Capitol Update, brought to you by the American Nurses Association
Capitol Update, a legislative newsletter for nurses
Volume 1 | Issue 5 October 30, 2003
Article Photo House Members Show Support for $50 million Increase for Nursing Education
Representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Ed Whitfield (R-KY), the Chairs of the House Nursing Caucus, recently organized a letter to House and Senate appropriations leaders urging them to agree to the $50 million increase in nurse education funding contained in the Senate version of the FY 2004 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act (LHHSEd) (H.R. 2660).
Senate Passes Genetic Privacy Bill
On October 14, the Senate easily passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2003 (S. 1053). The bipartisan bill would ban employers and health insurers from discriminating based on an individual's genetic profile. The prospects for the bill in the House, however, remain uncertain.
Hearing Pending on United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
The House Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing, Thursday, October 30 on the U.S. Health and Human Services' proposal to transform the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
Applications for FY 2004 Nurse Education Funds Due Soon
The Health and Human Services Administration (HRSA) has posted FY 2004 grant applications for nurse education, recruitment, and retention programs. Many of these grant applications are due by mid-November.

CDC Shifts Focus from Small Pox Vaccination Program
According to Ray Strikas, MD of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's national immunization program, the slowdown in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's small pox vaccination campaign is allowing the agency to focus more on improving overall preparedness to deal with biological disasters including terrorism.
Proposed Rule on Payment Reform for Part B Drugs
ANA provided comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on a proposed rule "Payment Reform for Part B Drugs" published in the August 20, 2003 Federal Register. While ANA supports proposed increases in practice expenses, there is concern that these increases do not go far enough to ensure continued access to high quality office-based care, particularly for cancer patients.

Initiative 841 Threatens to Repeal Ergonomics Standards in Washington State
A Washington state law that encourages employers to make workplaces safer is now under attack by Initiative I-841, the only initiative on Washington's statewide ballot for the November 2003 election. The passage of this ballot initiative would not only eliminate the implementation of a cutting-edge ergonomic safety standard, it would prevent the state Department of Labor and Industries from writing another standard.
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Nurses Running for Office
Running for and holding elected office is the ultimate in political activism and involvement. Currently only seventy-nine nurses hold elected office in state legislatures across the country, and there are a mere three nurses in Congress (Rep Lois Capps (D-CA), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)). Joan Barry, a candidate for Missouri's Third Congressional District, is hoping to raise that number to four.

Supervision of Nurse Anesthetists
Washington and North Dakota have recently joined the growing list of states who have informed the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that they are opting out of the physician supervision requirement for anesthesia services provided by Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).
ANA Government Affiars Director Speaks at Vermont State Nurses' Association 2003 Convention
Rose Gonzalez, MPS, RN, Director of ANA's Department of Government Affairs served as the keynote speaker at the Vermont State Nurses Association's 2003 convention, which took place October 23-24 in Killington, VT.
Mental Health Parity
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) has launched a petition drive on his website to demonstrate the nation wants mental health parity and to support passage of The Senator Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2003.
DEA Registration Fees Revised
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has published a final rule to adjust the current fee schedule for the DEA controlled substance registration and re-registration application fees. Fees established by this final rule will take effect December 1, 2003 and will be used to cover the costs associated with the DEA Diversion Control Program for Fiscal Year 2004 through 2006.
The Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice
Families USA, the national organization for health care consumers, will launch the Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice in 2004 to honor the late Senator Paul D. Wellstone from Minnesota.
Nurse Staffing, Quality and Financial Performance Study
A new study, supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, finds that increased staffing of RNs does not significantly decrease a hospital's profits, even though it boosts the hospital's operating costs.
Keeping Track
A quick update on some of the issues and legislation ANA is monitoring.
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