I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3679 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish the position of National 
Nurse for Public Health. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 15, 2011 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself, Mr. KING of New York, 
Ms. SPEIER, Ms. NORTON, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. 
WELCH, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. LUJA´N, Mr. HINCHEY, 
Mr. OLVER, Mr. BOSWELL, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. 
MCDERMOTT, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. 
HONDA, and Mr. HOLT) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish the 
position of National Nurse for Public Health. 
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 ‘‘National Nurse Act 
of 2011’’. 
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SEC. 2. NATIONAL NURSE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH. 
Title XVII of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 300u et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1711. NATIONAL NURSE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established within 
the Office of the Surgeon General a full-time posi-
tion, to be filled by registered nurse to be known as 
the National Nurse for Public Health. 
‘‘(2) PROCEDURE.—Except for the initial ap-
pointment of the National Nurse for Public Health 
under paragraph (3), the Secretary shall appoint the 
National Nurse for Public Health in accordance with 
Commissioned Corps Instruction CC23.4.6 (relating 
to Chief Professional Officer Nominations), as in ef-
fect on February 13, 2008. 
‘‘(3) INITIAL
APPOINTMENT.—Not later than 
30 days after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Secretary shall appoint the individual serving as 
the Chief Nurse Officer of the Public Health Service 
as of the date of the enactment of this section as the 
first National Nurse for Public Health. 
‘‘(b) RANK AND GRADE.—The National Nurse for 
Public Health shall have the same rank and grade as the 
Deputy Surgeon General of the Public Health Service. 
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‘‘(c) DUTIES.—The National Nurse for Public Health 
shall carry out the following: 
‘‘(1) Provide leadership and coordination of 
Public Health Service nursing professional affairs 
for the Office of the Surgeon General and other 
agencies of the Public Health Service, including pro-
viding representation for the Government of the 
United States at the Global Forum for Government 
Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers and serving as 
a member of the Federal Nursing Service Council. 
‘‘(2) Represent the Surgeon General and the 
agencies of Public Health Service in communications 
with groups and societies concerned with nursing 
issues at the local, State, national, and international 
levels. 
‘‘(3) Provide guidance and advice to the Sur-
geon General and the Nurse Professional Advisory 
Committee on matters such as standards, recruit-
ment, retention, readiness, and career development 
of nurses employed by and contracted with agencies 
of the Public Health Service. 
‘‘(4) Conduct media campaigns and make per-
sonal appearances for purposes of paragraphs (5) 
through (7). 
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‘‘(5) Provide guidance and leadership for activi-
ties to promote the public health, including encour-
aging nurses and other health professionals to be 
volunteers and developing projects that educate the 
public about and engage the public in prevention 
practices to achieve better health. 
‘‘(6) Provide guidance and leadership to encour-
age nurses to engage in furthering their education in 
order to conduct nursing research, increase the 
awareness of evidence-based practice, and educate 
future nurses. 
‘‘(7) Provide guidance and leadership for activi-
ties that will increase public safety and emergency 
preparedness. 
‘‘(d) NATIONAL
HEALTH
PRIORITIES—HEALTHY 
PEOPLE 2020.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The National Nurse for 
Public Health, in cooperation with the Surgeon Gen-
eral of the Public Health Service, heads of the agen-
cies of the Public Health Service, States, and orga-
nizations that represent health professionals, shall 
participate in the identification of national health 
priorities. 
‘‘(2) ADDRESSING
NATIONAL
HEALTH
PRIOR-
ITIES.—The National Nurse for Public Health, in 
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addressing national health priorities, shall encourage 
volunteerism of nurses and other individuals, and 
strengthen the relationship between Government 
agencies and health-related national organizations. 
‘‘(3) COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(A) IMPLEMENTATION.—In addressing 
national health priorities, the National Nurse 
for Public Health shall— 
‘‘(i) provide guidance and coordination 
on recommended activities to organiza-
tions; 
‘‘(ii) acknowledge successful programs 
and encourage their replication; 
‘‘(iii) promote the dissemination of 
evidence-based practice in educating the 
public on health promotion and disease 
prevention activities; 
‘‘(iv) encourage practicing nurses and 
other health professionals, including retired 
health professionals and students enrolled 
in health professional programs, to partici-
pate in health promotion activities and rep-
licate successful health promotion activi-
ties; and 
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‘‘(v) monitor activities being con-
ducted through the collection and evalua-
tion of data to determine if national health 
priorities are being addressed. 
‘‘(B) MEDIA
CAMPAIGNS.—The National 
Nurse for Public Health shall ensure that 
media campaigns conducted under subsection 
(c)(4) include media campaigns regarding the 
national health priorities. 
‘‘(C) EVALUATIONS.—The National Nurse 
for Public Health shall, directly or through 
awards of grants or contracts, evaluate the ac-
tivities encouraged by the National Nurse for 
Public Health and conducted by community- 
based, nonprofit organizations to determine the 
extent to which such activities have succeeded 
in carrying out national health priorities. 
‘‘(D) DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.— 
The National Nurse for Public Health shall dis-
seminate information to governmental agencies, 
schools, and community-based, nonprofit orga-
nizations interested in health promotion and 
improving public health through community ac-
tion.’’. 
Æ 
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