The AHA today expressed its opposition to an amendment included in the Department of Homeland Security’s appropriations bill in the House Appropriations Committee that would eliminate the per-country cap for immigrant visas, saying it would “impact nurse immigration from many countries, and adversely affect the ability of America’s hospitals and health systems to provide care in communities across the country.”

 

Currently, there is a greater demand for new nurses than there are students graduating from nursing programs in the U.S., and hospitals and health systems partially rely on immigrant nurses from a number of countries. These nurses are required to meet rigid standards of equivalent education, English fluency and state licensure, and must have clean disciplinary records.

 

“Foreign-trained nurses do not displace American workers; in fact, the demand for nurses continues to grow,” AHA said. “Foreign-trained nurses are recruited primarily to rural and urban hospitals, communities that find it difficult to recruit nurses domestically.”

 

AHA said the amendment sponsored by Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kan., would have a crippling effect on hospitals and health systems because the number of foreign-trained nurses entering the U.S. each year to fill critical nursing jobs would be reduced by 77 to 100 percent over the next five years and beyond.

 

“We urge you to remove the Yoder amendment from the DHS appropriations bill and protect the ability of foreign-trained nurses to provide care to patients throughout the country, especially in rural and urban communities,” AHA wrote.

Related News Articles

Headline
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services July 15 issued a proposed rule that would increase Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system…
Headline
The AHA July 2 expressed support for the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (H.R. 3890), bipartisan legislation that would add 14,000 Medicare-funded…
Headline
The House July 3 voted 218-214 to pass the final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), which enacts many of President Trump’s legislative…
Headline
The House has begun consideration of the Senate-passed version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1). This continues to be a fluid…
Headline
The Senate narrowly passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) on July 1 by a 50-50 tally, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.…
Headline
The AHA June 29 sent a letter to senators urging them to amend the budget reconciliation bill before its final passage in the Senate. The Senate version of the…