[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 63 (Friday, May 13, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E967]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL NURSES WEEK

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                             HON. MIKE ROSS

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 12, 2005

  Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge National Nurses 
Week. In honor of this week, I would like to take a moment to recognize 
and praise the tireless efforts and critical role that nurses play in 
the health and well-being of our communities across America. Nurses, 
like my late grandmother, are a cornerstone of health care in this 
country.
  A nurse's role goes far beyond the hospital; nurses reach into 
charity clinics, in-home care, churches, and school volunteer health 
programs. Nurses conduct research, publish, review and continue to 
educate their peers and the public about their ever-evolving role and 
positive impact on the health care community. Nursing students seek 
guidance from nurse mentors and work alongside professionals not only 
in the scholastic setting but in the community at large, participating 
in educational offerings, community service projects, legislative 
endeavors, health fairs and many other activities.
  Our Nation's nurses are a valuable part of our society and therefore 
deserve our continued support for their profession. Currently, this 
profession is facing some serious challenges. In Arkansas and all over 
America, we are faced with a nursing shortage. There are over 25,000 
nurses registered in Arkansas, and over 1,000 of those are nurse 
practitioners. For a State with 2.5 million citizens, this is simply 
not enough. The low nurse to patient ratio is far below what it needs 
to be and therefore we need to do more to increase the number of 
nurses, while also supporting our existing ones.
  Unfortunately, nursing programs are severely underfunded in the 
fiscal year 2006 budget. The president's budget has requested $150 
million for nursing workforce development programs, including the Nurse 
Reinvestment Act. That figure represents a cut of $1 million over the 
FY 2005 funding level. With a predicted nursing shortage of more than 
275,000 registered nurses by the year 2010, this is the wrong time to 
be cutting back our investment in this country's future nurses.
  As a member committed to supporting our nurses, I, along with fellow 
colleagues, sent a request to the appropriations committee for $175 
million that will go toward nurse workforce development programs, which 
will enable nurses to receive the proper training necessary to keep up 
with their ever-evolving profession. These funds would also be used to 
provide incentives for students and nurses to receive advanced degrees 
in the nursing profession and student loan programs.
  Nurses are a critical component of health care in this country, 
offering support and providing assistance at every step of the health 
care process. I commend nurses for their hard work and tireless 
efforts, from school nurses to emergency rooms, and charity clinics to 
nursing homes. As a United States Congressman, I will continue to fight 
to ensure nurses are adequately funded and have the resources they need 
to continue to properly care for our Nation's children, working 
families, and elderly.

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