National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2025
HB4407, the National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2025, would amend the Public Health Service Act to create a federal framework for supporting and expanding the nursing workforce. The bill authorizes a two-year pilot program to establish new or strengthen existing state-based nursing workforce centers, with grants available to state agencies, boards of nursing, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and nursing schools. These centers would collect and analyze workforce data, study nursing education capacity, examine recruitment and retention challenges, and develop programs to help increase the number of nurses and stabilize the existing workforce.
The bill also directs the federal government to support broader state and regional health workforce analysis related to nursing. It expands the role of existing health workforce centers to include nursing-specific analysis, technical assistance, reporting, and dissemination of best practices. The legislation emphasizes standardized data collection, public-private partnerships, and evidence-based strategies to address shortages, especially in rural and underserved areas, as well as shortages in particular specialties and employer settings.
If enacted, the bill would amend Title VII of the Public Health Service Act by adding a new Part G for nursing workforce centers and by expanding section 761 to explicitly include nursing workforce analysis and technical assistance. It would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to spend up to $1.5 million per year in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from HRSA workforce initiative funds for the pilot program, and it would require annual reports to Congress on grant activities, workforce data, and recommended strategies. The bill would affect state agencies, nursing boards, schools of nursing, nonprofit and community organizations, and other entities involved in nursing education, workforce planning, and retention.
The available context suggests generally supportive sentiment toward the bill, reflected in bipartisan sponsorship by members from both parties and the bill’s focus on a widely recognized nursing shortage. The text frames the measure as a workforce stabilization and data-improvement effort rather than a major regulatory overhaul, which typically attracts broad health-care workforce support. No committee transcript or recorded vote is provided, so there is no evidence of formal opposition in the available materials.
The main policy questions appear to be how the pilot program should be implemented, which entities should receive grants, and how federal funds should be matched and distributed across regions. The bill requires a nonfederal match of at least $1 for every $4 in federal funds, which could be a barrier for smaller or less-resourced applicants. Another possible point of debate is the emphasis on public-private partnerships and data standardization, including how much authority the Secretary should have to determine eligible entities and prioritize statewide versus regional approaches. No specific objections are documented in the provided materials.