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.
A new study found that retaining the EPA’s half-RIN credit protects soybean demand, farm income, and crushing-sector strength while preserving biofuel market flexibility.
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Rising federal debt is increasing pressure on Washington to limit spending, which could tighten future funding and delivery for agricultural programs.
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Western Caucus member Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) details the SPEED Act on Champions of Rural America. The legislation aims to reform NEPA, streamline permitting, and expand domestic energy development.
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“I’m not sure where this bridge goes,” trader Brady Huck with Advanced Trading told RFD-TV News earlier this week.
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Canadian tariffs would raise costs for potash, ammonia, and UAN, increasing spring fertilizer risk.
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Julie Callahan was nominated earlier this summer by President Donald Trump, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told lawmakers she is ready to hit the ground running.
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