NCC commends Senate bipartisan spending bill

The Nursing Community Coalition praised the Senate Appropriations Committee for advancing its fiscal year 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education bill. The legislation includes $302.47 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs, a $2 million increase over fiscal year 2023 levels; and $197.7 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research, the same amount as fiscal year 2023. The committee also incorporated other funding priorities and language addressing mental health, staffing, removing barriers to care, workplace violence prevention and the overall state of the health care workforce. The NCC says it will work with both chambers when Congress reconvenes in September to ensure these programs remain fully funded. AONL is one of 63 national nursing organizations comprising the NCC. (NCC statement, 7/28/23)