Congress funds nursing schools to address workforce shortage, prioritizes underrepresented students
H.R. 6607 — FAAN Act · Filed by Lauren Underwood (D-IL) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Dec 11, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill authorizes $1 billion in federal grants to nursing schools to hire more faculty, enroll more students, modernize facilities and equipment, and improve clinical training partnerships—with priority given to schools serving medically underserved areas, rural regions, and schools that train students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The bill requires schools to report annually on their progress and mandates a congressional report within 5 years on enrollment, graduation, and workforce outcomes.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is straightforward: federal grants to nursing schools for capacity-building, faculty hiring, and infrastructure modernization. The stated purpose and actual mechanism align; there are no hidden riders or misdirections.
What the text implies
- The bill's emphasis on training nurse researchers and scientists (section 832(a)(6)) may indirectly support pharmaceutical and biotech companies by expanding the research workforce, though the primary beneficiary is the nursing profession and public health capacity.
- Reporting requirements disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and other demographics create a public record of nursing workforce diversity outcomes, which may inform future policy but also exposes schools to scrutiny if diversity targets are not met.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
nursing schools (public and nonprofit institutions); health care facilities and community health centers (as clinical education partners)