Capitol Update, brought to you by the American Nurses Association
Capitol Update, a legislative newsletter for nurses
Volume 5/Issue 6 June 29, 2007
Article Photo Both House and Senate Recommend Increases for Title VIII

The House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittees have both produced funding bills that would increase funding for the Federal Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs. The House bill would increase funding by $16 million, the Senate by $20 million. While ANA had originally hoped for a $50 million increase, the association supports this new proposed level of investment in nursing.
Employee Free Choice Act Fails to Meet Senate Test

On June 26, the Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800) failed a cloture vote - a key Senate procedural test that would have ended debate and allowed the body to proceed to a vote on passage. The bill, which would restore and protect worker’s rights to form unions, fell nine votes short of the 60 votes necessary to invoke "cloture."
Senate Bill Would Grant APRNs Expanded Home Health Authority

Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Gordon Smith (R-OR) introduced The Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2007 (S. 1678) on June 21. This ANA endorsed legislation would change Medicare law to grant Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Certified Nurse Midwives the ability to order and certify home health services and to sign home health plans of care.
House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Mental Health Parity

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing on The Paul Wellstone Mental Health Parity Act (H.R. 1424) on June 15. The bill's lead sponsors, Representatives Kennedy (D-RI) and Ramstad (R-MN), testified. H.R. 1424 is one of two approaches to Mental Health Parity under consideration in the 110th Congress. The Senate parity bill, S. 558, differs from the House bill in several key respects. Both bills are likely to see movement in the near future.
Stem Cell Research Vetoed

On June 20, President Bush vetoed ANA-supported legislation that would have expanded federally-funded embryonic stem cell research. Although the bill passed the House and Senate with the strongest support to date, neither chamber approved the legislation by a veto-proof margin. The bill (S. 5) would expand federal embryonic stem cell policy by allowing federal funding for research on additional stem cell lines providing that this research is in keeping with specified ethical requirements.


The "State" of Staffing

The Illinois Nurses Association (INA) is celebrating the unanimous passage of the "Nurse Staffing by Patient Acuity" bill. While other staffing legislation has failed, INA successfully spearheaded this plan requiring nurse staffing in hospitals to be based on patient acuity (needs). The legislation is modeled after ANA's principles for nurse staffing. Few realize that California's unprecedented and highly publicized passage of staffing ratio legislation in 1999 was built upon previously established regulations requiring staffing according to patient acuity. What can other states learn from the California and Illinois experience?
copyright 2007, American Nurses Association
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A Primer on the 2008 Presidential Elections

Polls, primaries, caucuses, debates, conventions. Who's in? Who's out? Who's ahead and who's trailing? And why is Iowa so important anyway? Yes folks. With more than sixteen months until the 2008 presidential election, the campaigns are already in full swing. In order to fully prepare for the array of activities that will occur between now and Election Day 2008, we have prepared this primer of Frequently Asked Questions about the Presidential election process and timeframes.

Anne DeSeta fills in for Rachel Conant
Congratulations go out to ANA Sr. Political Action Specialist Rachel Conant and her husband George who welcomed little Emily Marie Conant into the world on Wednesday, June 27 at 7:23pm. Little Emily weighs 6 lbs 10 oz, is 19.5 inches long...and has a full head of hair. Mom and baby are doing fine.
Maine Legislature Passes Bill to Phase Out Use of Toxic Flame Retardant

The Maine Legislature passed a bill that will phase out the toxic flame retardant deca-BDE, in favor of safer alternatives. "An Act to Protect Pregnant Women and Children from Toxic Chemicals Released into the Home" was approved in the Senate 29-5 and unanimously approved in the Maine House.
AMA House of Delegates Convenes in Chicago for Annual Meeting

American Medical Association's (AMA's) 2007 Annual House of Delegates meeting convened in Chicago on June 23 -28. The meeting opened with a call for Medicine to Take Back the Profession and a challenge to delegates to work together to create a future where physicians steer reform in America's health care system, to continue to lead quality improvement efforts and receive equitable reimbursement for care. Executive Vice President/CEO, Dr. Michael D. Maves reported to delegates about AMA's continuing advocacy efforts to prevent steep cuts in Medicare physician payments and announced a new 3 year campaign - AMA's Voice for the Uninsured campaign. In response to members request for increased advocacy efforts, Dr. Maves announced the AMA’s plans to move their Washington, DC office within walking distance of Capitol Hill. During the meeting AMA Delegates addressed 354 items of business including 95 reports and 254 resolutions. ANA staff attended the HOD meeting in their capacity as official observers of the proceedings. Read the full article for highlights of the 2007 AMA Annual meeting.
Wyoming's New Senator Sworn In

Republican John Barrasso, MD, was sworn in by Vice President Dick Cheney on June 25, 2007 to serve as the new Senator from Wyoming. Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) selected him to fill the seat of Sen. Craig Thomas (R), who died on June 4, while being treated for leukemia.