Title: Honoring the 50th anniversary of the National Black Nurses Association.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution honors the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Black Nurses Association.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 572 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 572

Honoring the 50th anniversary of the National Black Nurses Association.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 29, 2021

  Ms. Johnson of Texas submitted the following resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Honoring the 50th anniversary of the National Black Nurses Association.

Whereas the National Black Nurses Association (in this preamble referred to as 
        the ``NBNA'') is a nonprofit organization that provides a forum for 
        collaborative action by African-American nurses to represent, advocate 
        for, and implement strategies to ensure access to the highest quality of 
        health care for persons of color;
Whereas the NBNA represented a cornerstone in the advancement of equitable 
        health care for Black and minority populations during the height of the 
        civil rights movement;
Whereas the NBNA was formed in 1971, and officially incorporated on September 2, 
        1972, and acts to unite the forces of Black nurses to promote inclusion 
        in nursing education and leadership, and improve access to high-quality 
        health care in Black and underserved communities;
Whereas the NBNA was established under the leadership of Dr. Lauranne Sams and 
        founding members Betty Jo Davidson, Gertrude Baker, Barbara Garner, Dr. 
        Mary Harper, Mattiedna Kelly, Phyllis Jenkins, Florrie Jefferson, Judy 
        Jourdain, Geneva Norman, Betty Smith Williams, Ethelrine Shaw, Anita 
        Small, Doris A. Wilson, and Gloria Rookard;
Whereas the NBNA represents approximately 200,000 African-American nurses, 
        licensed vocational and practical nurses, nursing students, and retired 
        nurses from Canada, the Eastern Caribbean, Africa, and the United 
        States, and has 114 chartered chapters across the country;
Whereas the NBNA pursues the betterment of minority health care by providing 
        preventative screenings and educating patients about health matters such 
        as managing high blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol, as well as 
        screening for HIV, COVID-19, and sickle cell, while also providing 
        mental health services;
Whereas the NBNA operates on a collaborative community health model centered 
        around improving the health of African Americans through providing 
        culturally competent health care services;
Whereas, since 1988, the NBNA has hosted more than 300 nurses and students 
        annually at National Black Nurses Day on Capitol Hill, with the goal of 
        educating Congress on the nursing shortage, nursing profession, and 
        health care disparities in Black communities;
Whereas the NBNA works in partnership with community-based organizations to 
        sponsor health fairs and other health-education-centered events, and 
        receives public and private grants in support of their work on global 
        health, mental health, and professional development and training;
Whereas the NBNA hosts an annual institute and conference, where more than 1,200 
        nurses and nursing students receive state-of-the-art instruction on 
        subjects such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, children's health, 
        diabetes, end of life, HIV/AIDs, kidney disease, research, and women's 
        health;
Whereas, in recent years, the NBNA launched several programs to further its 
        goals of preparing the next generation of Black nurses, including the 
        Under 40 Forum to recruit and retain younger members, the Summer Youth 
        Enrichment Institute to increase the pipeline of future nursing 
        professionals, and the Diversity Institute to provide information on 
        innovations related to nursing by diverse providers to diverse 
        populations to improve health outcomes, and the association remains 
        committed to the academic achievement of student nurses at all levels by 
        providing annual scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $90,000;
Whereas the NBNA introduced RETHINK, a campaign that focuses on educating Black 
        nurses on the science surrounding vaccinations and protecting their own 
        health by receiving vaccines annually, and the campaign provides 
        essential information regarding the danger of viruses and pushes against 
        misinformation and skepticism to counter vaccine hesitancy;
Whereas the NBNA has rolled out additional projects to support the mental health 
        of nurses struggling with the pressures of the ongoing pandemic, 
        including the RE:SET initiative which aims to remove the stigma around 
        mental health within minority communities and provide round-the-clock 
        support for Black nurses and on demand text therapy along with many 
        other low-cost initiatives;
Whereas the NBNA recognizes nurses who have made major contributions throughout 
        their nursing career and are honored with the NBNA Lifetime Achievement 
        Award and the NBNA Trailblazer Award;
Whereas discrimination is still common for Black nurses in the workplace despite 
        incredible efforts to highlight the disparities, inequities, and biases 
        in health care and educate and inform health care providers, 
        stakeholders, and partners of the racial and ethnic differences in 
        providing health care to patients in communities of color; and
Whereas the inequities are only fostered by mistrust harbored by a community 
        that is severely underrepresented in the health care field, leading to 
        undertreatment and misdiagnoses: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the work of the National Black Nurses Association is 
        more relevant and necessary now than ever before, as people of 
        color have experienced disparate health impacts due to COVID-19 
        and other global crises; and
            (2) the House of Representatives--
                    (A) honors the National Black Nurses Association 
                for their 50-year commitment to educating a pipeline of 
                Black nursing professionals who are adequately trained 
                and culturally competent to meet the health care needs 
                of people of color in medically underserved 
                communities; and
                    (B) reaffirms its commitment to working alongside 
                the National Black Nurses Association to further their 
                contributions to improve health outcomes in communities 
                of color.
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