{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://valadao.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3373", "Valadao, Smith Improve Energy Resiliency for Health Centers in Underserved Communities", "2025-12-05", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "CA", "David G. Valadao", "V000129", "valadao.house.gov", "valadao", "https://valadao.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) joined Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) to introduce the Community Health Access Through Resilient Grid Energy (CHARGE) Act of 2025. This bipartisan bill would help make Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) more resilient by giving them the resources needed to install solar energy and energy storage systems.\n\n\u201cFederally Qualified Health Centers are a lifeline for families across the Central Valley, and we need to make sure they can stay open\u2014even when emergencies happen,\u201d said Congressman Valadao. \u201cThe CHARGE Act creates a new grant program to help FQHCs install reliable energy storage systems so they can keep serving patients without interruption. I\u2019m proud to partner with Congressman Smith on this bipartisan effort to strengthen local healthcare and lower energy costs.\u201d\n\n\u201cCommunity health centers are the backbone of care in underserved communities. Too many face dangerous gaps in power reliability during extreme weather or emergency situations,\u201d said Congressman Smith. \u201cThe CHARGE Act is a smart and forward-looking investment that will help centers stay open, protect patients, and strengthen energy resilience across the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cCommunity health centers are an essential part of the healthcare delivery system in rural and underserved regions across the country\u2014especially here in the Central Valley. Central Valley Health Network applauds the leadership of Congressman Valadao and Smith in introducing the CHARGE Act of 2025, which will invest in improving healthcare in our communities while promoting renewable energy solutions,\u201d said Jason Vega, Chief Executive Officer, Central Valley Health Network.\n\n\u201cWhen natural disasters and other grid-straining emergencies hit, solar and energy storage are critical to providing reliable power to those that need it most. We applaud Congressmen Smith and Valadao for championing this legislation which will enhance access to solar and storage for the Federally Qualified Community Health Centers working every day to provide essential care to communities across America,\u201d said Abigail Ross Hopper, President and CEO, Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA).\n\n\"Electricity powers every step of health care. When Community Health Centers lose power, diabetic patients miss visits, pregnant women miss prenatal care, children forgo vaccinations, and patients needing behavioral health services miss therapy. After Hurricane Helene alone, power outages caused more than 10,000 patient appointment cancellations in one state alone. The bipartisan CHARGE Act, led by US Representatives Adam Smith (D-WA) and David Valadao (R-CA) will help health centers deploy solar energy and battery storage systems so they can continue serving as lifelines for their communities during disasters,\" said Ben Money, SVP of Population Health, National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).\n\n\u201cEnsuring clean, reliable, and safe energy technologies isn\u2019t just smart policy\u2014it\u2019s a direct investment in the community health and the well-being of the diverse communities we serve,\u201d said Healthpoint.\n\n\u201cWe appreciate Rep. Smith\u2019s work with community health centers to develop this program that advances clean energy goals, helps reduce long-term energy costs, and supports local renewable energy jobs,\u201d said the Washington Association for Community Health.\n\nThe CHARGE Act would:\n\nEstablish a new grant program at the Department of Energy (DOE) to help Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) deploy solar energy systems and/or energy storage technologies.\n\nAuthorize $50 million per year to fund installation projects and technical assistance programs nationwide.\n\nAllow broad participation by state and local governments, nonprofits, and a provider consortia or network that is majority owned or majority controlled by one of more FQHCs.\n\nSupport technical assistance to ensure that FQHCs can design, install, and operate these systems effectively and sustainably.\n\nBackground:\n\nFederally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are the backbone of the healthcare system in underserved communities\u2014providing critical care, including preventative healthcare, vaccinations, and chronic disease management to more than 34 million Americans per year. Yet, too many of these centers lack the reliable, affordable, and sustainable power needed to maintain operations during grid disruptions, extreme weather, or emergencies. The CHARGE Act provides a targeted, fiscally responsible solution to ensure community health centers have access to clean, resilient power while reducing long-term energy costs and supporting local renewable energy jobs. This bipartisan proposal promotes energy resilience, community health security, and economic efficiency\u2014all while empowering local stakeholders to determine the best solutions for their communities.\n\nRead the full bill here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "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://valadao.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3373"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6929421797394753, "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"}