Reps. Costa, Kiggans Push for MORE Nurses to Address National Shortage

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21) and Jen Kiggans (VA-02) introduced H.R. 3333 - Magnifying Opportunities to Recruit and Educate (MORE) Nurses Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing the growing nursing shortage nationwide.
 
“The nursing shortage is not just a workforce crisis—it’s a public health emergency,” said Congressman Costa. “In the San Joaquin Valley and across the country, patients are waiting longer for care, and hospitals are operating beyond capacity. My legislation directs the federal government to step up with real solutions to train, recruit, and retain the nurses our communities desperately need.”
 
“As a nurse practitioner, I know the vital role nurses play in communities across the country and have seen firsthand how the ongoing nursing shortage negatively impacts patients,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “America’s nurses work from sun-up to sundown to provide lifesaving care, and we must do our part to provide them the training they need, prevent burnout in their workforce, and encourage more men and women to take up the profession. The MORE Nurses Act is a critical step to identify the root causes of our nation’s nursing shortage and deliver lasting solutions to support and rebuild our nursing workforce. I am proud to join Congressman Costa in introducing this bipartisan legislation to support our healthcare heroes.”
 
BACKGROUND
The United States is facing a critical shortfall in nurses, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a need for more than 275,000 additional nurses by 2030. California is among the hardest-hit states, and the shortage is even more severe in the San Joaquin Valley, where some communities have the lowest nurse-to-patient ratios in the state. A 2024 study by UCSF-Fresno found that the Valley would need to double its number of registered nurses to meet national benchmarks.
 
The MORE Nurses Act will ensure the federal government is employing all the tools at its disposal to bolster the nursing workforce. This legislation directs the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice to take a comprehensive look at the crisis by:

• Evaluating trends in the nursing workforce and the capacity of nursing schools to train future professionals.
  
   
• Identifying barriers contributing to the shortage, particularly in rural and underserved regions.
  
   
• Reviewing federal programs that support nursing education and promote diversity in the profession; and
  
   
• Recommending concrete policy solutions to strengthen and expand the nursing pipeline.

The Council’s findings and policy recommendations will be delivered to Congress within one year and made available online to ensure public transparency and engagement from healthcare and education stakeholders.