[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 178 (Thursday, December 20, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2399]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         NURSE REINVESTMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. MARK FOLEY

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 19, 2001

  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all the members of this 
chamber for passing H.R. 3487, the Nurse Reinvestment Act. This bill 
will provide immediate relief to a sector of the healthcare industry in 
desperate need of our support. The nursing shortage is approaching 
critical levels and it is clearly affecting patients throughout our 
Nation.
  These men and women who work on the front lines of our healthcare 
system everyday face tremendous hurdles. I have met with nurses and 
their representatives who have thoroughly explained the problems with 
mandatory overtime, the need for staffing standards, and protection for 
those employees who report unsafe conditions or practices in the 
facilities in which they work.
  H.R. 3487 is a step in the right direction. It will provide for 
funding public service announcements to recruit nurses, loan repayment 
programs, and scholarship programs. It also requires the GAO to report 
to Congress on several key issues in the nursing arena--including 
nursing faculty shortages and disparities among hiring practices of 
nurses between not for profit and for profit entities.
  Again, I thank my colleagues for their support of this very important 
piece of legislation.

                          ____________________