From the Office of Senator Kerry

Thursday, December 20, 2001

Washington, DC – Senator John F. Kerry today applauded Senate passage of bi-partisan legislation he authored with Sen. James Jeffords (I-VT) to address the nursing shortage facing our nation's hospitals, nursing homes, and other health institutions -- legislation which became even more critical in light of the September 11th attacks on America and the growing need for emergency medical preparedness. Rep. Lois Capps introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives which passed the House earlier today. Senator Kerry said, "The attacks of September 11th demonstrated the urgency of responding to America’s looming nursing crisis – immediately – and I’m grateful that Congress has responded to the challenge and made a commitment to the nurses who hear the call to duty every day and respond effectively. This bill is the first comprehensive answer from Congress to encourage more nurses to enter the workforce today and improve training, education, and retention for those who are there today - and it comes at a time when we are all acutely aware of the heroic work nurses perform in our medical system. In the arena of emergency medical care, preparedness is job number one, and Congress has taken the first important step towards guaranteeing we have the troops ready to complete any medical mission." Senator Kennedy said, ""I want to commend Senator Kerry for his impressive leadership in addressing the nursing shortage. Without Senator Kerry's efforts, this important legislation to recruit and retain nurses would not have passed the Senate. His effort to increase the number of nurses is essential to improve patient care and improve our health care system." "As a registered nurse, I know this bill will help attract more nurses into the workforce and improve our overall health care system," said Rep. Capps. "Now more than ever, it’s essential that our hospitals are fully staffed. The events of September 11 proved once again that nurses are on the front lines of our health care system. Future terrorist attacks would be even more devastating if our hospitals aren’t equipped with qualified staff to care for patients. This bill will help address the nursing shortage crisis our country is facing." "The American Nurses Association applauds Senator Kerry's leadership and persistence in addressing the burgeoning nursing shortage," said American Nurses Association President Mary E. Foley, MS, RN. "The nurse recruitment and retention programs contained in the Nurse Reinvestment Act will provide much-needed support for future nurses, thereby fostering high-quality patient care." When signed into law, the Nurse Reinvestment Act will work to increase the numbers of nurses in our country, and in doing so will also ensure that every nurse has the skills needed to provide the quality care patients deserve. The legislation would authorize a National Nurse Service Corps to provide educational scholarships for nursing students who commit to working in facilities that are experiencing shortages. For nurses who have already been working in health care, the legislation would offer grants for advanced education and training. According to the National League of Nursing, the number of individuals graduating from nursing programs has declined 13 percent between 1995 and 1999 and this decline is expected to continue. Today, the average registered nurse (RN) is 45 years old and by 2010, 40 percent of the RN workforce will be over 50.