State Director for Rural Development Edd Hargett today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $36 million to build or improve community facilities and essential services in Sweeny, Texas.
“USDA is pleased to assist Sweeny Community Hospital by providing funding to improve essential services,” said Hargett. “We must ensure that rural facilities have the tools to provide the best care options possible for their residents.”
USDA is providing financing through the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program. The funding helps rural small towns, cities and communities make infrastructure improvements.
Sweeny Community Hospital will receive a $36 million loan to construct a replacement health care campus that aligns with its outpatient and inpatient services and meets the hospital district's needs now and into the future. The facility will be integrated into a 29-acre campus providing care through a 24-hour Emergency Department with a Level IV Trauma designation and serve 20-bed medical/surgical patient units. Sweeny Hospital District is located in Sweeny, Texas.
More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes. Projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a cornerstone recommendation of the task force.
To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.