to curb federal spending.
The House AppropriationsCommittee has approved the measure, but it must still pass the full House and Senate before becoming law.
The new federal fiscal year begins Oct. 1, and lawmakers are expected to continue negotiations on spending legislation in the coming months.
