August 2025

Advocacy & Engagement 

NCC Statement on the Senate FY 2026 LHHS-ED Appropriations Bill

On August 5, the Nursing Community Coalition issued a statement commending the Senate Appropriations Committee for retaining and providing funding for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research in its FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education bill, as well as expressing a commitment to working with both the House and Senate to ensure that this remains the case in any final FY 2026 appropriations legislation. 

NCC Sends Letter to Congress Outlining Top Appropriations and Legislative Priorities

On August 19, sixty-two members of the Nursing Community Coalition signed onto a letter to all members of Congress, urging them to take action of top appropriations and legislative priorities that impact nursing education, workforce, and research.

NCC Submits Written Comments to Department of Education on Implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill

On August 25, fifty-six members of the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) signed onto written comments submitted to the U.S. Department of Education urging them to consider the needs of our current and future nurses when implementing H.R.1, the One Big Beautiful Bill. In particular, the NCC requests that the Department classify post-baccalaureate nursing programs under “professional” degree programs.

 

Events & Meetings

• The Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) held a virtual monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
• The NCC held a member-only event with Dr. Courtney Aklin, Interim Director of the National Institute of Nursing Research, on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
• Thank you to the NCC members who attended the Summer Networking Event on Monday, August 18, 2025.

NCC Connections

• The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) is hosting a Congressional briefing on September 17, 2025 from 8:30-10:00 am (ET) in 2060 Rayburn House Office Building. To RSVP, please email Sarah Potter at sarahp@hpna.org.
• The Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON) is hosting its 49th Annual Conference in Providence, RI from September 25-27, 2025. For more information and to register, click here.
• The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) is holding its 28th Annual NPWH Women’s Healthcare Conference in Las Vegas, NV from October 1-3, 2025. For more information and to register, click here.
• The Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates (SUNA) is holding its 2025 Urologic Conference in Louisville, KY from October 10-13, 2025. For more information and to register, click here.

In Case You Missed It…

• On August 7, the Administration issued an Executive Order granting political appointees oversight over the administration of federal grants. For more information, click here.
• NINR announced that it will host a 40th Anniversary Scientific Symposium, titled “Advancing Nursing Science to Improve Health for All: NINR’s Impact” on September 17th, 2025, at the Masur Auditorium, NIH Clinical Center. For more information, click here. 

 

HPASC Purpose and Objectives

To promote awareness within the DNA of issues and concerns in the area of Health Policy and Advocacy that assists DNA and it’s members to achieve their strategic goal of effectively advocating for members, patients, and the general public by:

1. Increasing membership involvement and understanding in health policy and advocacy efforts.
2. Acting as a resource for information on issues related to health policy and advocacy.
3. Working with members to investigate, consider, report, and act on advocacy issues commensurate with DNA’s Strategic plan.
4. Facilitating membership awareness, discussions, and activities.

HPASC Projects

• Support nursing within the Nursing Community
• Support cancer research, prevention, and education with One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC)
• Support State  Legislation to  prohibit tanning bed use by Children with The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network ACS CAN
• Support The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association SUNucate

Health Policy Advocacy Scanning Council

Blake Bryant, BSN, RN, DNC; Co-Chair
Elizabeth Jonas, LNP -Co-Chair
Karrie Fairbrother, BSN, CDE, DNC
Maura Flynn, MPP, RN, DNC
Krismarie Marrero, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Gayle Peterson, RN-BC
Leslie Stahulak, RN

HPASC Official Advocacy Toolkit

Advocacy is hard to describe because it’s so very personal. That is because advocacy just means your voice. Whether a local school board or your states senator in D.C., you are the voice that can affect change but if you remain silent, your voice will not be counted for.

The DNA wanted to create a toolkit for all dermatology healthcare providers to be able to affect change where they see fit. We encourage you to look for small wins, these realistic achievements snowball into bigger wins through collaboration and visibility.

We encourage you to find a way to start down a path for change today. Learn about the political process, send an email to a representative, download a calendar of events, volunteer for a committee, join a patient advocacy group. Together, we will have our voices and our patient’s voices heard.

DCAN’s Advocacy Toolkit – DCAN is excited to release its new advocacy toolkit. It’s an extensive guide on how patients and clinicians can overcome payer resistance.