Capps and Joyce Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Enhance Nursing Education and Meet Growing Healthcare Need

Press Release

Rep. Lois Capps (CA-24) and Rep. David Joyce (OH-14) introduced a bipartisan bill to continue successful federal Nursing Workforce Development programs under Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act.

This legislation, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, H.R. 2713, bolsters nursing education at all levels, from entry-level preparation through graduate study, and provides support for institutions that educate nurses for practice in rural and medically underserved communities. These programs, often referred to simply as Title VIII, are a federal investment to support the education, practice, recruitment, and retention of highly-educated nurses.

"An investment in the nursing workforce of today is an investment in access to healthcare tomorrow," Capps said. "Title VIII is critical to meeting our nation's rapidly growing demand for nursing services and getting highly-skilled care to the communities most in need. As a nurse for over 30 years, I know there is no better investment in the health of our communities and the future of our health care system."

"As the husband of a full-time nurse, I know how important nurses are to their patients and all aspects of care" said Representative Dave Joyce (OH-14). "Their leadership, compassionate care, and team approach to healthcare delivery is why nurses are the most trusted profession in America. Title VIII helps sustain a nursing workforce with sufficient numbers to keep America's healthcare system running smoothly."

Registered Nurses and masters-level Advanced Practice Registered Nurses provide high-quality and cost-effective care in communities across the country. As the nation's healthcare system transforms, highly-skilled nurses have shown how they can fill the gaps to ensure that patients have access to care. Title VIII programs directly support the training of these nurses, as well as the development and retention of nursing faculty to ensure availability of nursing education. For example, in the 2013-2014 academic year, the Nursing Workforce Diversity program supported 16,997 aspiring students, and the institutions that received these grants partnered with more than 1,000 clinical training sites, 54 percent of which were in medically underserved areas. The Nurse Faculty Loan programs supported 2,401 students in which 42 percent were from disadvantaged or minority backgrounds.

The legislation is supported by the Nursing Community, a coalition of 61 national nursing organizations.

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