WASHINGTON, DC, June 7, 2007 - Today the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee completed markup of the FY 2008 spending bill for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is pleased to report that the nursing community has benefited from the markup through additional funding for The Nursing Workforce Development (Title VIII) and Health Professions Education (Title VII) Programs.
While the President’s FY 2008 budget recommended funding of $105.3 million for Title VIII, the LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee moved to provide $165.6 million, an increase of approximately 10.7% over FY 2007 funding of $149.68 million. The Subcommittee restored funding to the Advanced Education Nursing (AEN) Program, which was eliminated under the President's FY 2008 budget. The AEN Program is funded at $57.06 million, the same as in FY 2007. Two Title VIII Programs received an increase in funding, the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) and the Loan Repayment and Scholarship Program (NELRP). The NFLP received $7.77 million, an increase of $3 million or 63% over the FY 2007 funding level. NELRP received $44 million, an increase 41%. For more details on the funding levels for other nursing programs, see: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Government/pdf/FY2008FundingChart.pdf.
The Subcommittee provided $228.3 million for Title VII, an increase of approximately 23.6%. Nursing receives Title VII funding through such programs as the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students.
Additional funding was provided as follows:
- National Institutes of Health: $29.7 billion (2.6% increase)
- National Institute of Nursing Research: $139.53 (1.6% increase)
- Health Resources & Services Administration: $6.95 billion (8.4% increase)
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: $329.6 million (3.3% increase)
AACN is extremely grateful to the members of the House LHHS Subcommittee for all of their hard work and dedication to this important piece of legislation. We are especially grateful that during a time when our country is experiencing a nursing and nursing faculty shortage they have chosen to show their commitment to addressing this issue and have made nursing education and workforce development a top priority.
AACN will continue to closely monitor the details of the appropriations process and will release more detailed information when available.
