Capps Applauds Committee Passage of Title VIII Reauthorization Bill

(WASHINGTON) Today, Rep. Lois Capps (CA-24) celebrated the passage of H.R. 2713, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, by the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce full committee. The bill passed with unanimous, bipartisan support. As Congressional Nursing Caucus Co-Chairs, Capps and Rep. David Joyce (OH-14) co-authored this bipartisan legislation to reauthorize federal nursing workforce programs that help train and retain highly-skilled nurses in the nation’s health care system. It is now eligible for consideration by the full House of Representatives.

First enacted 50 years ago, Title VIII nursing programs bolster nursing education at all levels, from entry-level preparation through graduate study, and support institutions that educate nurses for practice in potential shortage areas, such as rural and underserved communities. In addition, the programs support loan repayment opportunities for nurses in exchange for working in underserved areas or for going into academia to teach the next generation of the profession, and they also support specific training for nurses to practice with the aging population. The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act would continue these programs and update them to recognize changes in the nursing profession.

Over 50 national nursing organizations have endorsed the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, including the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and American Nurses Association (ANA).

A former nurse, Capps is a longtime public health advocate and proponent of Title VIII programs. In addition to authoring H.R. 2713, Capps led the past two reauthorization efforts, passing the Nurse Reinvestment Act into law in 2002, which greatly modernized the programs, and getting the last Title VIII reauthorization included in the Affordable Care Act. More about her career, work on nursing issues, and the importance of Title VIII can be found here in a Capps-authored op-ed in The Huffington Post.

“At over three million strong, nurses are the backbone of our health care system,” Capps said. “We need to keep that backbone strong. That is exactly what Title VIII has done for over 50 years by supporting nursing education at all levels, from entry‑level preparation through graduate study. These are targeted investments in the recruitment, retention, and distribution of these highly educated professionals, and it is critical to ensure that they continue and are available for years to come. I am proud to have authored this bipartisan effort and look forward to seeing it come to the House floor.”

“Being married to a nurse has shown me, firsthand, just how important nurses are in our health care system,” Joyce said. “No matter what type of medical care it is, nurses are at the heart of it. They are the ones there day in and day out making sure patients get the one-on-one care that they need. The Title VIII Reauthorization Act invests in the nursing workforce and ensures all communities have access to the best health care possible. I am incredibly proud of my wife and of all nurses for the work they do. This bill gives nurses the support they need as they provide care to Americans across the country.”

“The AACN commends the Committee for taking the next step to support nursing education programs,” said AACN Board Chair Juliann Sebastian, PhD, RN, FAAN. “Sustaining Title VIII through a bipartisan collaboration represents a critical investment in our nation’s nursing schools, faculty, students, and the health of the public. This outcome would not have been possible without Congresswoman Capps’ leadership and dedication to America’s nurses and patients.”

“For more than fifty years, Title VIII programs have proven instrumental in training the next generation of America’s nurses and nurse educators,” said ANA President Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “Title VIII is the largest source of federal funding for nursing education and reauthorizing these programs will ensure we have the diverse workforce necessary to meet the ever-growing demands of our nation’s health care system.”

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