The Healthcare Workforce Coalition, whose founding members include the AHA, Nov. 3 applauded Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and Reps. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., and Don Bacon, R-Neb., for reintroducing the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, legislation that would recapture up to 40,000 unused employment visas — 25,000 for nurses and 15,000 for physicians. It would also require expedited processing for those qualified to secure these types of visas without the assessment of additional processing fees, recognizing their critical role and contributions to addressing the health of the nation.
“The AHA thanks Senators Durbin and Cramer, and Representatives Schneider and Bacon, for leading this important bipartisan effort to support hospitals facing workforce pressures and ensure they can continue to provide vital access to care for patients,” said AHA Executive Vice President Stacey Hughes. “By recapturing previously issued but unused immigrant visas and expediting the visa authorization process for highly trained nurses and physicians, this legislation will help advance health in communities across the country.”
Supporting the bill as original cosponsors are Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Tom Carper, D-Del., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Chris Coons, D-Del., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Mike Rounds, R-S.D., Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., John Thune, R-S.D., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Todd Young, R-Ind., and Reps. Yadira Caraveo, D-Colo., and Tom Cole, R-Okla. The United States faces critical shortages of physicians, nurses and other allied professionals. For more on the coalition, visit healthcareworkforce.org.
