The House of Representatives Nov. 14 unanimously approved a bipartisan bill (H.R. 2713) that would reauthorize the Title VIII nursing workforce programs.
Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif), who introduced the legislation, praised the House for passing the bill, noting, “For half a century, Title VIII Nursing Workforce programs have made important gains in recruiting the best nursing students, getting them trained, and keeping them in the field.” Capps added, “This bipartisan reauthorization effort will ensure that nurses continue to meet our nation’s health care system needs now and in the future.”
Key provisions of the reauthorization bill include: reauthorizing through fiscal year (FY) 2020 Title VIII nursing workforce programs, which provide loan repayment and incentives to work in underserved communities; and revising the advanced education nursing education grant program to include clinical nurse leaders as advanced education nurses.
Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) July 7 introduced a Senate companion, S.3245, but it has not yet been taken up by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee.