CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Two hospitals in Central Illinois are advancing towards securing federal funds aimed at enhancing their facilities and the services they provide to the local community.

On Friday, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced that a bill has moved forward in the Senate Appropriations Committee. This bill proposes additional funding for several hospitals, including two in Central Illinois, as well as funds for agricultural projects, rural development, and the FDA for the fiscal year 2026.

Durbin said the Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA funding bill includes the following requests:

• $645,000 to the Iroquois Memorial Hospital and Resident Home
  • The money would be used to update the aged and outdated facilities, including the HVAC systems and flooring
• $110,000 to Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon
  • The money would go towards expanding rural telehealth efforts to include teledentistry with an emphasis on underserved children

“Congress is charged with the essential duty of funding our government programs and agencies. Although Congress has consistently met this obligation through passing continuing resolutions, I hope for a truly bipartisan effort to pass appropriations bills in a timely and thoughtful manner,” Durbin stated.

You can find a full list of funding requests here.