{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://fedorchak.house.gov/media/press-releases/fedorchak-hosts-health-care-roundtable-discuss-rural-health-investments-under", "Fedorchak hosts health care roundtable to discuss rural health investments under Working Families Tax Cuts Act", "2025-10-09", "2025", "2025-10", "Republican", "House", "ND", "Julie Fedorchak", "F000482", "fedorchak.house.gov", "fedorchak", "https://fedorchak.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Bismarck, ND \u2014 Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) brought together state and industry leaders for a roundtable discussion this week focused on rural health care investments and ongoing Republican-led efforts to address the affordability of health insurance premiums.\n\n\u201cThe Working Families Tax Cut Act established the Rural Health Transformation Fund, a landmark $50B investment in rural health care for states like North Dakota. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched the application for states to apply for this new funding less than a month ago, and I\u2019m proud our state\u2019s health leaders quickly developed a thoughtful application,\u201d Fedorchak said. \u201cThe forward-looking approach and collaboration among our hospitals, clinics, and state agencies should serve as a model for the entire country.\u201d\n\nImage\n\nThe roundtable focused on the state\u2019s innovative approach to the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund passed under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, the need for long-term health care reform, and addressing the COVID-era enhanced premium tax credits set to expire on January 1, 2026.\n\nFedorchak emphasized the difference between the long-standing Obamacare premium tax credits, which will continue to exist after January 1, 2026, and the temporary enhanced version created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The enhanced premium tax credits dramatically expanded eligibility and cost taxpayers billions each year.\n\n\u201cThese tax credits were never meant to be permanent\u2014that\u2019s why Congressional Democrats themselves set them to expire on January 1, 2026. Republicans are ready to find a responsible path forward as soon as Democrats vote to reopen the federal government. Tying government funding to these enhanced premium tax credits is a red herring, and the longer Democrats keep the government shut down, the longer it delays a solution,\u201d Fedorchak added.\n\nShe also expressed concern over the Democrat-supported Continuing Resolution, which would wipe out the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund and roll back key health care reforms passed under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. Specifically, to reopen the federal government, Democrats are demanding a $1.5T spending increase that would:\n\nRemove the modest 20-hour per week work requirements established in the Working Families Tax Cuts for able-bodied, working-age adults on Medicaid\n\nRestore taxpayer-funded free healthcare for illegal aliens.\n\nEliminate eligibility testing and safeguards to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid program.\n\nRestore the Biden administration\u2019s one-size-fits-all minimum staffing mandate for nursing homes that would have forced many rural North Dakota nursing homes to close\n\nRepeal the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund, hurting hospitals and clinics in rural communities\n\nParticipants included:\n\nNorth Dakota Medicaid Director Sarah Aker\n\nHouse Majority Leader Mike Lefor\n\nState Representative Jon Nelson", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://fedorchak.house.gov/media/press-releases/fedorchak-hosts-health-care-roundtable-discuss-rural-health-investments-under"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7694389205425978, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}