AHA supports reintroduction of nursing bill addressing workforce shortage, education

Dec 12, 2025 - 01:12 PM
Nurses around a table taking direction

The AHA Dec. 11 expressed support for the reintroduction of the Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, bicameral legislation that would increase nursing school faculty and students, improve U.S. preparedness for pandemics and other public health emergencies, enroll underrepresented students in the nursing workforce and modernize nursing education and infrastructure. The bill was reintroduced yesterday by Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill. 

“Nursing faculty are in significant shortage, so much so that about 65,000 applicants to nursing schools who were qualified to attend nursing school had to be turned away, in large part because there were not enough faculty to train them,” said Lisa Kidder Hrobsky, AHA senior vice president for advocacy and political affairs. “This legislation will direct grants to go towards hiring nursing school faculty, modernizing technological and educational infrastructure, and enrolling and retaining students. The AHA thanks Senator Merkley and Rep. Underwood for their strong leadership to support nursing education.” 

Related News Articles

Headline
HHS, DOE announce nutrition education initiative for medical schools
The Departments of Health and Human Services and Education March 5 announced a new initiative to increase nutrition education in medical schools beginning this…
Headline
AHA urges DOE to broaden proposed update to definition of ‘professional degree’
The AHA commented Feb. 25 on the Department of Education’s proposed rule that would define the terms “graduate student” and “professional student” for…
Headline
CMS announces library of digital health apps for Medicare beneficiaries 
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Feb. 23 announced the development of its Medicare App Library. As part of the agency’s Health Technology…
Headline
AHA urges Congress to support physicians, access to care in statement for House subcommittee hearing 
The AHA provided a statement Feb. 24 for a House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing titled “Advancing the Next Generation of America’s Health Care…
Perspective
Our Message to Every Lawmaker and Candidate: We Care and We Vote
Public
Abraham Lincoln, among those whose legacy we honor with Presidents Day next week, might have put it this way: Thirteen score and three days from now… …
Headline
Lawmakers urge DHS to exempt health care workers from H-1B visa fee in AHA-supported letter
A bipartisan letter supported by the AHA was sent by members of Congress Feb. 11 to the Department of Homeland Security, urging the agency to…