II 110th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 646 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 15, 2007 Mr. Coleman introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To increase the nursing workforce.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Rural Nursing Promotion Act.

2.

Establishment of a nurse distance education pilot program

(a)

In general

The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in conjunction with the Secretary of Education, shall establish a Nurse Distance Education Pilot Program through which grants may be awarded for the conduct of activities to increase accessibility to nursing education. (b)

Purpose

The purpose of the Nurse Distance Education Pilot Program established under subsection (a) shall be to increase accessibility to nursing education to— (1)provide assistance to individuals in rural areas who want to study nursing to enable such individuals to receive appropriate nursing education; (2)promote the study of nursing at all educational levels; (3)establish additional slots for nursing students at existing nursing education programs; and (4)establish new nursing education programs at institutions of higher education. (c)

Application

To be eligible to receive a grant under the Pilot Program under subsection (a), an entity shall submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (d)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated, such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

3.

Increasing the domestic supply of nurses and physical therapists

(a)Not later than January 1, 2008, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in conjunction with the Secretary of Education, shall— (1)submit to Congress a report concerning the source of newly licensed nurses and physical therapists in each State, that shall include— (A)for the most recent 3-year period for which data is available— (i)separate data relating to teachers at institutions of higher education for each related occupation who have been teaching for not more than 5 years; and (ii)separate data relating to all teachers at institutions of higher education for each related occupation regardless of length of service; (B)for the most recent 3-year period for which data is available, separate data for each related occupation and for each State; (C)a description of the barriers to increasing the supply of nursing faculty, domestically trained nurses, and domestically trained physical therapists; (D)separately identify those individuals receiving their initial nursing license and those individuals licensed by endorsement from another State; (E)with respect to those individuals receiving their initial nursing license in each year, a description of the number of individuals who received their professional education in the United States and the number of individuals who received such education outside the United States; (F)to the extent practicable, a description, by State of residence and country of education, of the number of nurses and physical therapists who were educated in any of the 5 countries (other than the United States) from which the most nurses and physical therapists arrived; (G)recommendations of strategies to be utilized by Federal and State governments that would be effective in removing the barriers described in subparagraph (C), including strategies that address barriers to advancement to become registered nurses for other health care workers, such as home health aides and nurses assistants; (H)recommendations for amendments to Federal laws that would increase the supply of nursing faculty, domestically trained nurses, and domestically trained physical therapists; (I)recommendations for Federal grants, loans, and other incentives that would provide increases in nurse educators and nurse training facilities, and other measures to increase the domestic education of new nurses and physical therapists; (J)identify the effects of nurse emigration on the health care systems in their countries of origin; and (K)recommendation for amendments to Federal law that would minimize the effects of health care shortages in the countries of origin from which immigrant nurses arrived; (2)enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences for the conduct of a study, and submission of a report, to determine the level of Federal investment under titles VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 292 and 296 et seq.) that is necessary to eliminate the domestic nursing and physical therapist shortage by the date that is not later than 7 years after the date on which the report is submitted; and (3)collaborate with the heads of other Federal agencies, as appropriate, in working with ministers of health or other appropriate officials of the 5 countries from which the most nurses and physical therapists arrived into the United States, to— (A)address health worker shortages caused by emigration; and (B)ensure that there is sufficient human resource planning or other technical assistance needed to reduce further health worker shortages in such countries.

4.

Shortage occupations

(a)

Exception to direct numerical limitations

Section 201(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (F)(i)During the period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Rural Nursing Promotion Act and ending on September 30, 2017, an alien— (I)who is described in section 203(b); and (II)who is seeking admission to the United States to perform labor in shortage occupations designated by the Secretary of Labor for certification under section 212(a)(5)(A) due to the lack of sufficient United States workers able, willing, qualified, and available for such occupations and for which the employment of aliens will not adversely affect the terms and conditions of similarly employed United States workers. (ii)During the period described in clause (i), the spouse or dependent of an alien described in clause (i), if accompanying or following to join such alien. . (b)

Exception to nondiscrimination requirements

Section 202(a)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking 201(b)(2)(A)(i) and inserting 201(b). (c)

Exception to per country levels for family-sponsored and employment-based immigrants

Section 202(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(a)(2)), is amended by inserting , except for aliens described in section 201(b), after any fiscal year. (d)

Procedure for granting immigrant status

Section 204 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (l)The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide a process for reviewing and making a determination upon a petition filed with respect to an alien described in section 201(b)(1)(F) not later than 30 days after the date a completed petition has been filed for such alien. .