Senators Collins, Rosen Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Tackle Nursing Shortage

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced the Train More Nurses Act to address the nursing shortage affecting communities across the nation. This bipartisan bill would direct the

Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Labor to conduct a review of nursing grant programs to find ways to increase faculty at nursing schools, especially those in underserved areas. It will also increase pathways for Licensed Practical Nurses to become Registered Nurses.

“In the midst of a growing demand for medical treatments and services, health care providers across Maine continue to face a significant shortage of nurses. One challenge in growing the nursing workforce to meet this demand is the limited supply of nursing faculty available to increase student enrollment and train the next generation of nurses,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would identify strategies to close the faculty gap and expand our nursing workforce, ultimately improving access to care.”

“As Nevada continues to face a shortage of nurses and doctors, it’s becoming more difficult for hardworking families to get the medical care they need,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m introducing this bipartisan bill to help increase the number of nurses in our state and improve Nevadans’ access to high-quality health care.”

Senator Collins is working to address Maine’s health care professional shortage and improve medical care access in the state. The Maximizing Outcomes Through Better Investments in Lifesaving Equipment for (MOBILE) Health Care Act that she introduced with Senator Rosen was signed into law in 2022, and allows community health centers to use federal funds to establish new mobile health care units to increase access to health care services in rural and underserved communities.

Last March, Senator Collins announced that she secured nearly $14 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for projects to support Maine’s health care workforce through the Fiscal Year 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. This included $4.5 million to construct and equip a Center for Nursing Workforce Development and Cybersecurity at the University of Maine at Augusta.