National Nurses Week

Floor Speech

Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, in honor of National Nurses Week, I wish to recognize the more than 3 million nurses who work hard day-in and day-out to give patients the care they deserve. Because my wife Mary is a nurse, I have seen firsthand what an enormous impact nurses have on both patients and families. Their compassion and devotion to their patients give families the peace of mind that their loved ones are in good hands. They also play an irreplaceable role in making sure our hospitals and clinics run smoothly. Unfortunately, many nurses are overworked, underpaid, and our hospitals and clinics have trouble retaining them.

Through the Health Care Reform Act Congress passed earlier this year, we made significant strides in addressing many of the challenges nurses face. We expanded the nursing student loan program to help make nursing programs more affordable. We also expanded the nursing loan repayment program and scholarship programs to students who commit to working at an accredited nursing school for 2 years. This will help ensure our nursing schools have the teachers they need to train additional nurses. We invested $1.5 billion over 5 years in the National Health Service Corps scholarship and loan repayment program for primary care providers, including nurses who practice in underserved areas. In addition, we included $50 million in grants for nurse-managed health clinics that offer primary care and wellness services to low-income and uninsured Americans.

While we made good progress easing many of the difficulties nurses face, much more still needs to be done. Nurses play such a crucial role in the delivery of care. We need to provide them with the resources they need to do their jobs.

The nursing shortage also remains a serious issue, especially in hard-hit rural areas. To find commonsense solutions to the problems nurses face, I formed the Senate Nursing Caucus with Senator Johanns, Senator Mikulski, and Senator Snowe. I urge all of my colleagues to join the caucus to help strengthen the nursing profession and advance the goals of the nursing community. Together, we will explore ways we can enhance the role nurses play in our health care system and address the nationwide nursing shortage.

I ask my colleagues and my fellow Americans to take a moment during National Nurses Week to show your appreciation to nurses across the country for their hard work, commitment, and dedication to their patients. Their dedication is invaluable to the success of our health care system and, most of all, to the patients who depend on them.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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