118 HR 4328 IH: National Nursing Shortage Task Force Act of 2023
U.S. House of Representatives
2023-06-23
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I
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4328
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 23, 2023
Mr. Costa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To provide for establishment of the National Task Force on the Nursing Shortage.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “National Nursing Shortage Task Force Act of 2023”.
2.

National Nursing Shortage Task Force
(a)

Establishment
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the “Secretary”) shall establish a task force to be known as the National Nursing Shortage Task Force (in this section referred to as the “Task Force”).
(b)

Purpose
The purpose of the Task Force is to issue policy recommendations to the President and the Congress to address the growing nursing shortage across the United States, with a particular focus on addressing the shortage in health professional shortage areas designated under section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e).
(c)

Duties
The Task Force shall—
(1)
examine, assess, and report on the United States nursing workforce capacity, including—
(A)
trends in the overall nursing workforce;
(B)
the capacity to educate future nurses;
(C)
causes for the existing nursing shortage; and
(D)
Federal policies to bolster nursing education and the nursing workforce;
(2)
build upon existing or ongoing evaluations, and avoid unnecessary duplication, by reviewing, as appropriate, the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of other task forces, committees, commissions, and other public and private entities with respect to the national nursing shortage;
(3)
identify areas of Federal policy that have impacted the ability of the United States to respond to the growing nursing shortage, including—
(A)
Federal support of nursing education programs;
(B)
Federal support of increasing diversity in the nursing workforce; and
(C)
incentives for nurses to work in underserved areas and communities;
(4)
identify and recommend a set of possible solutions to the nursing shortage for policymakers, including legislative and regulatory recommendations; and
(5)
submit to the President and the Congress a report on the Task Force’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations to bolster nursing education and the nursing workforce in the United States.
(d)

Composition of Task Force
(1)

In general
The members of the Task Force shall be appointed by the Secretary and be composed of not fewer than 12 members, of which at least one-third shall be registered nurses.
(2)

Expertise
The members of the Task Force shall include individuals with national recognition for their expertise in one or more of the following areas:
(A)
The demands of practicing nurses, in particular individuals currently working in the profession.
(B)
Nursing labor market analysis.
(C)
Health care finance and economics.
(D)
Health care facility management.
(E)
Nursing education.
(F)
Delivery of health care services, prioritizing individuals with expertise on delivering services in underserved regions.
(G)
Health care organization culture and its impact on nurses.
(H)
Federal, State, local, Tribal, or territorial governmental programs that support the health care workforce and other relevant public administration, such as State nursing licensing agencies.
(I)
Nursing labor unions.
(J)
Any other area of expertise that the Secretary considers appropriate.
(3)

Geographic representation
The members of the Task Force shall collectively represent—
(A)
urban, suburban, and rural regions; and
(B)
regional diversity across the Nation.
(4)

Co-chairs
There shall be two co-chairs of the Task Force, both designated by the Secretary at the time of appointment from among the individuals appointed under paragraph (1). One co-chair shall be a registered nurse. The other co-chair shall have a background in nursing education.
(5)

Deadline for appointment
The Secretary shall appoint all members of the Task Force not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
(6)

Meetings
The Task Force shall meet and begin the operations of the Task Force as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act. After its initial meeting, the Task Force shall meet at the call of the co-chairs acting jointly or at the call of a quorum of its members.
(7)

Quorum; vacancies
(A)

Quorum
A majority of the total number of members of the Task Force shall constitute a quorum.
(B)

Vacancies
Any vacancy in the Task Force shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.
(e)

Final report of Task Force; termination
(1)

Final report
Not later than one year after the date on which the last member of the Task Force is appointed, the Task Force shall submit to the President, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a final report containing such findings, conclusions, and recommendations as have been agreed to by not less than a majority of the members of the Task Force. The Task Force shall make such final report available to the public online.
(2)

Termination
(A)

In general
The Task Force, and all the authorities of this section, shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the final report is submitted under paragraph (1).
(B)

Administrative activities before termination
The Task Force may use the 90-day period referred to in subparagraph (A) for the purpose of concluding its activities, including providing testimony to committees of Congress concerning reports of the Task Force and disseminating the final report under paragraph (1).
(f)

Funding
(1)

Duration of availability
Amounts made available to the Task Force shall remain available until the termination of the Task Force.
(2)

Gifts and donations
The Task Force may accept gifts and donations for the purposes of carrying out this Act.