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US HB7609
Bill
Status
2/20/2026
Primary Sponsor
Jim Costa
Click for details
AI Summary
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Standardizes the population threshold for "rural" designation across USDA programs to 25,000 inhabitants, up from varying thresholds of 2,500, 3,000, 5,000, 10,000, and 20,000 currently used in different programs
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Excludes incarcerated populations and military base populations when calculating whether a community meets the rural population threshold for program eligibility
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Applies the harmonized 25,000-inhabitant threshold to broadband/telemedicine programs, telephone service loans, water and wastewater grants, emergency community water assistance, rural housing programs, and Department of Energy rural community programs
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Extends eligibility for rural development programs to U.S. territories and updates references to replace "Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands" with the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of Palau
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Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to annually reassess and adjust the rural population threshold based on Census Bureau trends, OMB metropolitan classifications, and Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes
Legislative Description
Rural Development Modernization Act
Last Action
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Natural Resources, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2/20/2026