Rural hospitals are a crucial component in the U.S. healthcare system. They play a vital role all across the nation in regions that are underserved by larger hospitals. In Texas, they are often the only option for those who live miles away from the nearest healthcare facility, a distance that can mean the difference between life and death.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges previously unseen in U.S. history. All healthcare providers were forced to operate in a new environment, but few rose to the occasion to meet patients’ needs amid historic financial losses the way rural hospitals and clinics did. I’m proud to have delivered hundreds of millions of dollars for Texas healthcare centers since the beginning of the pandemic, and I will continue partnering with federal and local officials to provide personal protective equipment, pharmaceuticals, and critical resources to our heroes on the front lines of this fight.