Bill > HR6989

This bill, titled the "Public Health Nursing Act," amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish, expand, and sustain a public health nursing workforce. This will be achieved by making grants to state, local, and territorial public health departments to cover costs associated with recruiting, hiring, and training licensed registered nurses to work as public health nurses, particularly in medically underserved areas, and to purchase necessary medical supplies. The bill prioritizes applicants serving populations with high rates of chronic disease, infant mortality, or maternal morbidity and mortality, low-income or medically underserved populations, those in health professional shortage areas, and rural or traditionally underserved populations, while also encouraging culturally and linguistically appropriate services and acknowledging labor rights. Grant recipients must maintain their own non-federal spending on these activities, and the bill defines a "public health nurse" as one providing preventive health services, education, and care for chronic diseases and maternal/infant health. The bill authorizes $5 billion annually for these activities from fiscal years 2026 through 2035.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6989/all-info