04/29/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/30/2026 14:20
For Immediate Release: April 29, 2026
Contact: Juan Ayala, (202) 713-7750
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) released the following statement upon Committee passage of the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.
"House Republicans' commitment to supporting the agriculture industry has never been stronger," said Rep. Newhouse.
Rep. Newhouse continued, "This legislation funds programs utilized by the specialty crop industry in Central Washington, supports trade promotion programs, increases funding for vital research programs at USDA, and keeps the Secretary of Agriculture as a member of CFIUS to prevent our adversaries from purchasing American farm ground. Also included are my Community Project Funding requests for Othello Community Hospital in Adams County and the McKay Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Grant County. Together, with my colleagues on the House Appropriations Committee, we have worked to address the needs of our farmers, ranchers, and producers while getting our fiscal house in order."
The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill provides a total discretionary allocation of $26.27 billion, which is $380 billion (1.4%) below the Fiscal Year 2026 enacted level. The bill 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.
Below are projects in Washington's Fourth Congressional District Rep. Newhouse secured funding for in this legislation.
McKay Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
Amount Requested: $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.
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.
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