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In early March, Reps. Lois Capps, RN (D-CA) and Steven LaTourette, the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Nursing Caucus, circulated a letter in the U.S. House of Representatives supporting $200 million in FY 2009 appropriations for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs. A bipartisan group of 156 members of the House of Representatives signed the final Capps/LaTourette letter, which was delivered to the House Appropriations Committee on March 19. 156 signers is a strong number-- just shy of our all-time record of 158--that wouldn't have been possible without your calls and e-mails to your Representatives. Thanks to all who helped make build support! Your outreach made the difference. ANA needs your help to build support in the Senate Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are currently circulating a similar letter in the U.S. Senate. There is still time for you to help build support!--The deadline for Senators to sign on is this Wednesday, April 2. How you can help: 1. Check out the most current list of signers to see if your Senators have signed the Mikulski/Collins Dear Colleague. If they have not signed on**, simply call the Capitol Switchboard to reach them: 202-224-3121. 2. Ask to be connected to one of your Senators (not sure who that is? Enter your zip-code on ANA's online "Find Your Elected Officials" feature to find out). 3. Use or personalize this sample message: "I am calling to ask that the Senator signs onto the Mikulski/Collins Dear Colleague letter supporting $200 million in funding for Title VIII nursing workforce development programs. The deadline is April 1. Now is the time to invest in nursing!" 4. Drop ANA Government Affairs staff a line at gova@ana.org -- let us know that you took part. We would love to hear who you called and what,if any, response you received from the office. **Pennsylvania and Iowa: Please note that there is no need to contact Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA)—as they are Chair and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee to which the Dear Colleague letter is being sent-they won't sign a letter to themselves! About Dear Colleague Letters These House and Senate letters, commonly referred to as "Dear Colleague" letters because they are sent from one Member of Congress to another, are used to demonstrate support for federal programs. The more Representatives and Senators who sign the letters, the more likely the programs are to receive funding increases. The Dear Colleague letters circulated by Capps/LaTourette and Mikulski/Collins both support ANA's request for a $44 million increase in funding for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Title VIII programs are currently funded at $156 million. While we were able to achieve a $6 million increase in funding for Title VIII last year, these programs which include the provisions of the Nurse Reinvestment Act, are not funded at the level necessary to realize their potential and meet the need presented by the nursing shortage. For example, in FY 2007, HRSA was forced to turn away 93% of the eligible applicants for the Nurse Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP) and 96% of the eligible applicants for the Nursing Scholarship Program due to lack of funding. Disturbingly, President Bush recommended a $46 million decrease in funding for Title VIII programs in his proposed budget. ANA is working to educate Members of Congress about the impact of the nursing shortage, and the need to invest in nursing. It's not too late to help support Title VIII! Check the most current list of Senate signers--if your Senators aren't included, contact them and urge them to join their colleagues in supporting nursing. |