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H.R. 5924, The Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act
- This item is from the 110th Congress (2007-2008) and is no longer current. Comments, voting, and wiki editing have been disabled, and the cost/savings estimate has been frozen.
Comparing revision saved on July 29, 2008, 19:33:10 (webmaster), with revision saved on November 18, 2008, 07:34:39 (webmaster):
H.R. 5924 would provide relief for the shortage of nurses in the United States.
== Detailed Summary ==
<summary>
Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act - Amends the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 to lift the numerical limitations for employment based immigrants (and accompanying family members) for nurses and physical therapists until September 30, 2011, subject to a cap.
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security: (1) to impose a fee upon each petitioning employer who uses such a visa to provide employment for an alien as a professional nurse; and (2) acting through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to award a grant each fiscal year to each eligible nursing school that applies and meets specified requirements.
Establishes in the Treasury's general fund a Domestic Nursing Enhancement Account.
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) direct the Secretary to allow an eligible alien (and spouse or child) to reside in a candidate country (defined to include a lower middle income country or one experiencing a natural disaster) during the period the alien is working there as a health care worker; and (2) make inadmissible an alien seeking entry into the United States to perform labor as a health care worker unless the alien attests that he or she does not have an outstanding obligation to the alien's government or country of residence, subject to a waiver.
Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a partnership program to award grants to eligible entities to carry out comprehensive programs to provide education to nurses and create a pipeline to nursing for incumbent ancillary health care workers who wish to advance their careers.
</summary>
<!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. -->
== Status of the Legislation ==
<status>
Latest Major Action: 6/3/2008: Referred to7/31/2008: House subcommittee.committee/subcommittee actions. Status: ReferredForwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security,Yeas and International Law.Nays: 7 - 2 .
</status>
<!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. -->
== Points in Favor ==
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== Points Against ==
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Visitor Comments 
John
May 13, 2008, 12:31am (report abuse)There are thousands of new foreign graduates from US qualified Nursing programs every year holding RN licenses, but cannot legally work after OPT expired due to such backlog. They will have to leave US if there is no available visa number even they graduated from US nursing schools, passed all the exams, held valid RN licenses and obtained one year OPT experience in US hospitals.
This bill will help them working in the US.
AJ
May 19, 2008, 5:34pm (report abuse)Its easy to talk of a new bill. But what about the already existing files for Immigration for nurses? Will the USICS accept new filing?
GP
June 4, 2008, 10:32am (report abuse)It is time for a bill like this to be passed by the government. This country is in dire straits due to the huge shortage of nurses. The nurse to patient ratio in many hospitals is 1:6 and this is very unsafe for patients. We need more nurses and we should all support this bill together.
patrik
June 4, 2008, 3:18pm (report abuse)I know how this bill will work, first they will discuss about it and there are the lobby groups then because of corrupt thinking and obsolete rationale, this bill will just go down the drain with out a hitch. Actually, its good for those people who want to see this country go to hell. Because a lot of people will just die because of that ie short staffing that results in error which results in deaths. Kudos.
Tom
June 5, 2008, 9:51pm (report abuse)It is a good bill. The important argument to support that is it is not taking away any job opportunities from Americans. Even after governments pro-nursing movements, there is a huge shortage for qualified registered nurses. Many reports shows that this shortage is going to increase in the future leading to a health care disaster in the well established US health system. But like the majority of the readers, I do believe this bill will fail. Just because no politicians care about the welfare of the citizens who elected them. Politicians need them only during the election times, when they want to inaugurate a something, or when ever they address a meeting! Shame for the democracy.
Clark
June 7, 2008, 8:30am (report abuse)This is a very good bill. It is a win-win solution for staffing shortages as well as to support the collapsing academe for Nurses. Vote for politicians who will support this bill and mark the those who will not because of their selfish deeds.
Crum
June 9, 2008, 9:53am (report abuse)Look around. What's the average age of an RN? 45? They'll
retire, just as demand peaks.
One of the specifics of HR 5924 is to provide grants to address the education needs for American nurses.
Should that actually work, I imagine no immigration would be required.
Finally, do we dispute the determination published by Heritage Foundation, Wall Street Journal and elsewhere that the nursing shortage will cost lives?
I was a software engineer during the dot com bubble. I know how it
feels to be in high demand. But let us bear in mind that the consequence of a nursing shortage is death.
deedee
June 15, 2008, 8:48pm (report abuse)I graduated in Jan '08 with an AAS degree in nursing and passed the NCLEX. I am licenced and Registered to practice as a RN but unable to do so because of the unavailablity of visas for nurses. It is unbelieveable that this country is facing drastic nursing shortages when the answer to the problem is to simply allow the hundreds or even thousands of qualified RNs to adjust our status so we can serve the country we have come to love. I hope that our reps in Washington will see the obvious benefit of H.R. 5924 and vote for the speedy passage of this bill
jerome
June 19, 2008, 10:49pm (report abuse)what are all the people waiting for... emergency means there is an urgent need!
Good Bill
June 24, 2008, 2:20am (report abuse)Please pass the bill ASAP. It is Win-Win way to solve the problem. So smart bill.
Joseph
June 26, 2008, 2:54am (report abuse)This bill is very good for nurses. Please pass the bill ASAP
Ajimon
June 27, 2008, 3:00am (report abuse)This is a goo Bill for all americans who need Nursing Assistance. And it is High time that the Politicians should think about the welfare of the people who vote for
JOANNASH
June 29, 2008, 11:53am (report abuse)Nobody can deny a truth that is nurse shortage. Passing this bill is a important thing since it's not only for patients, but for all of you.
Rick Castrop
June 30, 2008, 9:26am (report abuse)Passage of this bill will help us a great deal in the years ahead. Staffing a hospital with qualified nurses is an increasing challenge. As a hospital CEO, this bill must be enacted as soon as possible.
natalie
June 30, 2008, 11:44am (report abuse)Please pass the bill,everyone who is waiting for this law will work for welfare of American people.Moreover it wll make work of Amercan nurses better and easier, and prevent many medical errors.PLEASE!
Jessie
July 7, 2008, 5:47pm (report abuse)we want take good care of your grand mother,your mother and you and ...your lovely children....but we can not...even we passed all the Toefl test and Nurse test.Please pass the bill,when you help us,you are helping yourself in the future. love,Jessie.
LR
July 7, 2008, 7:49pm (report abuse)Please pass the bill! It is ridiculous that many illegal immigrants without any skills and no education can get work permits through whatever the methods. We, the RNs, who either complete years professional education and training in the States or in other countries, passed the NCLEX and many other evaluations, but we could not work as a nurse in the states.
We are young, educated, skilled, and we are well prepared to provide good care to the people in needs.
LR
July 7, 2008, 8:05pm (report abuse)I don't know what are the reasons for not giving working permits to foreign trained RNs.
Is the shortage of nurses the real problem in the States or is just what the nursing schools used to get funding from the Federal government or is just what the American nurses associations used to attract more ettentions from the government?
Are they thingking if the shortage continues, then the American nurses can get higher salary and better benefits, and then more young people will be attracted to be a nurse, then the shortage will be relieved?
LR
July 7, 2008, 8:15pm (report abuse)Are they just using the patients health and life as their chips?
Vivian
July 8, 2008, 8:04am (report abuse)Please pass this bill ASAP! Because patients need nurses.
Vivian Liu
July 8, 2008, 8:05am (report abuse)Please pass this bill ASAP!
Because patients need nurses.
Isaac
July 8, 2008, 9:13am (report abuse)This is a very important bill for the survival of some nursing homes in the rural areas of America, Lack of staff are a serious problem in these areas .
Angelina
July 8, 2008, 10:40am (report abuse)Everything will be ok,sooner or later.only time 's problem left.right? God bless us! we are staying with you.Now and Forever!!
Brenda
July 8, 2008, 12:05pm (report abuse)It is a win-win solution for staffing shortages as well as to support the collapsing academe for Nurses. we are waiting for it .
eleanorguan
July 9, 2008, 6:18am (report abuse)Please pass this bill!
Nurses need it !
patients need it!
Angy
July 9, 2008, 4:33pm (report abuse)I am an international who graduated from a US nursing school and passed the NClex 2 months later. I think the US should try to retain their nurses especially when they have been educated in us schools. The shortage is worldwide and many nurses in my situation are now thinking about moving to europe or canada or england. The USA need to retain their nurses, that's why we need to pass this bill!!! it's a must for the health and safety of the people, of your families and loved ones.
martin nelson mejia
July 16, 2008, 10:47pm (report abuse)calling U.S.legislators wake up please pass the bill
mr.x
July 17, 2008, 1:56am (report abuse)If you will pass the bill, please make sure that all qualified registered nurses will obtain US immigrant visa without delay and hindrance. This will greatly help preserve the humanity. For GOD'S SAKE, please provide US immigrant visas to qualified registered nurses as soon as possible! If the bill will become a law, you contributed greatly to GOD'S 2 great commandments which are to love God above yourself and to love people above yourself! Thank you and GOD BLESS YOU!!!
ALN
July 17, 2008, 10:07pm (report abuse)For those of you who cannot understand the ethical dilemma with this sort of legislation, watch the slide show at http://alnconsulting.org/global_nurse_shortage.aspx. Overall, this legislation appears fair and balanced in my opinion.
itunurse
July 17, 2008, 10:10pm (report abuse)Im a filipino nurse waiting for my chance for interview to get visa for me and my wife to work as nurses in u.s. I think it is only fair with the amount of effort and money we put in to practice our profession in the u.s. because if a lot of anti immigrants say we dont deserve to work in your country then they should stop making money out of people like me paying for nclex/cgfns exams and visa fees..besides we we get a job in us we pay taxes as well....fair enough illegal aliens dont deserve amnesty but we are trying to get to u.s. legally certainly is a different thing.....
Lynn
July 17, 2008, 10:37pm (report abuse)Lots of comments to pass this bill but little concern why American Nurses are leaving the work force. Just like lots of other jobs, we are truly not paid what we are worth and the facilities try to cut corners and have us work more with less resources. We need a bill that will increase the pay for nurses, give nurses more rights in the profession,and to increase funding for nursing schools. The solution is not to go outside of the U.S but to correct the problem that exist here. I am a nurse and I see what most of you don't see. Those who are for this bill are truly in the dark about what is going on in the hospitals. Nurses are willing to come back and come into the profession but legislature need to fix what is broken. This bill is yet another band aid over issues.
Amanda
July 18, 2008, 10:11am (report abuse)As a nurse, I understand the shortages we have in our profession and the reasons we have them. Retention of domestic and foreign nurses is the real problem that needs to be addressed. Importing more nurses from overseas is not going to fix the problem unless we can find ways to retain them and our own domestic nurses. Also, see Sen. Dick Durbin's moral dilemma with recruiting foreign-educated nurses into our workforce @ http://include.nurse.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080714/FL02/307140020...
meenajosy
July 18, 2008, 10:47am (report abuse)It is a very good bill and if it passess before the election it will be a mirracle.pls pass the bill
Marcus
July 19, 2008, 3:31am (report abuse)Excellent bill, with short term relief for nursing shortage as well as funding and scholarships to promote nursing profession to eradicate shoratge of nurses in the long run. I hope the bill is voted on its merit and not shot down because of other unrelated political interests.
john
July 23, 2008, 1:02am (report abuse)please support and let the bill be passed in the senate...
Lory
July 25, 2008, 10:18pm (report abuse)I am a US educated RN on H4 visa,
I have RN lisence for about a year now. I cannot work...
Nitin
July 27, 2008, 11:51am (report abuse)20,000 primary beneficiary quota. While there is no retrogression for Schedule A cases filed before September 30, 2011, Consulates may not approve more than 20,000 primary beneficiary visas in any one year. There is no quota for the immediate family members of such beneficiaries."
Dear HLG,
Does this mean 20,000 primary beneficiaries a year per consulate (ex. 20,000 for INDIAN Embassy) or 20,000 per year Worldwide?
Plz reply n solve my confusion!!!!!!!!!
Faye
August 1, 2008, 1:13am (report abuse)Please support this bill and let is be passed in the Senate.
Kunal
August 1, 2008, 2:53pm (report abuse)08/01/2008: H.R. 5882 and H.R. 5924 Both Obtain Green Light From House Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee Today
* Reportedly, the Subcommittee voted for both of these bills "yes" by 7:2 in H.R. 5924, Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act of Rep. Waxler of Florida, and 8;1 in H.R. 5882, Visa Number Recapture bill of Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California. The full Judiciary Committee will act on these two bills considering the Subcommittee recommendations. Good news, indeed.
Ben
August 4, 2008, 1:46am (report abuse)Ya! This is a good bill,Since demand is more and supply is less,it is inevitable to pass this one.
Franc
August 11, 2008, 11:16am (report abuse)To make it simple, a win-win solution for the U.S. and people who want to use their skill to help others.
bill
August 12, 2008, 8:51pm (report abuse)UHHHM, wtf are ya'll smoking? My only guess is that you are all foreign nurses. Importing foreign nurses to fill the nursing shortage? This would take away jobs from our lagal citizens. This is a bad idea. How about a bill that supports better working conditions for nurses, that would be better. Everyone write your congressman and tell them this bill stinks.
Mini Mathew
August 14, 2008, 3:21am (report abuse)This bill is very important. Pls pss as soon as possible
mystical62101
August 14, 2008, 3:14pm (report abuse)I'm a foreign born nurse trained and educated in the United States. I even worked as a RN for a year under OPT. I'm not allowed to work any more because of the lack of visas. What people need to understand is that the nursing shortage is very real and so extensive that it can not be filled by just increasing the number of people enrolling in nursing programs. Allowing foreign nurses to work here does not take away jobs from the US citizens as the shortage exists purely because there aren't enough US nurses available. Another point is that the nursing shortage is going to be a worldwide phenomenon in the next decade. If US doesn't take steps to bring in foreign nurses now, other countries will and US will lose out. We (foreign nurses) would like to work here cause we were educated here but at the same time, we do have a marketable profession that we can practice anywhere in the world.
Please pass this bill and help the ultimate recipients - the patients.
Wale Tijani
August 18, 2008, 1:36am (report abuse)The shortage of nurses continue to put strain on the nurse to patient ratio resulting in undue pressure on nurses to take on more patients than is safe; this ends up affecting the quality of care delivered and ultimately patient outcome
Tina
August 18, 2008, 8:49am (report abuse)As a nurse, I understand there is a nursing shortage but our energy would be better spent on trying to retain the nurses that we have. Also make available more nursing programs that will allow the current LPNs and paramedics to attend school to become RNs while being able to work full-time. The nursing education system in the United States needs to be totally revamped. There lies the problem in it's entirety. If an effort is made to recruit and license more U.S citizens and offer an incentive to become a nurse and remain a nurse, there is no need to look beyond the borders of the U.S. We have well capable people that are enrolled in schools like Excelsior College to become RNs; however, the legislation of several states have voted to not allow licensure of Excelsior graduates. This makes no sense at all.
Mary
August 18, 2008, 12:16pm (report abuse)I agree with Tina. As an LPN enrolled in the Excelsior College program, I am finding that more and more states will not license its graduates. This is ridiculous. Excelsior has an award winning program. License foreign nurses after you take care of your hardworking nurses at home.
Christine Starr
August 18, 2008, 12:22pm (report abuse)THIS BILL WONT BE LEGAL IN GEORGIA
A new law in GA house bill 1041 makes all nurses who trained and graduated in third world countries ineligable for an RN license.
Georgia will still have a huge nursing shortage.
nursebetty
August 18, 2008, 12:54pm (report abuse)do NOT pass this bill. yet again the American Government making it easy for immigrants to live in this country. Why not provide more schooling and training to those already here? Many nursing schools here in US cause the shortage themselves by making it nearly impossible to stay in the program. The day hours, the cost, the fail one test and you're out attidude needs to go out the door. That is also why we're in the 10th generation of families on welfare. The US will support them till the end yet never say "let's help educate these people and get them off welfare" Nope. not gonna happen. DO NOT PASS THIS BILL. Educate & Train US NURSES!
Nikki
August 18, 2008, 1:05pm (report abuse)No disrespect to foreign nurses, but outsourcing U.S. nursing jobs is NOT the answer. I have been an LPN for 19 years. I have been pursuing my associate RN degree through the WELL KNOWN, AWARD WINNING AND NLN ACCREDITED distance learning RN bridge program at Excelsior College, a college that has graduated over 36,000 RN's over 25 years. Individual State Boards of Nursing are quietly creating legislation that prevents Excelsior College Associate RN grads from EVER OBTAINING RN LICENSURE in their states and the GOVERNORS of those states are SIGNING THESE INTO LAWS. If Congress is looking to RECTIFY the nursing shortage, perhaps they should START BY addressing the NCSBN and individual states Board of Nursing, who are EFFECTIVELY ADDING TO THE NURSING SHORTAGE CRISIS by passing these FACTUALLY UNFOUNDED LEGISLATIONS! Come on Congress... I EMPLORE YOU TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE!
Karen
August 18, 2008, 4:27pm (report abuse)NO!!! DO NOT PASS THIS BILL!!!!! Enough of our jobs have gone to foreign countires! The US government nneds to pay US citizens to go to nursing school; not keep giving it away to foreign people who undermine our country! Passing this bill is NOT the answer!! What are you people thinking!?? Do you want to lose your job to some foreigner who can't speak our language and trust me, I know, as I have worked with some Visa/d nurses, they are NOT nearly qualified to work in our hospitals! Vote NO and keep our $ to educate US citizens who despartely need a job!!!
Stacey
August 18, 2008, 5:41pm (report abuse)NO to H.R. 5924! You're Kidding, Right? I am utterly floored! DUMB IDEA! I am really impressed that the Federal Gov. can see the tremendous need for nurses and REALLY DISGUSTED that the Great State of Georgia and the Board of Nursing is completely blind to the issue. I am a GA LPN who is working on my RN through Excelsior College's bridge program and the state I was born and reared in has taken steps to make sure that I will NEVER be an RN in Georgia with an Excelsior education. The Ga BON actually suggested I move!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, by all means PLEASE make sure we ship nurses in from around the world to fill the vast need before we allow the 1,100 affected students in GA to become Registered Nurses! Lets be sure to solve the world's problems before we do what is right by our LEGAL US CITIZENS! They probably will be allowed to work in GA and will not have to speak english, so maybe we should just start handing out pocket translators and I can get on FEDERAL ASSISTANCE!
Robin Sullivan, RN-BC CMSRN
August 18, 2008, 8:59pm (report abuse)Safe, quality care is at risk. I have worked with some foreign nurses that came during the last shortage that have not been quality practitioners by any standard. I have been an RN for 16 years and currently attend Excelsior College pursuing an advanced nursing degree. There are many LPN students there who are pursuing their RN degrees through distance learning. These students have anywhere from a few years to 30 years or more experience. For most of them, this is the only way they can attend school while working full time as nurses and tending to family and they have put out a lot of their hard earned money and time pursuing their studies. Now, they are being told by many of the state Boards of Nursing that they will not be allowed to get licensed. They have more quality experience than foreign nurses and need to be allowed to practice. Distance programs can put out large amounts of quality nurses, too.
Charlie
August 18, 2008, 11:35pm (report abuse)When I wake up in the emergency room I want to be sure I can understand the nurse. This is bad legislation.
Mike
August 19, 2008, 12:43am (report abuse)Please read the whole Bill first before making any comments. Some of you are just making comments base on the working title of the Bill.
Roughly 2/3 of the bill is actually for improving work conditions, retainment of US nurses and giving grants to colleges and universities and to increase the pay for educators so that so that their would be more faculty. US Citizens won't get turned down when applying for a nursing course. The grant money that will be generated might also be enough to even pay for tuition or at least subsidize majority of it for students.
Also, for those who are unaware. Those who come in legally are required to pass English Exams, the NCLEX and other certifications first before they come in.
The bill is also capped for just 3 years and will only give a limited amount of visas per year. It's not opening the flood gates as some of you are thinking. It might not even make a dent on any shortage.
Mike
August 19, 2008, 12:51am (report abuse)As someone has posted already, it really is a win-win situation.
If you guys just read the whole bill first and not conclude anything just base on the working title you will understand why some people thinks it's a win-win situation.
The visa numbers mentioned there is only good for 3 years and it won't even be significant enough to threaten anything. If you ask me, US nurses and faculty actually gets more of out of this bill than foreign nurses does. If you read the whole bill, you'll understand.
Matt
August 19, 2008, 1:05am (report abuse)Been reading comments about a certain nursing program.
If it's not being accepted by diff. Boards and on several States then there is something wrong with it.
It has nothing to do with this bill or to foreign nurses.
Foreign-educated nurses submit their transcripts for evaluation as well to the Boards. Some gets denied, some accepted.
Some foreign nationals also study being nurses in US programs and their transcripts gets approved by diff. Boards.
That just fortifies that something is wrong with the program from that school everyone is mentioning about, so do not blame it on this bill or to foreign nurses or to the diff. boards that are not accepting it.
Pat
August 19, 2008, 1:05am (report abuse)Sounds like it is something the hospital administrators would push so they can hold down wages. Vote No.
Carla
August 19, 2008, 2:38am (report abuse)This is just another way for companies to outsource our JOBS to foreign nurses. There are many nurses here whom have been LPN's and have furthered their education with Excelsior College to become Registered Nurses in some states and not be allowed to practice in others. It is preposterous! As an Army trained LPN, I was already trained to do everything a Registered Nurse did, however I needed the additional title in the civilian sector and now instead of allowing US citizen nurses to get jobs in different states whom have furthered their education with Excelsior College, we are getting shut out by different states. I guess I am a good enough nurse to save soldiers lives, but not good enough to practice in California! That really send a good message!
Leslie
August 19, 2008, 8:32am (report abuse)First of all it is not outsourcing as jobs remain in the country, the bill actually limits the number of foreign nurses to 20,000 a year and that too for 3 years. Secondly, the major part of the bill deals with providing funds and scholarships to support the domestic education of nurses. It seems the easiest solution for some is to blame foreign nurses for all problems and woes faced in US healthcare. I just hope that people will have the sense to judge the bill on its merit and not based on their personal prejudices and other unrelated issues.
Sherry
August 19, 2008, 11:47am (report abuse)VOTE NO---
I was in nursing school with foreign nurses and the majority could not understand English enough to safely care for a patient! Also the patients refused to have them care for them because they could not understand them! This only causes more work for American RN's!
Put the money to use helping Americans who want to be nurses! With the unemployment rising---use our tax dollars for AMERICANS!
Wally
August 19, 2008, 1:17pm (report abuse)Keep the jobs for the Americans. Importing nurses is just like everything else, cheaper labor means more profit.
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From the Blog
Global Nurse Shortage Facts
H.R. 5924, The Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act, is one of our often-visited and much-commented-upon bills. Its intent is to “provide relief for the shortage of nurses in the United States.” It would take various steps toward that end,...