Pandemic Flu
Public health experts are warning that an avian influenza outbreak could cause the next flu pandemic. While it is impossible to predict when or if the avian flu will cause a pandemic, public health experts believe that we will face at least one pandemic in this century. The human and economic costs of a pandemic could have dramatic and far-reaching consequences on every sector of our society and our economy.

Preparing against the threat of an influenza pandemic is especially critical for Nevada because our state's economy depends on the tourism and entertainment industries, which could be the hardest hit by a pandemic.  In fact, according to the "Pandemic Flu and Potential for U.S. Economic Recession" report issued in March 2007 by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH), a severe pandemic flu outbreak could result in the biggest potential percent drop in economic output for Nevada compared to all other states.

I am the author of the Pandemic Preparedness and Response Act, legislation that would prepare and protect Americans from a potential flu pandemic. I have also been working in the Senate to provide funding for numerous key goals, including improving global surveillance, stockpiling antivirals, investing in the country's vaccine infrastructure, improving state and local public health systems, and improving education and outreach. When the Senate considers future appropriations bills, I will keep up the pressure to fund the actions necessary to prepare and protect Nevada and the nation from the pandemic threat.

Health Care Workforce
As Nevada continues to grow, so do our health care needs.  On February 14, 2007, I introduced legislation with Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) to help ensure that communities across our state have the doctors they need and the quality care they deserve. Our bill, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (S. 588), would expand the number of Medicare-supported physician residency training positions in states like Nevada that are facing significant shortages of resident physicians. Under current law, there are caps on the number of those positions. There are no exceptions to the permanent caps, and most importantly for Nevada, no adjustments are made for population growth. Our bill will allow these caps to be raised and thus allow more physicians to train in Nevada, thereby ensuring that more will stay in the state to practice.

Because Nevada is facing a nursing shortage, I will also continue to support the comprehensive Title VIII nursing education and workforce programs. These Title VIII programs merit funding because they help to encourage bright students to join the nursing profession, keep the current workforce strong, and open doors to advanced education. We also need to ensure that working conditions -- such as needlestick laws, staffing ratios, and mandatory overtime rules -- support our nurses' desire to provide the highest quality care possible.

Rural Health
The federal government's rural health programs play a critical role in sustaining and improving the fragile health care infrastructure common in Nevada's rural communities. For this reason, I have consistently worked to ensure funding for programs like the rural outreach grants and the State Offices of Rural Health. Title VII Health Professions programs have been especially important to Nevada, improving access to primary care for medically underserved populations and supporting the health care workforce. Nevadans directly benefit from Title VII programs that work to alleviate the shortages of primary care doctors, dentists, nurses, and other allied health professionals.

Health Care Infrastructure
Nevadans should not have to travel far away to receive the high quality health care they deserve and need. Not only have I been working to improve rural Nevadans' access to health care, I worked to secure millions of dollars of federal support to improve the health care infrastructure in our state so we may meet the increasing needs of our growing population.