Bill · H.R. 8389· House(119-HR-8389)
Rural Area Population Act
- Introduced
- 4/20/2026
- Last activity
- 4/20/2026 — Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Sponsored by
- Raul Ruiz
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Rural Area Population Act aims to create a uniform definition of "rural area" for all rural development programs managed by the Department of Agriculture. It updates various existing laws, including the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 and the Housing Act of 1949, to ensure consistent definitions across different agencies. The bill expands the Secretary's authority to designate specific areas as rural, even if they are located within urban areas. These designations can be based on factors like persistent poverty, high concentrations of farmworker households, or significant infrastructure gaps. Additionally, the bill establishes a process to prioritize small settlements that lack urban services despite being surrounded by urban areas.
Yes· 3 of 7
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+5
The bill expands the definition of rural areas to include underserved settlements surrounded by urban areas.
Does this invest in rural communities?+5
The bill expands the ability to designate areas with significant infrastructure gaps in water, wastewater, or electricity as rural to facilitate development assistance.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+4
The bill targets areas with persistent poverty for potential inclusion in rural development programs.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Expanded Rural Designations: The Secretary can designate census tracts, census-designated places, or unincorporated areas with fewer than 35,000 inhabitants as rural areas. This is positive for communities facing persistent poverty, high concentrations of farmworker households, or significant infrastructure gaps regarding water, wastewater, or electricity (Section 3).
-
Support for High-Need Settlements: The bill allows for the prioritization of small, geographically distinct settlements that are surrounded by urban areas but lack urban services. This can benefit communities with poverty rates of at least 20 percent, including tribal lands and farmworker settlements (Section 4).
-
Targeted Assistance for Farmworkers: The definition of a "farmworker settlement" helps identify areas where more than 50 percent of households rely on agricultural labor. This provides a mechanism to recognize and potentially support these specific populations (Section 4).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Changes to Existing Definitions: The bill makes several technical changes to the definition of "rural area" by striking "urbanized" and inserting "urban" in various sections of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (Section 2).
-
Potential Changes to Status: While there is a grandfather provision, the text notes that rural area designations made before the effective date could potentially be changed once data from the 2030 decennial census becomes available (Section 6).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+5Good For Low Income Households+4Good For Farmers+3Good For Native Americans+3
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+5
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+3
- 4/20/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House