Congress·Reported·S. 2169

Congress directs HHS to build a rural hospital cybersecurity workforce plan and training materials

Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act

2 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

Congress would require the Health and Human Services Department to write a national plan to build up cybersecurity workers for rural hospitals within 1 year.
The plan must include input from rural health providers across the country and could include partnerships with schools, health systems, nonprofits, and private companies.
It would look at what makes cybersecurity hiring and training harder for rural hospitals and suggest practical ways to fix those problems.
The bill also requires training materials rural hospitals can use to teach staff basic cybersecurity, plus a campaign to make sure hospitals know the materials exist.
It does not add new funding, so the work would need to use existing budgets and staff unless Congress funds it later.

HealthcareCybersecurityEducation

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Mixed Impacts(7)

Chronic Illness

Neutral

Disability Benefits

Neutral

Unemployment Benefits

Neutral

Gig Worker

Neutral

Small Business Owner

Neutral

Student

Neutral

Student Loans

Neutral

Milestones

4 milestones5 actions

Jan 28, 2026Senate

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 309.

Jan 28, 2026Senate

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Cassidy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

Jan 15, 2026Senate

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Jun 25, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Jun 25, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 1 year after the bill becomes law

HHS develops and sends Congress a rural hospital cybersecurity workforce strategy

This is the roadmap that could shape future training programs, partnerships, and possible new federal guidance for rural hospitals.

Within 1 year after the bill becomes law

HHS releases training materials and launches an awareness campaign for rural hospitals

Hospitals can use these materials to train staff on basic cybersecurity steps, which may reduce the risk of ransomware and system outages over time.

About 60 days after the first full federal fiscal year ends after the strategy is sent to Congress

First annual briefing to Congress on progress and number of people trained

This is the first public checkpoint showing whether training programs actually started and how many people were reached.

Every year after the first briefing

Yearly updates continue (briefings after each fiscal year)

Hospitals and schools may see adjustments in recommended practices and partnership ideas, but new benefits still depend on follow-on actions and funding.