The AMSN Legislative Action Center
Averted Federal Shutdown Oct. 1, The FAAN Act, and The HEROES Act
Nurse workforce and research priorities advocated by AMSN averted federal shutdown Oct. 1
Congress enacted and the President signed into law, at the last moment, stopgap funding legislation keeping Uncle Sam open until Dec. 10, 2020. After the Nov. 3 elections, Congress will reconvene in “lame duck” session to fund the federal government and AMSN priorities further into the new fiscal year. Read more about it.
Legislation Introduced for Additional Emergency Funding for PPE and Health Care Priorities
Additional emergency funding for PPE and health care priorities affected by the COVID pandemic is part of new legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Sept. 28 and scheduled for a quick vote at press time.
The new “HEROES Act” provides $2.2 trillion in COVID-19 pandemic relief benefits, including $1 billion in nurse workforce loan repayment resources, and $2 billion in grants to states, tribes and localities to secure PPE for essential workers including med-surg nurses. It also authorizes establishment of a COVID-19 national reporting portal for the health care industry to track inventory and capacity to respond to COVID-19 including PPE and nursing workforce availability.
Negotiations between the Democratic House Speaker and the GOP Secretary of the Treasury were under way to achieve possible agreement to move the package before the November elections, but its future is uncertain. Learn more about the bill and be heard in Congress for AMSN emergency priorities using our AMSN Legislative Action Center!
Contact Congress Now: Support Nursing Resources during COVID-19!
AMSN has expressed support for new legislation expanding resources for nurse workforce development.
The “Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act” (FAAN Act, S 4396 / HR 7945) would authorize up to $1 billion in federal funds for the development of nursing workforce development infrastructure to meet people’s future health care needs.
Together with the Nursing Community Coalition, AMSN joined 52 other nursing groups writing a letter that urges congressional leadership to support the legislation.