[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 246 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 246
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support
schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure
modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 4, 2021
Mr. Merkley introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support
schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure
modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Future Advancement of Academic
Nursing Act'' or the ``FAAN Act''.
SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR NURSING EDUCATION AND THE FUTURE NURSING WORKFORCE.
Part D of title VIII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
296p et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 832. NURSING EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT AND MODERNIZATION GRANTS IN
UNDERSERVED AREAS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator
of the Health Resources and Services Administration, may award grants
to schools of nursing (as defined in section 801) for--
``(1) increasing the number of faculty and students at such
schools in order to enhance the preparedness of the United
States for, and the ability of the United States to address and
quickly respond to, public health emergencies declared under
section 319 and pandemics; or
``(2) the enhancement and modernization of nursing
education programs.
``(b) Priority.--In selecting grant recipients under this section,
the Secretary shall give priority to schools of nursing that--
``(1) are located in a medically underserved community;
``(2) are located in a health professional shortage area as
defined under section 332(a); or
``(3) are institutions of higher education listed under
section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
``(c) Consideration.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary, to the extent practicable, may ensure equitable distribution
of awards among the geographic regions of the United States.
``(d) Use of Funds.--A school of nursing that receives a grant
under this section may use the funds awarded through such grant for
activities that include--
``(1) enhancing enrollment and retention of students at
such school, with a priority for students from disadvantaged
backgrounds (including racial or ethnic groups underrepresented
in the nursing workforce), individuals from rural and
underserved areas, low-income individuals, and first generation
college students (as defined in section 402A(h)(3) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965);
``(2) creating, supporting, or modernizing educational
programs and curriculum at such school;
``(3) retaining current faculty, and hiring new faculty,
with an emphasis on faculty from racial or ethnic groups who
are underrepresented in the nursing workforce;
``(4) modernizing infrastructure at such school, including
audiovisual or other equipment, personal protective equipment,
simulation and augmented reality resources, telehealth
technologies, and virtual and physical laboratories;
``(5) partnering with a health care facility, nurse-managed
health clinic, community health center, or other facility that
provides health care in order to provide educational
opportunities for the purpose of establishing or expanding
clinical education;
``(6) enhancing and expanding nursing programs that prepare
nurse researchers and scientists;
``(7) establishing nurse-led intradisciplinary and
interprofessional educational partnerships; and
``(8) other activities that the Secretary determines
further the development, improvement, and expansion of schools
of nursing.
``(e) Reports From Entities.--Each school of nursing awarded a
grant under this section shall submit an annual report to the Secretary
on the activities conducted under such grant, and other information as
the Secretary may require.
``(f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 5 years after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a
report that provides a summary of the activities and outcomes
associated with grants made under this section. Such report shall
include--
``(1) a list of schools of nursing receiving grants under
this section, including the primary geographic location of any
school of nursing that was improved or expanded through such a
grant;
``(2) the total number of students who are enrolled at or
who have graduated from any school of nursing that was improved
or expanded through a grant under this section, which such
statistic shall--
``(A) to the extent such information is available,
be deidentified and disaggregated by race, ethnicity,
age, sex, geographic region, disability status, and
other relevant factors; and
``(B) include an indication of the number of such
students who are from racial or ethnic groups
underrepresented in the nursing workforce, such
students who are from rural or underserved areas, such
students who are low-income students, and such students
who are first generation college students (as defined
in section 402A(h)(3) of the Higher Education Act of
1965);
``(3) to the extent such information is available, the
effects of the grants awarded under this section on retaining
and hiring of faculty, including any increase in diverse
faculty, the number of clinical education partnerships, the
modernization of nursing education infrastructure, and other
ways this section helps address and quickly respond to public
health emergencies and pandemics;
``(4) recommendations for improving the grants awarded
under this section; and
``(5) any other considerations as the Secretary determines
appropriate.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000,000 to remain
available until expended.''.
SEC. 3. STRENGTHENING NURSE EDUCATION.
The heading of part D of title VIII of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 296p et seq.) is amended by striking ``basic''.
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