Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)
WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Lauren Underwood released the following statement on the Department of Education’s proposed rule to limit federal student loan eligibility for advanced nursing programs by reclassifying them as graduate, rather than professional, degrees. The move will make schooling for nursing professionals more expensive and harder to access, raising health care costs system-wide.
“Every day, nurses in communities around our country are doing critically important work to support the health and well-being of our families. We’re providing excellent clinical care, conducting important research, and carrying out critical public health initiatives. We are dedicated professionals, and this uninformed, shortsighted proposal is a slap in the face,” said Rep. Underwood. “This rule will make it more difficult and vastly more expensive for nurses to become advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and nurse educators. It will put an even greater strain on our already overloaded health care system, raise costs for everyone, and put public health at risk.
As the largest and most trusted health care profession, nurses are formidable advocates. This regulation is not yet final, and thankfully, there is still time to urge the Trump Administration to reverse course. The public comment period is open and now is the time for action. America needs more nurses, not fewer. It is critically important that every nurse in our country participates and makes our voices heard to reverse this disastrous policy.”
Members of the public are urged to submit comments on the proposed rule here until March 2, 2025.
The proposed rule comes as the United States faces a historic health care crisis caused by Republican’s Big Ugly Bill, the largest cut to health care in our nation’s history. In addition to these cuts, the Big Ugly Bill places new caps on federal student loan borrowers who are pursuing graduate degrees that prevent borrowers from covering the full cost of their education. Nursing professionals will be directly harmed if this proposed rule is implemented and advanced nursing programs are reclassified.
Rep. Lauren Underwood is a registered nurse with a BSN in Nursing and a Masters of Nursing and Public Health. She is one of three registered nurses serving in the 119th Congress.
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