A bipartisan approach to America's nursing shortage
There are thousands of qualified international nurses who have passed background checks, US licensure and English language exams, but cannot complete their visa applications because of green card apportionment rules. The HWRA would fix that.
US Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Cornyn (R-TX), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Todd Young (R-IN), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced in March 2021 the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a stopgap healthcare proposal to recapture previously unused visas for qualified international nurses to help meet the unprecedented challenges facing the US healthcare system.
The HWRA would recapture and reallocate 25,000 previously issued but unused immigrant visas for nurses and another 15,000 for doctors. All clinicians would be required to pass licensure and English language exams, have a spotless overseas record, and have graduated from an equivalent international medical program.
The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act is supported by dozens of organizations including
American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Neurology, American College of Rheumatology
American Geriatrics Society
American Hospital Association, American Organization for Nursing Leadership
American Society of Hematology
Physicians for American Healthcare Access
American Academy of Pediatrics
National Rural Health Association
American Medical Association
Society of Hospital Medicine
Federation of American Hospitals
American College of Physicians
Ascension Catholic Health Association of the U.S.
Healthcare Leadership Council
National Kidney Foundation
Society of Critical Care Medicine
American Immigration Lawyers Association
FWD.us
National Immigration Forum
Bipartisan Policy Center
American Business Immigration Coalition
The HWRA's bipartisan champions
Dick Durbin
U.S. Senator, D-IL
John Cornyn
U.S. Senator, R-TX
Patrick Leahy
U.S. Senator, D-VT
Todd Young
U.S. Senator, R-IN
Chris Coons
U.S. Senator, D-DE
Susan Collins
U.S. Senator, R-ME
Urge your senators and member of Congress to support this urgent legislation