Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 1874
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-22: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-13T11:03:28Z
AI-Generated Summary
Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S. 1874)
Purpose
This legislation aims to reauthorize and strengthen specific programs under Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act that support the development of the nursing workforce. It focuses on expanding educational opportunities, addressing nursing shortages, and improving training resources to enhance the overall capacity of nurses in the U.S. healthcare system.
Key Provisions
- Advanced Nursing Education Grants (Section 811 Amendments): Expands eligibility for grants to include students in authorized programs for nurse practitioners (advanced practice nurses who provide primary and specialty care), nurse-midwives (nurses trained in childbirth and women's health), nurse anesthetists (nurses who administer anesthesia), and clinical nurse specialists (nurses with expertise in a specific area of patient care). It also clarifies terminology (e.g., "nurse-midwives" instead of "midwives") and allows grant funds to cover costs for clinical training and preceptors (experienced mentors who supervise students in real-world settings).
- Strengthening Capacity for Nurse Education and Practice (Part D Amendments):
- Removes "basic" from the part heading to broaden the scope beyond entry-level training.
- Expands allowable uses of grants to schools of nursing, including purchasing audiovisual equipment, simulation and augmented reality tools (technology that mimics real medical scenarios for training), telehealth technologies (remote healthcare delivery), and virtual/physical labs.
- Adds a new purpose: increasing the number of nursing faculty and students to tackle workforce shortages.
- Updates grant priorities to include training for nurses who care for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
- Allows grants for partnerships with healthcare facilities, nurse-managed clinics, or community health centers to create or expand clinical education opportunities.
- Includes a conforming change to remove references to "basic" nurse education in related sections.
- Authorization of Appropriations (Section 871 Amendments): Sets funding levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2030:
- $184,337,000 annually for advanced nursing education and related programs (up from previous levels).
- $121,135,000 annually for capacity-building grants (a slight increase from prior authorizations).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Broadens the scope of Title VIII programs by explicitly including advanced practice nursing specialties and modern training technologies, which were not as detailed in prior versions.
- Increases and extends funding authorizations from fiscal years 2021–2025 to 2026–2030, with higher amounts for most programs to account for inflation and expanded needs.
- Expands grant priorities and eligible activities, such as adding sexual assault survivor care and clinical partnerships, while updating outdated references (e.g., removing a specific organization's name in nurse-midwifery provisions).
- Shifts focus from "basic" to comprehensive nurse education, allowing more flexibility in addressing diverse workforce challenges.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which administers these programs, will manage higher funding levels and broader grant applications, potentially increasing administrative workload but enabling more robust support for nursing education nationwide.
- On Citizens: Improves access to advanced nursing care by growing the supply of trained nurses, which could enhance healthcare quality, reduce shortages in underserved areas, and better serve vulnerable populations like survivors of violence. Students and faculty in nursing programs gain more financial and technological support.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though a stronger U.S. nursing workforce could indirectly support global health initiatives by freeing up resources for international aid.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Nursing Schools and Educational Institutions: Benefit from expanded grants for equipment, faculty hiring, and student enrollment to combat shortages.
- Nursing Students and Faculty: Gain access to funding for advanced training, clinical experiences, and modern tools, potentially increasing graduation rates and career opportunities.
- Healthcare Facilities and Providers: Partner with schools for clinical training, leading to a larger pool of qualified nurses; includes hospitals, clinics, and community health centers.
- Patients and Underserved Communities: Indirectly affected through improved nurse availability, especially in primary care, midwifery, anesthesia, and specialty areas.
- Bipartisan Sponsors and Policymakers: Introduced by a group of senators from both parties (e.g., Merkley, Collins), indicating broad support for workforce development.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens existing federal authority under the Public Health Service Act to fund workforce development without creating new regulatory burdens; ensures compliance with grant administration rules but introduces no major enforcement changes.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's spending power to promote general welfare through health education; no apparent conflicts with federalism, as it supports state-licensed professions via voluntary grants.
- Political: Demonstrates bipartisan collaboration on healthcare workforce issues, potentially easing passage in a divided Congress. It addresses ongoing nursing shortages exacerbated by events like the COVID-19 pandemic, positioning it as a pragmatic response to public health needs without controversial elements like mandates or restrictions.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (15)
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME], Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI], Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA], Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK], Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS], Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE], Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM], Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH], Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA], Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-22: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-05-22: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-22 — PDF (4 pages)