Federal Legislation and Agencies

2017 NASN Legislative Priorities

NASN supports the Nurses for Under-Resourced Schools Everywhere (Nurse) Act, which is a demonstration grant program to fund School Nurses based on Title I designation (free and reduced lunch and breakfast). Poverty is frequently an indicator of health needs. All students should be able to have their health needs safely met while in the school setting. The current reality is that students today have greater healthcare needs than in past generations. Children cannot meet their full potential with unmet heath needs. Members of Congress are urged to ensure that all children have access to a School Nurse.

NASN supports the final reauthorization funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) which provides vital health insurance for children. CHIP finances quality health coverage for more than eight million children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private health coverage. NASN has long supported CHIP and other programs that help ensure all children are covered by quality, affordable health insurance. Members of Congress are urged to extend CHIP funding.

NASN supports the continued access of children to healthcare through Medicaid in the Schools and opposes attempts to implement block grant or per capita caps. Increasingly, schools are partners in health promotion and interventions of students’ physical and mental health so that they can be more successful and ready to learn. NASN has long supported CHIP, Medicaid and other programs that help ensure all children are covered by and have access to quality, affordable health insurance.

NASN urges Congress to pass the Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR). Congress failed to reauthorize this important nutritional program in the last Congress that ensures children have access to breakfast and lunch. Every day, 32 million children receive school lunches and 12 million receive school breakfasts through the US Department of Agriculture’s School Lunch and School Breakfast Program. Schools meals often provide half of a student’s daily caloric intake. For a child that experiences food insecurity, school meals are a lifeline. NASN urges Congress not to weaken the current Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) that has helped ensure millions of children have access to regular meals.