By Lanell Downs Smith

U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-AL.), as a member of the Senate  Committee on Appropriations, announced she had secured $18,000 for Crenshaw Community Hospital for necessary  medical equipment as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and  Related Agencies Appropriations Act.  

David Hughes, CEO of Crenshaw Community Hospital expressed his gratitude for Britt’s efforts to support rural healthcare., 

“We are thrilled to receive this appropriation, and we are grateful to Senator Britt for her tireless efforts to support rural healthcare,” Hughes said. “We are no different than other rural healthcare facilities in the state, we struggle financially to keep healthcare in our community and assistance such as this helps us to continue offering the services that our local community needs.”

Britt said the wellbeing of rural Alabamians is a top priority.

“Health care is critical for the wellbeing of communities across the state of Alabama, and modernized equipment is key to providing the best care for patients. As a daughter of rural Alabama, I understand  that every community has unique needs, which is why I worked to secure needed funding for Crenshaw  Community Hospital,” Britt said in a media release. “When I took office, I promised to return your hard-earned  taxpayer dollars to Alabama. These funds are returning home to our great state in a commonsense way, investing in medical services for Alabamians.” 

The act now awaits consideration by the full Senate before being passed. 

Britt makes health care, including rural and maternal care, a top legislative priority, partnering on bipartisan legislation that would provide consistent support and resources to conduct important research into the causes of America’s maternal mortality crisis and to improve health  care and outcomes for women before, during and after pregnancy. Another joint initiative is in the works to secure urgent obstetric care at rural health care facilities.

Senator Britt also reintroduced the Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) in September 2023. The legislation aims to eliminate copays and other out-of-pocket expenses for breast cancer diagnostic tests, making them more accessible and affordable.