[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 102 (Wednesday, July 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         NURSE REINVESTMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 22, 2002

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased we are here today to pass this 
legislation that will immediately begin to alleviate the nursing 
shortage across the nation. I introduced legislation last year to 
address the nursing shortage because of the tremendous impact the lack 
of nurses has had in New York and across the country. I am pleased that 
many of the provisions in my legislation are included in the bill 
before us today.
  Mr. Speaker, the nursing shortage is quite possibly the most 
important issue in health care. Nurses are on the front lines of the 
delivery of health care. They provide direct day to day care to 
patients and are invaluable to our health care system. As the number of 
nursing vacancies continues to rise, the number of nurses entering the 
field continues to decline. Statistics have shown that the average age 
of the nursing workforce is about 44 and that many are leaving the 
field for more lucrative professions. Enrollment in nursing schools is 
down as well, which leads many to believe that this is a problem that 
will only get worse. Compounding the problem, the baby boomer 
generation will soon hit retirement age and will require more acute 
care.
  For these reasons, the legislation before us today is critically 
important. Included in the Nurse Reinvestment Act are provisions to 
create scholarships for nurses wishing to enter the field and loan 
repayment programs to encourage nurses to continue practicing. In an 
effort to address the number of nurses leaving the nursing profession, 
the legislation includes grants for nurses to continue their education 
while practicing nursing.
  Mr. Speaker, nurses deserve these programs and I congratulate 
everyone involved in this process for their hard work and commitment to 
this issue. This is truly legislation that will help us all. Everyone 
at one time or another is in need of care and the first person you see 
when you get that care is a nurse. So we can all be proud to pass this 
legislation today. As a Member of the Subcommittee on Health, I urge 
all of my colleagues to vote yes.

                          ____________________