January 2026

Advocacy & Engagement

NCC Sends Letter to Congress Supporting Full-Year FY 2026 Appropriations for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

On January 22, sixty-four members of the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) signed onto a letter thanking the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for including nursing education, workforce, and research funding in the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026.” Specifically, the letter urges Members of Congress to vote to pass this bill, which includes $305.472 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and $197.693 million for National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), before the January 30th deadline.

NCC Thanks Senators Collins and Blumenthal for Introducing Legislation that Improves Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers

On January 23, fifty-two members of the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) signed onto a letter thanking Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) for introducing the Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act (S.3296), as well as urging its passage this Congress. This bipartisan legislation would update the federal workers’ compensation program and authorize NPs to certify and oversee treatment for injured or ill federal employees under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA).

Events & Meetings

The Nursing Community Coalition held a virtual monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

Federal Funding Opportunities: Apply Today

• • Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs:

Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program. This program pays up to 85% of unpaid nursing education debt for RNs, APRNs, and Nurse Faculty, in exchange for working for at least two years in either an eligible critical shortage facility or at an eligible nursing school as nurse faculty. Apply by March 12, 2026 at 7:30 PM (ET).
 

Nominate a Nurse

• As we work to ensure nurses are at the federal policy table, we need your help! If you or someone you know has expertise, background, or experience related to any of the below opportunities, please CLICK HERE.
  • DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC)– Submit nomination form by 5:00 pm (ET) on Monday, February 2, 2026.

NCC Connections

• On January 15, Senate Nursing Caucus Co-Chair, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), introduced S.Res.583 – A resolution recognizing 2026 as “The Year of The Power of Nurses” in Celebration of the 130th Anniversary of the American Nurses Association. On January 20, House Nursing Caucus Vice Co-Chair and Nurse, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) introduced the same resolution in the House (H.Res.1010).
• On January 23, House Nursing Caucus member, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), as well as House Nursing Caucus Co-Chair, Congressman Dave Joyce (R-OH-14), introduced H.Res.67 – Recognizing the roles and the contributions of Americas Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and their critical role in providing quality health care for the public and the Nation’s Armed Forces for more than 150 years and through multiple public health emergencies and beyond.
• The National Association of Hispanic Health (NAHN) Policy Summit will take place from February 10-11, 2026, in Washington, D.C. For more information and to register, click here.
• The International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN) is holding its annual conference from March 18-21, 2026, in Seattle, WA. For more information and to register, click here. 

In Case You Missed It…

• One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3A) Implementation Updates
  • On January 30, the Department of Education (ED) released the OB3A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). As we anticipated, unfortunately, this proposed rule does not include post-baccalaureate nursing in the definition of “professional degree” programs. The deadline to submit written comments on this NPRM is March 2. We are reviewing the proposed rule as we work to coordinate our unified response efforts. We will provide additional updates and next steps, including at next week’s NCC Monthly Meeting, so we can submit comments that reflect our shared commitment and collective voices to ensure Nursing is a Professional Degree.
• On January 20, 2026, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees released their conferenced FY 2026 minibus package for FY 2026. Included in this package is the FY 2026 LHHS-ED spending bill. For more information about this bill, please see below:
  • Conferenced FY 2026 LHHS-ED Bill Text
  • Conferenced FY 2026 LHHS-ED Explanatory Statement
  • Conferenced FY 2026 LHHS-ED Summary
• Other OB3A Implementation Updates
  • On December 9, 2025, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein (D-NC) sent a letter to the Department of Education urging them to reconsider their proposed changes to the definition of “professional degree” programs, which would exclude post-baccalaureate nursing programs. To read the letter, click here.
  • On December 18, Congressman Josh Harder (D-CA-9) introduced H.R.6862, To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to delay, until July 1, 2030, the termination of authority to award certain Federal Direct PLUS loans and the implementation of limits on certain loans for graduate and professional students enrolled at institutions with certain public health designations, and for other purposes.
  • On December 25, 2025, Politico published an article titled, “What Republicans think Trump is getting wrong about nurses.” To read the article, click here.
  • On January 9, 2026, United Press International published an article on the work that nurses and nursing groups are doing to advocate for the inclusion of post-baccalaureate nursing in the Department of Education’s definition of “professional degree’ programs. To read the article, click here. 
• On December 17, 2025, Becker’s published an article titled, “Nurse pay trends signal labor market stabilization: 3 notes.” To read the article, click here.

Post of the Month

#FundingOpportunity: HRSA has opened applications for the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program! Applications are due by March 12, 2026 at 7:30 PM (ET). To learn more and apply, please visit https://bit.ly/4q7oiHt!

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

Elizabeth Jonas, LNP -Co-Chair
Karrie Fairbrother, BSN, CDE, DNC
Maura Flynn, MPP, RN, DNC
Gayle Peterson, RN-BC

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.