Bill
SRES 709
Senate resolution affirming the importance of nurses and endorsing National Nurses Week to recognize their critical role in healthcare and public health.
Title: A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week, to be observed from May 6 through May 12, 2026.
Purpose
- Expresses broad support for National Nurses Week and the goals and ideals of recognizing and honoring the nursing profession.
- Highlights the critical role of nurses in delivering safe, high-quality health care and in leading efforts to improve patient outcomes and health systems.
Key Provisions
- Declares Senate support for National Nurses Week, as established by the American Nurses Association.
- Recognizes the significant contributions of nurses to the U.S. health care system.
- Encourages all Americans to observe National Nurses Week with appropriate recognition, ceremonies, activities, and programs demonstrating the importance of nurses in patients’ daily lives.
- Emphasizes several rationales for recognizing nurses, including:
- Nurses on the front lines in health care, and their roles during wartime, natural disasters, and public health emergencies.
- Nurses as patient advocates and as the largest single component of the health care workforce (over 5,000,000 registered U.S. nurses).
- The leadership role of nurses in a team-based health care delivery model and in improving patient safety and outcomes.
- The involvement of nurses in research across clinical, health systems/outcomes, and nursing education domains.
- The centrality of nurses in public health infrastructure and health education.
- The need to strengthen nursing workforce development, including:
- Increasing the number of doctorally prepared nursing faculty.
- Supporting nursing education pathways, including for post-baccalaureate students.
- Providing education to nurse researchers to develop new care models.
- The broad impact of nursing across all life stages and the profession’s reputation for honesty and ethics.
Who or What Would Be Affected
- While the resolution is primarily symbolic, it acknowledges and endorses:
- National Nurses Week activities and programs.
- Public recognition of nurses and their contributions.
- Policymaker attention to nursing workforce development and education initiatives.
Procedural/Timeline Aspects
- The resolution was introduced in April 2026 and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- No substantive policy changes or funding provisions are included; it is a ceremonial resolution recognizing the nursing profession and encouraging observance of National Nurses Week from May 6–12, 2026.
Sponsors and Support
- Primary sponsor: Senator Merkley (with numerous cosponsors from both parties and various committees).
- Cosponsors include senators such as Grassley, Tillis, Warren, Blumenthal, Shaheen, Daines, Capito, Barrasso, Wicker, Booker, Risch, Markey, Duckworth, Peters, Padilla, Rounds, Hirono, Smith, Tillis, and others.
Impact Considerations
- No new federal programs or funding explicit in the text; potential indirect impact through amplified awareness and support for nursing workforce initiatives highlighted in the resolution.
- Could serve as a legislative signal backing nursing workforce development efforts and public health nursing leadership.
Bottom Line
- S. Res. 709 is a ceremonial Senate resolution affirming the importance of nurses and endorsing National Nurses Week (May 6–12, 2026). It underscores the profession’s critical role in health care, education, research, and public health, and calls for observance and recognition across the country, while noting needs in workforce development and education to sustain and advance the nursing field.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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