H.R. 7609: Rural Development Modernization Act
This bill, titled the Rural Development Modernization Act, aims to update and harmonize the population thresholds for various programs overseen by the Department of Agriculture which serve rural communities. Below is a summary of its key provisions:
Changing Population Thresholds
The bill proposes significant increases in the population thresholds for certain rural development programs as follows:
- Broadband, telemedicine, and distance learning programs will increase the population threshold from 20,000 to 25,000 inhabitants.
- Loans for telephone services will raise the threshold from 5,000 to 25,000 inhabitants.
- Loans for water, wastewater, and essential community facilities will also see an increase to 25,000 inhabitants.
- Emergency and imminent community water assistance grants will change from 10,000 to 25,000.
- Changes for rural housing criteria will make similar adjustments, including raising thresholds for specific types of assistance.
Exclusions for Military and Incarcerated Populations
The bill seeks to eliminate the cap on excluding military base populations from the rural population counts and disregarding the populations of incarcerated individuals when determining if an area qualifies as rural. This means that more communities will be seen as rural for the purposes of accessing federal assistance.
Amendments for Water Supply and Infrastructure Projects
The bill also addresses definitions and eligibility for rural water supply projects, allowing for more projects to qualify under federal funding by streamlining the criteria.
Inclusion of U.S. Territories
In recognition of existing U.S. territories, the bill clarifies that various rural development programs apply to communities within these regions, expanding the availability of federal resources to these populations.
Annual Reassessment of Population Thresholds
To ensure the relevance and accuracy of rural determinations, the Secretary of Agriculture is required to conduct an annual reassessment of the population threshold used to define rural areas. This will take into consideration census data, regional classifications, and trends that may affect rural character.
Technical Amendments
The legislation includes various technical corrections and conforming amendments to ensure consistency across related laws, reflecting updates and changes made by the act.
Relevant Companies
- TWC (Charter Communications) - As a major provider of broadband services, changes in federal programs could affect funding or priorities for expanding rural broadband access.
- VZ (Verizon Communications) - Similar to Charter, Verizon may see changes in its rural service delivery and investment strategies due to modified population thresholds affecting subsidy eligibility.
This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.
Sponsors
4 bill sponsors
Actions
2 actions
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Feb. 20, 2026 | Introduced in House |
| Feb. 20, 2026 | 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. |
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