[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 51 (Wednesday, May 3, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H2009-H2011]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1300
SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL NURSES WEEK
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 245) supporting the goals and ideals
of National Nurses Week, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 245
Whereas since 2003, National Nurses Week is celebrated
annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day,
through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the
founder of modern nursing;
Whereas National Nurses Week is the time each year when the
importance of nursing in health care can be demonstrated;
Whereas well-trained health professionals are the
cornerstone of the Nation's complex health system;
Whereas registered nurses (``RNs'') represent the largest
single component of the health care profession, with an
estimated 2.7 million RNs in the United States;
Whereas nurses historically have provided hands-on patient
care at the bedside, and will continue to do so;
Whereas nurses have a mandate to serve those in need, and
to try to ease the suffering of those in pain;
Whereas nurses also are deeply involved in health
education, research, business, and public policy;
Whereas nurses bear the primary responsibility for the care
and well-being of hospital patients;
Whereas unfortunately, too few nurses are caring for too
many patients in our Nation's hospitals;
Whereas according to a report from the Department of Health
and Human Services, the United States currently has a nurse
shortage of nearly 150,000 RNs and will have a shortage of
more than 800,000 RNs by the year 2020;
Whereas cutting-edge technologies are useless without a
staff of trained professionals to implement them; and
Whereas nurses are the unsung heroines and heroes of the
medical profession: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the important contributions of nurses to the
health care system of the United States;
(2) supports the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week,
as founded by the American Nurses Association; and
(3) encourages the people of the United States to observe
National Nurses Week with appropriate recognition,
ceremonies, activities, and programs to demonstrate the
importance of nurses to the everyday lives of patients.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Deal) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
General Leave
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks on this legislation, and to insert extraneous material on
the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 245, a
resolution
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supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week.
Nurses are an integral component of the health care system, and it is
important that we recognize the over 2.7 million registered nurses for
the significant work that they do. For the last 3 years, we have
celebrated National Nurses Week. Beginning on May 6, we will once again
have the opportunity to truly commend the nursing community for their
contributions to our national health delivery system.
I thank Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson for introducing this
resolution, and I encourage my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman
from California (Mrs. Capps), who is a nurse and also is one of the
most outstanding members of the Commerce Committee specializing in the
incredibly good work on public health.
Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the chairman of the Health
Subcommittee and Energy and Commerce, Mr. Deal from Georgia, and also
the ranking member, Mr. Brown, both of you for your advocacy for nurses
and for health care in general; and I also commend my friend and fellow
nurse, Eddie Bernice Johnson from Texas, for introducing this
resolution.
As we observe National Nurses Week May 6 through 12, our goal is to
raise awareness about important issues facing the nursing community
here in the United States. After all, the priorities of this Nation's
nearly 2.9 million nurses do reflect the priorities of everyone when it
comes to health care issues.
Nurses serve their patients in the most important capacities. We know
that they serve as our first lines of communication when something goes
wrong or when we are concerned about health. They check their vital
signs and collect our patient histories. They are critical players in
the performance of life and death surgery and procedures.
They attentively care for the most vulnerable patients in the ICU and
the newborn nurseries and in our senior centers, and they serve as
essential first responders in times of disaster.
Beyond that, it is nurses who sit patiently with their patients to
educate them about important preventive and follow-through health care.
They are there for patients and their families, giving them the moral
support needed when faced with an ominous diagnosis. They are the ones
who advocate on behalf of patients for quality health care.
Unfortunately, today our Nation is experiencing a crisis, a crisis in
the nursing shortage. Currently, it is at 6 percent. That means 6
percent fewer nurses today at work, in hospitals, in public health, in
clinics, than is needed for the health and safety of this country; and
that number is surely going to grow unless we make some serious
investments now.
For several years in a row, this administration has proposed flat
funding of nurse education programs. Without enough nursing educators,
those to train the next generation of nurses, we cannot deal with the
shortage. At the same time, we are all aware of our budget deficit,
which is the reason given for not funding nurse educator programs.
I come back to the fact, educating the next generation of nurses and
nurse educators is something that cannot be compromised. I know, Mr.
Speaker, that this message is getting through to my colleagues. This
year, over 150 Members of Congress in a bipartisan way supported an
appropriations request to increase nurse education funding.
To repeat, 150 Members of Congress supported an appropriations
request to increase nurse education funding.
But we must build on this momentum now and ensure that funding is
increased this year and next year. Investments in nurse education now
will mean a greater ability to provide quality health care to Americans
in years to come.
Studies have indicated there is a strong correlation between the
shortages of nurses and morbidity and mortality rates in our hospitals.
Other research studies today in America are revealing that Americans on
average are less healthy than people living in other industrialized
nations. Just this week, new research specifically revealed the greater
incidence in which Americans suffer from illness than their
counterparts in England.
Now, it is not my attempt to make assumptions about the reason for
this. But I can tell you beyond a doubt that, by increasing our
investments in nurses and providing better working conditions for
nurses, we can improve the health of all Americans. So I urge my
colleagues to support this resolution, support the goals of National
Nurses Week.
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the sponsor of
this resolution, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice
Johnson), a nurse, also very involved in public health issues in
Congress.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of
this resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses
Week, and I am indebted to my colleague from California for her
scholarly presentation.
I started my career as a nurse and worked for more than 15 years as a
psychiatric nurse, and it helps me here. I was the chief psychiatric
nurse at the VA Hospital, Day Treatment Center, as well as the Day
Hospital in Dallas, Texas.
Next week, May 6-12, is National Nurses Week; and it is fitting for
this body to honor the millions of nurses in America.
Nurses are usually very, very dedicated individuals. In my personal
experience, nurses tend to be intelligent, detail oriented. They tend
to be ready to act at the spur of the moment, and with knowledge.
Their work touches all aspects of patient care, whether it is in the
emergency room, in the operating room, in the doctor's office, at the
neighborhood clinic, in the schools, and battlefields. Nurses stand at
the forefront of many lines of our health care system, and they must
make life and death decisions, often with little advance notice, and
they have frequent hands-on contact with the patient.
For these reasons, a caring attitude and compassionate heart are
required for the hard work nurses do. In my years as a nurse, I have
seen miracles and I have seen tragedies. At the VA, I worked with
soldiers fresh from battle, as well as men and women who fought bravely
years before. It was an honor to serve America's veterans, each one on
his or her individual path to recovery of good health.
Nurses Week is really appropriate, because there hardly is anyone
alive who will be born and finish life without contact with a nurse.
We have a severe shortage right now; and I would hope that we would
be more open to attempting to get more nurses, American-educated
nurses, so that we will not lose the care that the nurses give. They
work very hard for their patients. The American public needs to know
that Congress recognizes nurses for the great work they do.
I thank the leadership for its support of this bill. I would like to
especially thank the two other Members of Congress who also are nurses
for their collaboration and united stance in support of issues
important to nurses. Both of them have been more active since than I
have in nursing. But it is an old saying, once a nurse, always a nurse.
I commend this legislation to my colleagues and urge their support.
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I will close and yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson and Mrs. Capps for
their commitment to public health and for bringing this resolution to
the floor today.
Our health care system depends on the 2.7 million registered nurses
who have dedicated themselves to providing the highest quality of care
in our hospitals, in our clinics, in our long-term care facilities and
our doctors' offices.
To recognize the dedication of these women and men, we celebrate
their accomplishments during National Nurses Week held every year
during the week leading up to the May 12 birthday of Florence
Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
This year, National Nurses Week highlights nurses' strength,
commitment and compassion. These qualities are rare, and they help
explain why our health care system would falter without the
contribution of registered nurses.
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Nurses are the center of our efforts to improve the Nation's health.
They are at the front lines administering care, educating the public,
helping patients and the families cope with the challenges of injury
and illness.
Unfortunately, as we hear too often, we are facing a serious shortage
of nurses; and that shortage is growing, so much so that the Department
of Health and Human Services recently predicted a shortage of more than
800,000 nurses, keep in mind we have 2.7 million nurses today, a
shortage of 800,000 nurses by the year 2020.
With fewer and fewer trained hands and minds at the bedside and in
the doctor's office, leaving overworked nurses to handle more and more
patients, we can only expect the availability of quality health care to
decline.
We need to invest in attracting and training a new generation of
nurses and to foster retention for those who are already practicing.
Resolution 245 honors the goals of National Nurses Week, raises the
awareness of the vital role that nurses play in our health care system,
and focuses attention on the unmet challenge that we face as the
shortage of nurses intensifies.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and ranking member of the Energy
and Commerce Committee for bringing this measure to the floor. I thank
Eddie Bernice Johnson, and I am pleased to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of our
time.
Mr. Speaker, I, too, would repeat my expression of appreciation for
our colleague, Ms. Johnson, for bringing this resolution today and
commend all of those in our society who have chosen the field of
nursing as their profession and encourage others to do so and follow
their example.
Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that we honor them by this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal) that the House suspend the rules and
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 245, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was
agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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