Published June 29, 2022 
President Signed Bipartisan Gun Violence Prevention Bill into Law
On June 25, the President signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938). This comes as the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 65 to 33, and the House quickly followed suit passing this legislation by a vote of 234 to 193. The legislation includes provisions such as support for state crisis intervention orders, protections for victims of domestic violence, and an enhanced review process for buyers under the age of 21, among others. This also invests in children and family mental health and supportive services. AACN has long advocated for gun violence research and recently signed onto the Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP) letter urging Congress to pass this historic bill.
Additionally, AACN is hosting a webinar titled, “Gun Violence: A National Priority for Nurse Researchers” on July 20 from 12-1:30pm (ET). This webinar brings together national nurse leaders to discuss this national public health concern and the need for nurses to be part of the conversation. To register for the webinar, click here.
Focus on Fiscal Year 2023: Nursing Education and Research Increases in House Draft Bill
On June 23, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS-ED) marked up its Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 spending bill, which includes $324 million, an increase of $44 million above the FY 2022 enacted level, for Nursing Workforce Development programs and $208.571 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). This draft spending bill also includes:
- $47.5 billion for the National Institutes of Health, an increase of $2.5 billion above the FY 2022 enacted level;
- $9.6 billion for the Health Resources and Services Administration, an increase of $683 million above the FY 2022 enacted level;
- $124.2 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), an increase of $15.6 billion above FY 2022 enacted level;
- $4 billion for higher education programs; and
- Provisions to support maternal health, mental health, gun violence research, and substance misuse.
The next step in this process, the full House Appropriations Committee Markup, is scheduled for this Thursday, June 30. AACN will continue to closely monitor the appropriations process and keep our members updated. To watch the full House Appropriations Committee Markup on June 30, click here; for the LHHS-ED press release, click here; and for breaking news, visit our Twitter account @AACNPolicy.
AACN Attends the National Academy of Medicine’s Event on Health Workforce Well-Being
On June 24, AACN attended the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) public event on health workforce well-being. At this meeting, NAM released their national plan, which outlines collective action to improve healthcare workforce well-being and foster an environment that enhances care experience, reduces costs, and advances health equity. The event included a keynote from Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, and J. Corey Feist, JD, President and Co-Founder of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, along with highlights from many other panelists. To learn more, click here.