The Senate Finance Committee is holding a hearing on President Trump’s 2026 health care agenda.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responded to a question from Committee Chairman Mike Crapo about rural hospital funding, which is what some lawmakers are calling a key feature in the “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
“We’ve had 120 rural hospitals closed over the past ten years. These institutions are not just delivering health access to rural Americans, but they’re economic centers that are cultural centers for those communities are often the largest employer. They are the highest-paying jobs. and they are the centerpiece of those communities. So when they die, the communities collapse.”
Kennedy said the legislation includes a historic $50 billion investment in rural health over the next five years, which he says is a 50 percent increase in federal support to help stem the crisis facing rural hospitals. While some critics have blamed the bill for recent struggles in the sector, Chairman Crapo pushed back, saying those issues predate the legislation.
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller joins us to discuss the cattle herd rebuild, trade concerns, and how ranchers would define “America First” policy priorities.
February 13, 2026 12:50 PM
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Ag Committee Chairman Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson has referred to the proposal as “Farm Bill 2.0.”
February 13, 2026 10:25 AM
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RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney talks about the U.S. House’s latest vote to roll back tariffs on Canada and the ongoing discussions surrounding North American trade.
February 12, 2026 05:02 PM
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Alaska Congressman discusses his new role as Executive Vice Chair of the Congressional Western Caucus and his priorities for the West in the 119th Congress.
February 12, 2026 04:45 PM
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Farm legal expert Roger McEowen discusses the EPA’s rescission of the 2009 endangerment finding on greenhouse gases and what it could mean for agriculture and rural America.
February 12, 2026 02:48 PM
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The USDA opened a new sterile fly-dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in South Texas to prevent a potential outbreak of New World screwworm and protect the small U.S. cattle herd.
February 12, 2026 10:47 AM
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