A bipartisan bill introduced on July 23 by U.S. Reps. Erin Houchin (R-IN) and Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) would require that a comprehensive rural hospital cybersecurity workforce development strategy be developed at the federal level. The Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, H.R. “Rural hospitals are often operating with limited staff and resources, yet they’re expected to defend against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks,” Rep. Houchin said. “In our complex world, it is imperative that we safeguard sensitive personal information and medical records from cybercriminals,” Rep. Thompson said. “The Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act aims to protect patient information by helping develop, promote, and expand the rural hospital cybersecurity workforce, particularly through education and training programs tailored to the needs of rural hospitals, such as those in Pennsylvania.”