[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 58 (Friday, May 12, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E825]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 11, 2006

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the 2.9 million 
nurses across the country whose vital contributions to our healthcare 
system are rightfully honored this week during ``National Nurses 
Week.''
  The theme of National Nurses Week (NNW) 2006 is ``Nurses: Strength, 
Commitment, Compassion.'' These are 3 qualities that nurses show on a 
daily basis in caring for patients during times of disaster and crisis, 
at the bedside, and through continuing education.
  In my own healthcare and that provided to my family and friends, I am 
continually impressed by the knowledge, professionalism, and kindness 
that nurses demonstrate in their patient care. They are literally at 
the front lines of our healthcare system, and their important role 
deserves to be recognized. That is why I am pleased to support House 
Resolution 245, supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses 
Week.
  There are immediate challenges facing the profession of nursing, and 
there are concrete steps that Congress should take in order to ensure 
that patients can benefit from their care now and in the future. Most 
notably, we must take steps to address the growing shortage of nurses 
and the aging of the nursing workforce.
  Recruitment and retention of nurses is important, as is ensuring that 
schools of nursing have the faculty and resources they need to teach 
and train students. That is why I introduced H.R. 2184, the Nursing 
School Capacity Act, which would authorize an Institute of Medicine 
(IOM) study to identify constraints encountered by schools of nursing 
in admitting an adequate number of nurses for our healthcare system, 
and develop recommendations to alleviate the constraints.
  We must fully fund nurse workforce development programs through Title 
VIII of the Public Health Service Act. Unfortunately, as the nursing 
shortage has worsened, funding has remained flat. We must ensure that 
healthcare providers are adequately staffed with nurses, and protect 
nurses from mandatory overtime. We also must support the right of 
nurses to bargain collectively with their employer, a basic right that 
should be afforded to workers in all sectors of our economy.
  I thank all nurses for the contributions that they make to our health 
and to our communities.

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