S 1874

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 22, 2025

Mr. Merkley (for himself, Ms. Collins, Ms. Baldwin, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Coons, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Schiff, and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain nursing workforce development programs, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025”.

SEC. 2. ADVANCED NURSING EDUCATION GRANTS.

Section 811 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296j) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking “programs.” and inserting the following: “programs, including individuals enrolled in—

“(A) authorized nurse practitioner programs described in subsection (c);

“(B) authorized nurse-midwifery programs described in subsection (d);

“(C) authorized nurse anesthesia programs described in subsection (e); and

“(D) authorized clinical nurse specialist programs described in subsection (f).”;

(2) in subsection (d)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “midwives” and inserting “nurse-midwives”; and

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking “American College of Nurse-Midwives”; and

(3) in subsection (h)(1)(A), by striking “fees” and inserting “fees, including costs for clinical education and preceptors,”.

SEC. 3. STRENGTHENING CAPACITY FOR NURSE EDUCATION AND PRACTICE.

(a) In General.—Part D of title VIII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296p et seq.) is amended—

(1) in the part heading, by striking “basic”; and

(2) in section 831 (42 U.S.C. 296p)—

(A) in subsection (a)—

(i) in paragraph (1), by striking “or” after the semicolon;

(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking “methodologies.” and inserting “methodologies, audiovisual or other equipment, simulation and augmented reality resources, telehealth technologies, and virtual and physical laboratories; or”; and

(iii) by adding at the end the following:

“(3) increasing the number of faculty and students at schools of nursing in order to address nursing workforce shortages.”; and

(B) in subsection (b)—

(i) in paragraph (2), by striking “and survivors of domestic violence” and inserting “survivors of domestic violence, and survivors of sexual assault”;

(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking “or” after the semicolon;

(iii) in paragraph (4), by striking the period and inserting “; or”; and

(iv) by adding at the end the following:

“(5) partnering with a health care facility, nurse-managed health clinic, community health center, or other facility that provides health care in order to provide education opportunities for the purpose of establishing or expanding clinical education.”.

(b) Conforming Amendment.—Section 806(f)(2)(C) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296e(f)(2)(C)) is amended by striking “basic”.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

Section 871 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 298d) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking “$137,837,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025” and inserting “$184,337,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030”; and

(2) in subsection (b), by striking “$117,135,000 for each of the fiscal years 2021 through 2025” and inserting “$121,135,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030”. <all>