Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, California’s U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, and Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) introduced the bicameral Ley de Avance Futuro de la Enfermería Académica (FAAN).
In an effort to address nursing workforce shortages around the country, the FAAN Act would authorize grants to increase the number of faculty and students at nursing schools, enhance U.S. preparedness for pandemics and other public health emergencies, enroll students underrepresented in the nursing workforce, and modernize nursing education and infrastructure.
“Nurses continue to find themselves on the front lines of our major public health battles, often without the full support they need,” dijo Merkley. “As the husband of a nurse, I know the sacrifices nurses make to care for patients. We must do everything we can to support our nursing workforce, just as they support each and every one of us, and the FAAN Act is one way we can help achieve this commitment by invigorating nursing education.”
“Nurses and health care workers are heroes in our communities, and it’s crucial that the federal government makes the proper investments to support this workforce,” said Schiff. “I am proud to join Senator Merkley and my colleagues in introducing this legislation which would help strengthen our health care system and address the nursing shortage that our country is grappling with.”
“Nurses provide critically important care that keeps our families and communities healthy. As one of just three nurses serving in Congress, I’ve always been committed to advancing policies that strengthen our nursing workforce,” said Underwood. “By making a critical $1 billion investment in schools of nursing, my FAAN Act would grow the nursing workforce and expand and diversify the pipeline of nurses in underserved and rural areas. I look forward to working with Senators Merkley and Schiff to pass the FAAN Act and provide the investments we need to create a stronger health care system that addresses nursing shortages and meets the needs of our families and communities.”
In addition to Merkley and Schiff, the Senate version of this bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
El FAAN Act is also supported by over 50 organizations, including the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, American Nurses Association, and the National Rural Health Association. A full list of supporting organizations can be found aquí.
“Federal support for nursing education is crucial to ensuring that our nursing workforce is prepared to meet the healthcare needs of all communities,” said Dr. Jean Giddens, Board Chair for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. "El FAAN Act is a crucial step forward as we work to recruit and retain nursing students and faculty amid ongoing shortages, support our schools of nursing, facilitate academic-practice partnerships, and ensure the educational pathways remain strong as we work to serve America’s patients.”
“AACN applauds Senator Jeff Merkley and Congresswoman Lauren Underwood for reintroducing the FAAN Act, which would put forward a historic investment in nursing education, enabling today’s nursing students to become tomorrow’s frontline providers and faculty,” said Dr. Deborah Trautman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “We look forward to working with federal legislators to advance and pass the FAAN Act this Congress.”
“The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act represents a bold and necessary investment in the future of our profession,” said ANA President Dr. Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “By strengthening nursing education and supporting the recruitment and retention of faculty, this legislation addresses one of the root causes of today’s workforce shortage. Nurses cannot meet the nation’s growing demand for care without the ability to educate and prepare the next generation. The American Nurses Association is proud to support this bill and urges Congress to act swiftly to secure the nursing workforce our patients and communities depend on. We thank Representative Underwood and Senator Merkley for their work on this and for representing our nation’s nurses in Congress.”
“The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) is proud to support the FAAN Act and the critical resources it would provide to schools of nursing to help increase the pipeline of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and other nurses that our nation desperately needs,” said AANA President Jeffrey Molter, MSN, MBA, CRNA. “We thank Senator Merkley and Congresswoman Underwood for their leadership on this issue as we work to increase access to quality affordable healthcare that CRNAs and other nurses provide, particularly in rural and underserved communities. This legislation is an important part of making that happen.”
“Our country’s healthcare workforce is on the front line, taking care of our communities every day, but there are enormous challenges – extreme burnout, heavy patient loads, and a shortage of professionals in the pipeline who are willing to do this work, on top of the exodus of people leaving the job altogether. It’s well past time to invest in building a more robust system to educate, train and prepare nurses. Senator Merkley and Rep. Underwood’s bill will help to produce the next generation of nurses, particularly for communities that have been underserved, by expanding nursing education programs and hiring and training diverse professionals to join the healthcare profession. On behalf of the 250,000 nurses and healthcare professionals of the AFT, I am pleased to endorse the Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten.
“AACN is grateful to Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Lauren Underwood for advocating for nurses and championing legislation to address nursing shortages by re-introducing the Ley de Avance Futuro de la Enfermería Académica (FAAN), which seeks to provide resources to increase the numbers of nursing students and faculty and modernize nursing education,” said Vicki Good, DNP, RN, CENP, CPPS, FAAN, Chief Clinical Officer, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
“AAHFN endorses the FAAN Act because it directly strengthens the nursing workforce, protects patient care quality, and advances the professions long-term stability,” said Heidi Roschinger, DNP, American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) Advocacy Chair.
“Nursing faculty are in significant shortage, so much so that about 65,000 applicants to nursing schools who were qualified to attend nursing school had to be turned away, in large part because there were not enough faculty to train them. This legislation will direct grants to go towards hiring nursing school faculty, modernizing technological and educational infrastructure, and enrolling and retaining students. The AHA thanks Senator Merkley and Rep. Underwood for their strong leadership to support nursing education,” said Lisa Kidder Hrobsky, American Hospital Association’s Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Political Affairs.
“Many emergency departments face staffing shortages, and the investment in nurses and nurse education the FAAN Act calls for would provide substantial help in addressing this crisis,” said Emergency Nurses Association President Ryan Oglesby, PhD, MHA, RN, CEN, CFRN, NEA-BC. “We need a comprehensive approach to increasing the capacity for more students in nursing schools, more faculty and more clinical education sites, which are crucial to ensuring our nurses are prepared with the specialized skills they need.”
“The Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) strongly supports the reintroduction of the Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN) Act (S.3770/H.R. 7266, 118th Congress), essential legislation that will strengthen the nursing profession and help ensure a robust, well-prepared healthcare workforce. OADN represents more than 1,100 community-based colleges offering the associate degree in nursing, serving over 40,000 students each year, with programs located across the United States, including in education deserts and rural regions where access to nursing education is especially critical. As the national voice for associate degree nursing education, OADN is a pivotal resource for community-based colleges that prepare the majority of the nation’s registered nurse workforce—contributing nearly half (43.5%) of all new RNs annually, as reported in the Journal of Nursing Regulation. The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act directly supports OADN’s 2025 to 2028 Strategic Direction, which focuses on Advocacy, Education, Leadership, and Community. The bill promotes meaningful federal investment in the nursing workforce, aligns with OADN’s advocacy priorities, and strengthens educational pathways that advance both students and emerging faculty. By supporting academic progression, building faculty capacity, strengthening clinical partnerships, and enhancing workforce sustainability, the FAAN Act contributes to a robust nursing ecosystem that benefits learners, educators, and the communities they serve. OADN is proud to endorse the reintroduced Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act and urges swift consideration and passage of this legislation to help ensure a strong, well-prepared nursing workforce and improved health outcomes nationwide,” said Rick García, Ph.D., RN, CCM, FAAOHN, FAADN, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer, Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN), and OADN Foundation.
“I fully endorse the Ley de Avance Futuro de la Enfermería Académica (FAAN). It strengthens the academic nursing infrastructure, enabling us to prepare a diverse, highly skilled nursing workforce. This legislation invests directly in the future of nursing and, ultimately, in the health of our nation,” said Teri Murray, PhD, RN, Dean Emerita, Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing, Saint Louis University.
El texto de la factura se puede encontrar aquí.
A Section by Section of the bill can be found aquí.
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