Â鶹APP

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 1, 2025 – Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced its Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS-ED) spending bill by a vote of 26 to 3. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is pleased that the Senate Appropriations Committee rejected the steep cuts and eliminations to Title VIII nursing programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) contained in the President’s FY 2026 budget proposal. The bill preserves funding for most Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs as well as NINR, though we are disappointed by the proposed reductions in funding to the Nursing Workforce Diversity Program.

Specifically, the Senate FY 2026 LHHS-ED bill provides $303.472 million for the Title VIII programs, including level funding for most Title VIII programs, with the exception of a proposed $2 million reduction for the Nursing Workforce Diversity Program. This results in an overall decrease in funding of $2 million (0.66%) for Title VIII compared to previously enacted levels in FY 2024 and FY 2025. Additionally, the Senate legislation would provide $197.693 million in funding for NINR, representing level funding compared to the prior two fiscal years.

Further, AACN appreciates the Committee’s recognition of the pressing need to address increasing demand for nurses. Specifically, the Committee recognizes “the severe nursing shortage facing our country and the challenges this shortfall poses to our healthcare system’s ability to meet increasing demand,” and “encourages [the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services] to engage with stakeholders to assess current and projected shortages, identify best practices and innovative strategies at the Federal, State, and local levels, and make recommendations to strengthen the nursing workforce pipeline.”

Â鶹APP is also pleased to see language included in the Senate’s Committee Report emphasizing the need to address workplace violence in the healthcare and social services sector, as well as inclusion of $5 million in funding to increase the supply of registered nurses included in the $400.966 million allocation for the Strengthening HBCUs Program. AACN similarly agrees with the Committee’s position that “funding nursing research offers an excellent return on investment, advancing the health of individuals and communities while ensuring high-quality, cost-effective care across lifespan.”

AACN recognizes the crucial role that each of the Title VIII programs play in addressing all aspects of nursing workforce demand, including education, practice, recruitment, and retention, as well as the foundational importance of NINR for establishing the scientific basis for high-quality nursing care. While we oppose funding reductions for programs that support academic nursing, we thank the Senate for its bipartisan work in rejecting the eliminations of several Title VIII programs along with NINR that were proposed in the Administration’s FY 2026 budget justifications. We remain deeply committed to advocating for increased federal funding for these vital programs.

The Senate Appropriations Committee-passed FY 2026 LHHS-ED bill is one of the early steps in the appropriations process, and AACN looks forward to working with Congress to ensure the highest level of funding for Title VIII and NINR in FY 2026. More information on AACN’s advocacy efforts can be found on our website.