[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 156 (Thursday, September 28, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1288-E1289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     H.R. 3354, TITLE VIII NURSING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT

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                         HON. SUZANNE BONAMICI

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 28, 2017

  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment to 
highlight the importance of each of the individual Title VIII Nursing 
Workforce Development Programs, including Advanced Education Nursing; 
Nursing Workforce Diversity; Nurse Education, Practice, and Retention; 
and the Nurse Faculty Loan Program. Title VIII programs are a critical 
lifeline for America's nursing workforce and the patients they serve.
  Demand for healthcare services provided by nurses continues to grow, 
so we should be expanding not cutting programs that maintain a

[[Page E1289]]

highly-educated nursing workforce. Just last year, Title VIII supported 
more than 61,000 students in almost every state.
  Additionally, Title VIII programs create a culturally diverse 
workforce to make sure that our increasingly diverse patient population 
is cared for by culturally aware providers. Title VIII programs also 
prepare nurses to serve the most vulnerable communities and regions, 
such as rural areas that are in desperate need of providers.
  I was disappointed to see that this bill condensed funding for the 
Title VIII programs into a single-line item. Each of the programs is 
designed to target specific needs within the nursing workforce and 
patient population, and that is why it's imperative that we preserve 
funding for each individual program.
  I will continue to advocate for Title VIII Nursing Workforce 
Development and hope my colleagues will join me in supporting continued 
funding for the individual programs.

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