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Nursing Programs Set To Receive 15% Proposed Budget Increase for 2014

 

On July 11, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a fiscal-year 2014 labor, health and human services, and education (LHHS) spending bill. The bill, S. 1284, included a $164.3 billion budget plan for LHHS. Of the $164.3 billion allocated, the National Institutes of Health is set to receive a $307 million budget bump from 2013, totaling $30.95 billion for 2014.

[TAKE ACTION] Tell Congress to Fund Critical Nursing Programs!

Tell Congress to Fund Critical Nursing Programs!

• 4,129 fewer nurses and nursing students will be supported by Nursing Workforce Development programs.

• 1,011 fewer trainees will be in the Advanced Education Nursing and Nurse Anesthetist Traineeship.

• 978 fewer nurses, nursing students, faculty, and other health professionals delivering care to the elderly, disabled, and chronically ill who are supported by the Title VIII Comprehensive Geriatric Education program. [1]

These numbers are simply too high. In 2004 we worked tirelessly to increase funds for Title VIII, which funds workforce development programs, and we succeeded by getting the largest single year increase of 26% in over 30 years. We cannot go back. The implications are far reaching and would devastate access and quality of care and hinder those nurses who are working to move up in their careers.

On March 6, the United States House of Representatives passed a post-sequestration bill (HR 933) which provides funding for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2013. Unfortunately, Title VIII was cut by $11.7 million below the 2012 funding levels, proposing funding at $219.4 million for FY 2013.This legislation will now be considered in the Senate. Overall funding for Health and Human Services will likely carry on as a Continuing Resolution. It is time to come together and tell Congress to save these critical programs. The 5% cut in sequestration will already impact our work. Tell Congress not to cut any more Title VIII funds in the budget process.

Take Action:  https://secure3.convio.net/ana/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=411&JServSessionIdr004=rdd80t0it1.app305b&ct=1

For more information on the Budget and Sequestration, visit: http://www.rnaction.org/site/PageNavigator/nstat_ndd_sequestration.html

P.S. ANA is committed to making sure that the voice of nursing is heard loud and clear in Washington, DC. Click here to learn more about how ANA Members can affect change in Washington.

[1] Nursing Community. (2013) Sequestration: Examining the Impact on America’s Nursing Workforce. Accessed March 14, 2013 from http://www.nursingworld.org/SequestrationFactsheet.pdf