Message to Congress:
I urge you to provide at least $175 million in fiscal year 2004 funding for nursing workforce development (Title VIII, Public Health Service Act). This is the minimal investment needed to fulfill the promise of the Nurse Reinvestment Act and address the growing crisis caused by the nursing shortage.

ALERT - Action Needed on Nurse Education Funding
6/12/03
Congress is moving, in the next two weeks, to determine FY 2004 funding levels for nurse recruitment, education, and retention initiatives including the programs established in the Nurse Reinvestment Act. ANA needs your help to secure the needed increase in funding.

Specifically, ANA urges nurses to contact their Senators and Representatives to support $175 million in FY 2004 appropriations for Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act, commonly known as the Nurse Education Act (NEA).

The NEA provides federal support for nurse workforce development. The NEA programs include the newly authorized programs contained in the Nurse Reinvestment Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-205). The NEA is the primary source of funding for nursing education. It supports nursing education programs through the educational continuum - from entry-level preparation through graduate study.

The number for the Congressional switchboard is (202) 224-3121. Don't delay! Call your Senators and Representative today.

Message to Congress:
I urge you to appropriate at least $175 million in FY 2004 funding for the Nurse Education Act (Title VIII, Public Health Service Act). This is the minimal investment needed to fulfill the promise of the Nurse Reinvestment Act and address the growing nursing shortage.

Get more information and take action

H.R. 1119 The Family Time Flexibility Act - Update
6/09/03
On Thursday, June 5, the House Republican leadership withdrew H.R. 1119 from Thursday's floor agenda because they lacked the votes to pass the bill. This bill would have allowed employers to substitute compensatory time off for time-and-a-half overtime pay. The bill was withdrawn after intense lobbying efforts from union and labor organizations. The ANA sent a letter to every Member of Congress and also urged its members to contact their Representatives to urge them to vote against H.R. 1119. To date there is no word if and when this bill will be brought up for a vote. ANA thanks you for helping to defeat this bill.

Urgent Action on the Comp Time Bill HR 1119
6/04/03
It is expected that H.R. 1119, "Family Time Flexibility Act" may be voted on in the House of Representatives on Thursday, June 5, 2003.

This bill would allow private employers to replace overtime pay (time-and-a-half) with time off from work. It would allow employers to work employees more than 40 hours per week without paying them for overtime pay, for up to 160 hours a year. Instead employers would "pay" workers with a promise of time off in the future, when the employer --not the worker -- deems it convenient.

For many nurses, time-and-a-half overtime pay is essential to meet their basics needs like housing, food and health care costs.

HR 1119 does nothing to address the problem of mandatory overtime. In fact, by making it possible for employers not to pay overtime and instead offer comp time at some later date (which due to the nurse shortage, the nurses will never realize) this bill provides an incentive to require nurses to endure this dangerous practice which places both patients and nurses at risk.

Please contact your Representative immediately (202) 224-3121 and urge him/her to oppose HR 1119.

Grant Applications Available from HRSA
5/20/03
The Division of Nursing at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has posted grant applications for the new programs created by the Nurse Reinvestment Act.

Last year, ANA was successful in passing the Nurse Reinvestment Act - a powerful new tool in nurse recruitment and retention. These grants are the result of this effort. Grant applications are available at http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/reinvestmentact.htm

Grants are available for:

• Internship and Residency Program: Approximately $3 million is available in FY 2003 to support between 12 and 30 awards, ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 per year per award.
• Career Ladder Program: Approximately $3 million is available in FY 2003 to support between 12 and 30 awards, ranging from $75,000 and $250,000 per year per award.
• Enhancing Patient Care Delivery System Program: This program encourages facilities to implementation the Magnet criteria for excellence in nursing administration. Approximately $3 million is available in FY 2003 to support between 12 and 40 awards, estimated to range from $25,000 to $200,000 per year per award.

In addition, applications for the new nursing scholarship program have just been posted. This program covers all educational costs and provides a monthly stipend. Eligible applicants are nursing students currently enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full- or part-time student in an accredited school of nursing. Upon graduation, scholarship winners will be required to work in a health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses for no less than two years. HRSA expects to distribute an estimated $3.8 million for 76 nursing scholarships in Fiscal Year 2003. The deadline for scholarship applications is June 30, 2003.

ANA Convenes Coalition to Support Nurse Recruitment and Retention
5/15/03
ANA has convened a powerful group of organizations to support our efforts to increase funding for nurse education, recruitment, and retention. This group, which includes colleges of nursing, hospitals, health systems, nurse executives, nursing homes, home health agencies, and health care accreditation groups recently wrote a joint letter to the US Congress supporting a 55% increase in funding for the Nurse Education Act . This important effort provides a strong voice in support of our ongoing campaign to address the nursing shortage.

View letters: House | Senate [PDF format]

Contact Your Senators Support the Collins/Mikulski Letter on Funding for Nurse Education
5/13/03
Senators Susan Collins (R, ME) and Barbara Mikulski (D, MD) have asked for our help in urging their US Senate colleagues to sign onto a letter in support $175 million in funding for the Nurse Education Act (Title VIII, Public Health Service Act). ANA fully supports this letter, we are also working to secure $175 million in funding for these programs in FY 2004.

The Nurse Education Act (NEA) provides federal support for nurse workforce development. It is the primary source of funding for nursing education. It includes the new programs created last year in the Nurse Reinvestment Act. $175 million in FY 2004 funding would represent a $62 million (55%) increase, and would make great strides in ANA's goal of doubling funding for Title VIII in two years.

A copy of the Collins/Mikulski Dear Colleague letter is available for download. ANA's position on Title VIII funding is also available for download. (Both documents are in pdf format.)

Please contact your Senators to urge them to sign onto this letter. The more support we are able to generate for the Collins/Mikulski effort, the more likely we are to secure this needed funding.

Ask your Senator to sign onto the Collins/Mikulski Dear Colleague letter. Tell them that the growing nursing shortage requires a significant investment in Title VIII. The promise of the Nurse Reinvestment Act will not be met without this increase in funds.

Do not delay. Senators Collins and Mikulski need to hear from your Senators by this Friday, May 16th. You can reach your Senators by calling the US Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

ANA Board Updates Position on Medical Malpractice
5/2/03
Escalating medical malpractice liability rates have created a crisis that threatens access to adequate health care services in many states and increases costs to an already financially stressed health care delivery system. The negative effect of increasing costs of professional liability insurance is impacting the entire health care delivery system, including registered nurses and their patients. The ANA Board of Directors has approved a position statement that recommends a multi-pronged approach to the problem.

Access the position statement

Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act Defeated
4/1/03
On March 31, by a vote of 184 for and 206 against, the Smallpox Vaccination Compensation Fund Act (H.R. 1463) was defeated in the House of Representatives. Nurses won the battle to beat back this unacceptable smallpox vaccination bill. Now, the fight moves onto the Senate. ANA does not oppose a smallpox compensation program however, ANA believes legislation must provide adequeate education, prescreening, surveillance and compensation for nurses and other first responders. Thank you for your quick response. We had a powerful impact on this issue.

ANA Urges Members to VOTE NO on the Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act
03/28/03
ANA has learned that an unacceptable smallpox vaccination compensation bill will be voted on in the House of Representatives this coming Monday, March 31. It is imperative that you contact your House Member to urge him/her to vote against this bill. Do not delay! Calls should be made now - the vote may occur as early as 2pm Eastern on Monday. Contact you Member by calling the United States House of Representatives Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and asking to be connected to the office of your Representative. More...

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