[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 29 (Thursday, February 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S2088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. COLEMAN:
  S. 646: A bill to increase the nursing workforce; to the Committee on 
the Judiciary.
  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 646

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Nursing Promotion 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF A NURSE DISTANCE EDUCATION PILOT 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services, in conjunction with the Secretary of Education, 
     shall establish a Nurse Distance Education Pilot Program 
     through which grants may be awarded for the conduct of 
     activities to increase accessibility to nursing education.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Nurse Distance Education 
     Pilot Program established under subsection (a) shall be to 
     increase accessibility to nursing education to--
       (1) provide assistance to individuals in rural areas who 
     want to study nursing to enable such individuals to receive 
     appropriate nursing education;
       (2) promote the study of nursing at all educational levels;
       (3) establish additional slots for nursing students at 
     existing nursing education programs; and
       (4) establish new nursing education programs at 
     institutions of higher education.
       (c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     the Pilot Program under subsection (a), an entity shall 
     submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services an 
     application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information as the Secretary may require.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated, such sums as may be necessary to carry 
     out this section.

     SEC. 3. INCREASING THE DOMESTIC SUPPLY OF NURSES AND PHYSICAL 
                   THERAPISTS.

       (a) Not later than January 1, 2008, the Secretary of Health 
     and Human Services, in conjunction with the Secretary of 
     Education, shall--
       (1) submit to Congress a report concerning the source of 
     newly licensed nurses and physical therapists in each State, 
     that shall include--
       (A) for the most recent 3-year period for which data is 
     available--
       (i) separate data relating to teachers at institutions of 
     higher education for each related occupation who have been 
     teaching for not more than 5 years; and
       (ii) separate data relating to all teachers at institutions 
     of higher education for each related occupation regardless of 
     length of service;
       (B) for the most recent 3-year period for which data is 
     available, separate data for each related occupation and for 
     each State;
       (C) a description of the barriers to increasing the supply 
     of nursing faculty, domestically trained nurses, and 
     domestically trained physical therapists;
       (D) separately identify those individuals receiving their 
     initial nursing license and those individuals licensed by 
     endorsement from another State;
       (E) with respect to those individuals receiving their 
     initial nursing license in each year, a description of the 
     number of individuals who received their professional 
     education in the United States and the number of individuals 
     who received such education outside the United States;
       (F) to the extent practicable, a description, by State of 
     residence and country of education, of the number of nurses 
     and physical therapists who were educated in any of the 5 
     countries (other than the United States) from which the most 
     nurses and physical therapists arrived;
       (G) recommendations of strategies to be utilized by Federal 
     and State governments that would be effective in removing the 
     barriers described in subparagraph (C), including strategies 
     that address barriers to advancement to become registered 
     nurses for other health care workers, such as home health 
     aides and nurses assistants;
       (H) recommendations for amendments to Federal laws that 
     would increase the supply of nursing faculty, domestically 
     trained nurses, and domestically trained physical therapists;
       (I) recommendations for Federal grants, loans, and other 
     incentives that would provide increases in nurse educators 
     and nurse training facilities, and other measures to increase 
     the domestic education of new nurses and physical therapists;
       (J) identify the effects of nurse emigration on the health 
     care systems in their countries of origin; and
       (K) recommendation for amendments to Federal law that would 
     minimize the effects of health care shortages in the 
     countries of origin from which immigrant nurses arrived;
       (2) enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine of 
     the National Academy of Sciences for the conduct of a study, 
     and submission of a report, to determine the level of Federal 
     investment under titles VII and VIII of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. 292 and 296 et seq.) that is necessary 
     to eliminate the domestic nursing and physical therapist 
     shortage by the date that is not later than 7 years after the 
     date on which the report is submitted; and
       (3) collaborate with the heads of other Federal agencies, 
     as appropriate, in working with ministers of health or other 
     appropriate officials of the 5 countries from which the most 
     nurses and physical therapists arrived into the United 
     States, to--
       (A) address health worker shortages caused by emigration; 
     and
       (B) ensure that there is sufficient human resource planning 
     or other technical assistance needed to reduce further health 
     worker shortages in such countries.

     SEC. 4. SHORTAGE OCCUPATIONS.

       (a) Exception to Direct Numerical Limitations.--Section 
     201(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1151(b)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(F)(i) During the period beginning on the date of the 
     enactment of the Rural Nursing Promotion Act and ending on 
     September 30, 2017, an alien--

       ``(I) who is described in section 203(b); and
       ``(II) who is seeking admission to the United States to 
     perform labor in shortage occupations designated by the 
     Secretary of Labor for certification under section 
     212(a)(5)(A) due to the lack of sufficient United States 
     workers able, willing, qualified, and available for such 
     occupations and for which the employment of aliens will not 
     adversely affect the terms and conditions of similarly 
     employed United States workers.

       ``(ii) During the period described in clause (i), the 
     spouse or dependent of an alien described in clause (i), if 
     accompanying or following to join such alien.''.
       (b) Exception to Nondiscrimination Requirements.--Section 
     202(a)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1152(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ``201(b)(2)(A)(i)'' and 
     inserting ``201(b)''.
       (c) Exception to Per Country Levels for Family-Sponsored 
     and Employment-Based Immigrants.--Section 202(a)(2) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(a)(2)), is 
     amended by inserting ``, except for aliens described in 
     section 201(b),'' after ``any fiscal year''.
       (d) Procedure for Granting Immigrant Status.--Section 204 
     of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(l) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide a 
     process for reviewing and making a determination upon a 
     petition filed with respect to an alien described in section 
     201(b)(1)(F) not later than 30 days after the date a 
     completed petition has been filed for such alien.''.
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