September 2013

Volume 10, Issue 6

HEADLINES

Status Report: FY 2014 Funding of Title VIII Programs
Advocacy Toolkit for August Congressional Recess Available Online
Three actions you should take in August

LINKS

NLN Government Affairs Action Center
NLN Public Policy

Status Report: FY 2014 Funding of Title VIII Programs

On July 9, 2013, the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee approved its FY 2014 Appropriations bill by voice vote. The bill provides $251.099 million for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs - consistent with the president's FY 2014 budget recommendation and the request made by the NLN. Increased funding is provided to the Advanced Nursing Education program bringing that total to $83.469 million. The remaining Title VIII programs are funded at the same levels contained in the president's proposed budget for FY 2014. The increase to the Title VIII programs is 15 percent over the FY 2013 post sequestration levels. (See chart below.) An additional $5 million is set aside for Nurse-Managed Health Clinics.

The full Senate Appropriations Committee approved its FY 2014 LHHS Appropriations bill on July 11. There is no word yet on when the FY 2014 LHHS Appropriations will be debated on the Senate floor nor is it clear when the House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee will hold its markup.

Regardless of when the House takes action on the FY 2014 LHHS Appropriations bill, the House funding levels for the Title VIII programs will be less than what the Senate Appropriations Committee approved. The overall funding level for all health discretionary programs funded by the House version of the FY 2014 LHHS Appropriations bill will be $121.8 billion, an 18.6 percent cut below FY 2013.

Over the last three fiscal years, the Title VIII programs have seen decreased funding levels. Below is a breakdown of the funding since FY 2008.

• FY 2008 - $156.046 million
• FY 2009 - $171.031 million
• FY 2010 - $243.872 million
• FY 2011 - $242.387 million
• FY 2012 - $231.099 million
• FY 2013 - $217.501 million

Advocacy Toolkit for August Congressional Recess Available Online

During its August Recess (August 5 - September 9), members of Congress will return to their home states and meet with constituents. It is critically important that you talk to your elected officials about the benefits of investments in the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Programs at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The ANSR Alliance, of which NLN is a founding member, has drafted an advocacy toolkit to provide you with all of the tools you need to contact your senators and representatives. The toolkit can be found at ansralliance.org/ANSR_2013_August_Recess_Toolkit.pdf.

Here's why your actions during the August Recess are important:

• Our country continues to be challenged by a chronic nursing shortage of RNs that was first noted more than 15 years ago in 1998. This shortage presents an extremely serious challenge in the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective services, especially with the expected influx of new people into the health care system.
• Our country continues to be challenged by a chronic nursing shortage of RNs that was first noted more than 15 years ago in 1998. This shortage presents an extremely serious challenge in the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective services, especially with the expected influx of new people into the health care system.
• Funding for the Title VIII programs has been reduced over the last three fiscal years.
• The March 2008 study, The Future of the Nursing Workforce in the United States: Data, Trends, and Implications, calculates an adjusted projected demand of 500,000 full-time equivalent registered nurses by 2025.
• According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of registered nurses is expected to grow by 26 percent from 2010 to 2020 resulting in 711,900 new jobs.
• Reducing funding for programs such as HRSA's Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs will do more harm than good.

Three actions you should take in August:

• Schedule meetings with your Members of Congress. Here's how.
• Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Here's how.
• Find and attend a town hall meeting. Here's how to find one and what to ask.

Be sure to let us know how it goes!