H. R. 4137—425 
(B) determining whether such audits and reviews 
result in a level of protection of borrower interests and 
of Federal fiscal interests that is comparable for each pro-
gram; and 
(C) determining the extent to which the Department 
of Education ensures timely submission of required finan-
cial and compliance audits and reviews and compliance 
with statutory and regulatory requirements. 
(2) ADDITIONAL CONTENT OF STUDY.—The study under sub-
section (a) shall— 
(A) provide a list of the financial and compliance audits 
and reviews required or conducted as part of the proper 
management of the Federal student loan programs under 
parts B and D of title IV of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq. and 1087a et seq.); 
(B) determine the frequency of each audit and review; 
(C) provide a list of the entities and activities that 
are the subject of each audit and review, including institu-
tions of higher education, servicers, secondary markets, 
guaranty agencies, the Department of Education and the 
contractors of the Department of Education, and any other 
entities that are required to participate in the audit or 
review; 
(D) determine the degree of individual borrower level 
reconciliation required under Federal student loan pro-
grams under such parts B and D of title IV; 
(E) make recommendations with respect to such audits 
and reviews to ensure— 
(i) such audits and reviews are comparable among 
Federal student loan programs under such parts B 
and D of title IV; and 
(ii) a level of protection of borrower interests and 
of Federal fiscal interests that is comparable for Fed-
eral student loan programs under such parts B and 
D of title IV, to the extent such comparability does 
not exist; and 
(F) assess the extent to which the Department of Edu-
cation makes appropriate use of such financial and compli-
ance audits and reviews in the Department’s administra-
tion and oversight of the Federal student loan programs 
under such parts B and D of title IV. 
SEC. 1120. SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABILITY. 
Not later than September 30, 2010, the Secretary of Education, 
in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, shall convene a summit of higher education experts 
working in the area of sustainable operations and programs, rep-
resentatives from agencies of the Federal Government, and business 
and industry leaders to focus on efforts of national distinction 
that— 
(1) encourage faculty, staff, and students at institutions 
of higher education to establish administrative and academic 
sustainability programs on campus; 
(2) enhance research by faculty and students at institutions 
of higher education in sustainability practices and innovations 
that assist and improve sustainability;
H. R. 4137—426 
(3) encourage institutions of higher education to work with 
community partners from the business, government, and non-
profit sectors to design and implement sustainability programs 
for application in the community and workplace; 
(4) identify opportunities for partnerships involving institu-
tions of higher education and the Federal Government to 
expand sustainable operations and academic programs focused 
on environmental and economic sustainability; and 
(5) charge the summit participants or steering committee 
to submit a set of recommendations for addressing sustain-
ability through institutions of higher education. 
SEC. 1121. NURSING SCHOOL CAPACITY. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Researchers in the field of public health have identified 
the need for a national study to identify constraints encountered 
by schools of nursing in graduating the number of nurses 
sufficient to meet the health care needs of the United States. 
(2) The shortage of qualified registered nurses has 
adversely affected the health care system of the United States. 
(3) Individual States have had varying degrees of success 
with programs designed to increase the recruitment and reten-
tion of nurses. 
(4) Schools of nursing have been unable to provide a suffi-
cient number of qualified graduates to meet the workforce 
needs. 
(5) Many nurses are approaching the age of retirement, 
and the problem worsens each year. 
(6) In 2004, an estimated 125,000 applications from quali-
fied applicants were rejected by schools of nursing, due to 
a shortage of faculty and a lack of capacity for additional 
students. 
(b) STUDY WITH RESPECT TO CONSTRAINTS WITH RESPECT TO 
SCHOOLS OF NURSING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter into an agree-
ment with the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy 
of Sciences to conduct a study for the purpose of— 
(A) identifying constraints encountered by schools of 
nursing in admitting and graduating the number of reg-
istered nurses necessary to ensure patient safety and meet 
the need for quality assurance in the provision of health 
care; and 
(B) developing recommendations to alleviate the con-
straints on a short-term and long-term basis. 
(2) CERTAIN COMPONENTS.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
the agreement under paragraph (1) provides that the study 
under such paragraph will include information on the following: 
(A) The trends in applications for attendance at schools 
of nursing that are relevant to the purpose of the study, 
including trends regarding applicants who are accepted 
for enrollment and applicants who are not accepted, 
particularly qualified applicants who are not accepted. 
(B) The number and demographic characteristics of 
entry-level and graduate students currently enrolled in 
schools of nursing, the retention rates at the schools, and
H. R. 4137—427 
the number of recent graduates from the schools, as com-
pared to previous years and to the projected need for reg-
istered nurses based on two-year, five-year, and ten-year 
projections. 
(C) The number and demographic characteristics of 
nurses who pursue graduate education in nursing and non- 
nursing programs but do not pursue faculty positions in 
schools of nursing, the reasons for not pursuing faculty 
positions, including any regulatory barriers to choosing 
to pursue such positions, and the effect of such decisions 
on the ability of the schools to obtain adequate numbers 
of faculty members. 
(D) The extent to which— 
(i) entry-level graduates of the schools of nursing 
are satisfied with their educational preparation, 
including their participation in nurse externships, 
internships, and residency programs; and 
(ii) such entry-level graduates are able to effec-
tively transition into the nursing workforce. 
(E) The satisfaction of nurse managers and administra-
tors with respect to the preparation and performance levels 
of entry-level graduates from the schools after one year, 
three years, and five years of practice, respectively. 
(F) The extent to which the current salary, benefit 
structures, and characteristics of the workplace, including 
the number of nurses who are presently serving in faculty 
positions, influence the career path of nurses who have 
pursued graduate education. 
(G) The extent to which the use of innovative tech-
nologies for didactic and clinical nursing education might 
provide for an increase in the ability of schools of nursing 
to train qualified nurses. 
(3) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Institute of Medicine may 
include in the recommendations developed under paragraph 
(1)(B) recommendations for legislative or administrative 
changes at the Federal or State level, and measures that can 
be taken in the private sector— 
(A) to facilitate the recruitment of students into the 
nursing profession; 
(B) to facilitate the retention of nurses in the work-
place; and 
(C) to improve the resources and ability of the edu-
cation and health care systems to prepare a sufficient 
number of qualified registered nurses. 
(4) METHODOLOGY OF STUDY.— 
(A) SCOPE.—The Secretary shall ensure that the agree-
ment under paragraph (1) provides that the study under 
such paragraph will consider the perspectives of— 
(i) nurses and physicians in each of the various 
types of inpatient, outpatient, and residential facilities 
in the health care delivery system; 
(ii) faculty and administrators of schools of 
nursing; 
(iii) providers of health plans or health insurance; 
and 
(iv) consumers.
H. R. 4137—428 
(B) CONSULTATION
WITH
RELEVANT
ORGANIZATION.— 
The Secretary shall ensure that the agreement under para-
graph (1) provides that relevant agencies and organizations 
with expertise on the nursing shortage will be consulted 
with respect to the study under such paragraph, including 
the following: 
(i) The Agency for Healthcare Research and 
Quality. 
(ii) The American Academy of Nursing. 
(iii) The American Association of Colleges of 
Nursing. 
(iv) The American Nurses Association. 
(v) The American Organization of Nurse Execu-
tives. 
(vi) The National Institute of Nursing Research. 
(vii) The National League for Nursing. 
(viii) The National Organization for Associate 
Degree Nursing. 
(ix) The National Student Nurses Association. 
(5) REPORT.—The Secretary shall ensure that the agree-
ment under paragraph (1) provides that, not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this section, the Institute 
of Medicine shall submit a report providing the findings and 
recommendations made in the study under this section to the 
Secretary and the authorizing committees. 
(6) OTHER
ORGANIZATION.—If the Institute of Medicine 
declines to conduct the study under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
may enter into an agreement with another appropriate private 
entity to conduct the study. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) TERMS
IN
PUBLIC
HEALTH
SERVICE
ACT.—The terms 
‘‘collegiate school of nursing’’, ‘‘associate degree school of 
nursing’’, and ‘‘diploma school of nursing’’ have the meanings 
given to such terms in section 801 of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 296). 
(2) SCHOOL
OF
NURSING.—The term ‘‘school of nursing’’ 
means a collegiate school of nursing, an associate degree school 
of nursing, or a diploma school of nursing in a State. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Education. 
SEC. 1122. STUDY AND REPORT ON NONINDIVIDUAL INFORMATION. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) HISTORICALLY
BLACK
COLLEGE
OR
UNIVERSITY.—The 
term ‘‘historically Black college or university’’ has the meaning 
given the term ‘‘part B institution’’ in section 322 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061). 
(2) TRUTH
IN
LENDING
ACT.—The terms ‘‘covered edu-
cational institution’’ and ‘‘private education loan’’ have the 
meanings given the terms in section 140 of the Truth in Lending 
Act, as added by title X. 
(b) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study— 
(1) on the impact on and benefits to borrowers of the 
inclusion of nonindividual factors, including cohort default rate, 
accreditation, and graduation rate at institutions of higher