Nurses Activism
Published Jun 13, 2003
NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN
10 Articles; 18,358 Posts
email alert from psna re
nursing education funding:
the senate labor, health and human services, and education appropriations subcommittee is expected to mark up its fy 2004 funding bill before the end of june. it appears that nurse education programming will not receive any increases over the fy 2003 level, which could be very problematic for both old and new authorities under title viii. senator barbara mikulski (d-md), who championed the nurse reinvestment act (nra) and courageously authored the amendment that ultimately provided $15 million in funding for the new authorities under the nra, has asked the nursing community for help to support $175 million for nurse education funding next year.
senator mikulski believes that an outpouring of grassroots activism targeting senator arlen specter (r-pa), subcommittee chairman, and senator tom harkin (d-ia), the subcommittee's ranking member, could make a significant difference in this process to fund nursing programs at an adequate level to address the nursing shortage.
we ask all aone,ponl and sconl members to join in this grassroots efforts to send targeted letters, e-mails and telephone calls to the offices of senators specter and harkin.
be sure to ask for a minimum of $175 million to fund title viii nursing education programs in fy 2004 and $75 million for the title viii loan repayment and scholarship programs.
senators specter and harkin can be contacted at:
the honorable arlen specter
chairman
subcommittee on appropriations for labor, hhs and education
711 hart senate office building
washington, dc 20510
(202) 224-4254
[email protected]
the honorable tom harkin
ranking member
731 hart senate office building
(202) 224-3254
http://harkin.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm
federal funding for fy 2004 is proving to be very difficult and we really need an outpouring of support to put nursing on the appropriators' radar screen. it takes very little time to send an e-mail or to make a quick telephone call. questions can be directed to jo ann webb at [email protected] or (202) 626-2321.
we thank you in advance for your support of nurses and those who want to be nurses.
remind them too of the students being turned away for lack of sufficient educators for clinicals, 2-3 year wait list=5 years till they complete program, your own experiences etc. karen
pickledpepperRN
4,491 Posts
Thank you! Letters in the mail.
I hear e- mail gets less attention.
Please don't let my post keep you from sending an e- mail thpough.
Gator,SN
738 Posts
THis is soooo frustrating! When I was in first year they came into my class and said that they had great news! The tobacco settlement money was going to be appropriated to nursing students to pay back 50% of our student loans (up to $50,000)
Well everone called and you could not apply until after July 1st and the deadline was Jan. 1. You also needed to be a graduate when you applied.
By the time I got back to school the following semester, the fund was empty! Not a penny left in it and they had promised more than they had in the first place!
Now, they are offering Pennsylvania nurses fund for healthier futures progam and it stinks! 15% of the balance owed paid over 3 years if you work in certain areas and FT in PA.
Who knows, maybe this will be a great improvement for PA. I just hope its not just for a few who happen to graduate at the right time one year!
Gator
sjoe
2,099 Posts
Frankly, this misses the point.