I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3487
To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to health professions
programs regarding the field of nursing.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DECEMBER 13, 2001
Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself, Mrs. CAPPS, Mrs. KELLY, Mr. BROWN of Ohio,
Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. EHR-
LICH, Mr. RUSH, Mr. PICKERING, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. BURR of North
Carolina, Mr. JOHN, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr.
TOWNS, Ms. HART, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. WICKER, Mrs. MCCARTHY of
New York, Mr. FLETCHER, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mrs. THUR-
MAN, Ms. DELAURO, and Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to
health professions programs regarding the field of nursing.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Nurse Reinvestment
Act’’.
SEC. 2. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING
NURSING PROFESSION.
Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 296 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
‘‘PART H—PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS
‘‘SEC. 851. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop and
issue public service announcements that advertise and pro-
mote the nursing profession, highlight the advantages and
rewards of nursing, and encourage individuals to enter the
nursing profession.
‘‘(b) METHOD.—The public service announcements
described in subsection (a) shall be broadcast through ap-
propriate media outlets, including television or radio, in
a manner intended to reach as wide and diverse an audi-
ence as possible.
‘‘SEC. 852. STATE AND LOCAL PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCE-
MENTS.
‘‘(a) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award
grants to eligible entities to support State and local adver-
tising campaigns via appropriate media outlets to promote
the nursing profession, highlight the advantages and re-
wards of nursing, and encourage individuals from dis-
advantaged backgrounds to enter the nursing profession.
‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity that receives
a grant under subsection (a) shall use funds received
through such grant to acquire local television and radio
time, place advertisements in local newspapers, and post
information on billboards or on the Internet, in order to—
‘‘(1) advertise and promote the nursing profes-
sion;
‘‘(2) promote nursing education programs;
‘‘(3) inform the public of public assistance re-
garding such education programs;
‘‘(4) highlight individuals in the community
that are presently practicing nursing in order to re-
cruit new nurses; and
‘‘(5) provide any other information to recruit
individuals for the nursing profession.
‘‘(c) METHOD.—The campaigns described in sub-
section (a) shall be broadcast on television or radio, or
placed in newspapers as advertisements, or posted on bill-
boards or the Internet, in a manner intended to reach as
wide and diverse an audience as possible.’’.
SEC. 3. LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM; SCHOLARSHIPS.
(a) LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM; ADDITIONAL AS-
SIGNMENT AUTHORITIES.—Section 846(a) of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 297n(a)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (3)—