Thank You Congressman Christopher Shays (CT)

Pictured: Congressman Christopher Shays

As a member of the House Nursing Caucus, I joined in support for the National Nurse Act because I am hopeful that creating a National Nurse Office within the Office of Public Health and Science will help encourage individuals to enter the nursing profession and improve the state of healthcare from the perspective of nurses.

A 2001 report by the General Accounting Office (GAO) found the recruitment and retention of nurses and nurses aides are major concerns for health care providers and this shortage is expected to become more serious as the population ages and the demand for nurses increases.

This is why I have consistently worked for increased federal funding for nurse education programs. A strong corps of qualified nurses is a critical part of quality healthcare and I am committed to improving the federal government's role in addressing the nursing shortages nationwide.