Newhouse Applauds House Passage of Agriculture Appropriations Bill, Secures Key Healthcare Funding for Central Washington

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) released the following statement upon House passage of H.R. 8646, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2027.This legislation passed by a vote of 213-210.

"House Republicans are delivering for our nation's farmers, ranchers, and producers," said Rep. Newhouse.

Newhouse continued, "By investing in agricultural research, loan programs for rural communities, and promotional efforts for specialty crops, we will help rural communities weather these hard times. But while we strengthen our domestic programs, we also provide key support for international food aid programs to help lift developing nations out of poverty and provide export markets for our farmers here at home. We are protecting American farmland from our adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party, by keeping the Secretary of Agriculture on CFIUS. I urge the Senate to act quickly so we can provide some certainty to the agriculture industry."

Background

The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $26.27 billion, which is $380 million (1.4%) below the Fiscal Year 2026 enacted level.
The act prioritizes agencies and programs that protect our nation's food and drug supply; support America's farmers, ranchers, and rural communities; and ensure low-income Americans have access to nutrition programs. The legislation is fiscally responsible and refocuses programs on their core mission while putting the health, safety, and prosperity of American producers and consumers first.

This bill also cuts spending and saves taxpayer dollars by reining in harmful Biden-era regulations, reducing salaries and expenses to account for staffing reductions, and shrinks grant programs that housed canceled grants. Regarding investments in agriculture research, this bill funds rural development loan programs and animal and plant health programs, and provides funds to ensure the safety of food, drugs, and medical devices. This bill includes no funds for climate hubs or climate corps.

Rep. Newhouse's floor remarks can be found here(link is external).

Rep. Newhouse secured the following funding for projects in Central Washington.

Adams County Public Hospital District No.3 d/b/a Othello Community Hospital

Amount: $1,863,900

Description: The Rural Labor and Delivery Capacity Expansion Project will increase the capacity of Othello Community Hospital to provide top-rate care for our families here locally where more than 400 babies are delivered annually. The project includes features that improve access to care, health and wellness outcomes, and hospital infrastructure. This project integrates critical technology directly into the labor and delivery suites. There will be dedicated triage beds, vital monitors, NICU systems, newborn warming stations, and diagnostic imaging machines for the obstetric unit. To address access, the project will also provide a new ambulance so that families do not have to worry about how they will get to the hospital when events - like precipitous labor - occur without planning. This project will dramatically expand the family birth care to meet the growing need for services at Othello Community Hospital, a rural hospital with a high volume of labor and delivery.

Public Hospital District No. 4 of Grant County d/b/a McKay Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center

Amount: $2,104,604

Description: Phase 1 of Grant County Public Hospital District McKay Healthcare's senior living expansion will add 16 assisted living units and 16 memory care units, along with a community wellness center featuring meeting spaces, a salon, art classroom, fitness area, and landscaped outdoor spaces. This first-of-its-kind continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Central Washington allows seniors to age-in-place safely, transitioning from independent living to assisted living or memory care, and ultimately to skilled nursing if needed. This project addresses a critical gap in rural senior healthcare services in Grant County by expanding access to assisted living and memory care. Currently, comparable services are limited in the region, forcing many families to travel long distances to obtain care. The project will allow seniors to remain in their communities while receiving appropriate care, improve continuity with local healthcare providers.

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