Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025
- Sponsor
- Rep. Joyce, David P. [R-OH-14]
- Committees
- Energy and Commerce Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Sep 10, 2025
Bottom line
This bill aims to strengthen the nursing workforce by increasing funding and expanding the scope of federal support for nursing education and training programs, particularly in advanced practice and clinical settings.
What it actually does
This bill reauthorizes and expands federal nursing workforce development programs under Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act. It increases authorized appropriations for advanced nursing education grants and other nursing education and practice capacity building programs, while also clarifying eligible programs and activities to include modern educational technologies and clinical training costs.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue this reauthorization is crucial for addressing the ongoing national nursing shortage, ensuring a robust pipeline of qualified nurses, and supporting the diverse educational needs of the nursing profession, including advanced practice and clinical education. They contend that modernizing educational tools and increasing faculty and student numbers are vital steps.
Opponents contend
No direct opposition is typically raised against reauthorizing established workforce development programs, especially those addressing critical shortages. Potential concerns, if any, might revolve around the specific level of funding increases or the allocation of resources, rather than the overall intent of strengthening the nursing workforce.
The bill is very short and clearly written, allowing for quick comprehension of its provisions by any interested reader.
Section 2 of the bill, amending Section 811 of the Public Health Service Act
Clarification and Expansion of Advanced Nursing Education Grants
This section clarifies that Advanced Nursing Education Grants can support individuals enrolled in authorized nurse practitioner, nurse-midwifery, nurse anesthesia, and clinical nurse specialist programs. It also updates language for nurse-midwifery programs and explicitly includes costs for clinical education and preceptors as eligible expenses for these grants, thereby broadening the scope of support for advanced nursing students.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that explicitly listing advanced practice nursing programs and covering clinical education costs ensures these critical specializations receive adequate support, which is vital for meeting healthcare demands and expanding access to care, especially in underserved areas. This clarity removes ambiguity and strengthens the pipeline for advanced nursing roles.
Critics contend
No specific opposition is typically raised against clarifying and expanding eligibility for established advanced nursing education programs, as these are generally seen as beneficial for healthcare infrastructure and addressing specialized workforce needs.
Tradeoffs
The primary tension is ensuring that the expanded scope of eligible costs does not dilute the impact of the grants across too many areas without a proportional increase in overall funding, though the bill does address this with increased appropriations.
Section 3 of the bill, amending Part D of title VIII and Section 831 of the Public Health Service Act
Modernization and Expansion of Nursing Education Capacity Programs
This section amends programs aimed at strengthening nursing education capacity. It expands eligible uses of funds to include modern educational tools like simulation, augmented reality, telehealth technologies, and virtual laboratories. Crucially, it adds increasing the number of faculty and students at nursing schools to address workforce shortages as an explicit goal. It also expands support for education opportunities through partnerships with healthcare facilities and adds survivors of sexual assault to groups served by certain programs.
Section 4 of the bill, amending Section 871 of the Public Health Service Act
Increased Funding for Nursing Workforce Development Programs
This section reauthorizes appropriations for Title VIII nursing workforce development programs for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. It increases the annual authorization for advanced nursing education grants from $137,837,000 to $184,337,000. It also increases the annual authorization for other nursing workforce development programs from $117,135,000 to $121,135,000.