Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2026
In progressTitle VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2026 This bill reauthorizes through FY2031, revises, and establishes programs that support recruitment, education, retention, and advanced practices of nurses and nursing school faculty. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes programs within the Health Resources and Services Administration that provide grants to support increased enrollment in nursing education (including for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds), advanced nursing education and specialized training, nurse retention, and enhanced patient care. The bill also reauthorizes programs that support student loan repayment and scholarships for nurses who agree to work at facilities with critical nursing shortages and nursing faculty who work at accredited schools of nursing. Also, the bill expands certain grants to include (1) training on the use of new technologies such as telehealth and virtual resources, and (2) care for survivors of sexual assault. Additionally, the bill temporarily establishes (1) grants to nursing schools for supplementing the salaries of eligible faculty for a period of up to three years to enhance faculty recruitment and retention, and (2) grants to state agencies, nonprofits, and nursing schools for establishing nursing workforce centers and collecting data regarding the nursing workforce.
Jul 28, 2026Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 527.
The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2026 aims to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize and expand nursing workforce development programs. It increases funding for nursing education and practice, with a focus on addressing workforce shortages and enhancing educational resources.
