Capitol Beat – From the American Nurses Association

Stepping Into Advocacy: A Nursing Student’s Perspective on ANA Hill Day and Membership Assembly

ANA’s 2026 Hill Day convened hundreds of nurses from nearly every state and U.S. territory, representing a wide range of specialties, practice settings, career stages, and lived experiences. Although we arrived with different journeys, we departed for Capitol Hill united with a common purposeーto advocate for the nursing profession and the people we serve.

Day 1: One Voice on the Hill

The morning opened with remarks from ANA President Dr. Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, who welcomed attendees and set the tone for a day centered on both unity and action. Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL) followed in a fireside chat, drawing on her experience as both a public health nurse and a member of Congress to highlight that the public trust in nursing is a powerful foundation, one that must be paired with collective action to achieve lasting workplace and policy changes.

After receiving an overview of ANA’s legislative priorities, I began thinking about what makes advocacy effective. Before coming to D.C., I associated effective advocacy with strong evidence, research, statistics, and data that demonstrate the need for change. The credibility those elements establish does matter; however, I’m learning that they only tell part of the story.

As nurses, we do not simply bring information to these conversations; we bring the human experiences that give that information meaning. The stories behind the data, the moments of care, the challenges faced, and the experiences nurses witness every day are what make policy personal. Policymakers are, first and foremost, people with their own connections to healthcare through their families, communities, and personal experiences.

Moving through the Capitol’s tunnels and office buildings, I joined meetings with congressional staff from my home state of Texas, including the offices of Senator Ted Cruz, Senator John Cornyn, and Representative Greg Casar. I carried with me two perspectives throughout the day: that of an OR nurse and a third-year PhD nursing student. Together, they shaped how I listened, responded, and engaged with members of staff. The interactions felt conversational, and as the day went on, I found myself easing into the experience. I left Capitol Hill with a strong sense of pride for what we had accomplished.

Day 2: Advocacy Begins at Home

If Hill Day demonstrated how nurses advocate to Congress, Membership Assembly demonstrated how nurses advocate to one another.

The following day, members gathered to consider the direction and future of the ANA. Committees presented reports and proposals addressing organizational priorities, membership, and emerging issues facing the profession. The discussions were at times lengthy and complex, and not every topic moved easily toward consensus. Yet even in moments of disagreement, I saw a shared commitment to thoughtful dialogue and the belief that the profession is strengthened when diverse perspectives are brought forward.

As I explored the Assembly floor, educational exhibits, and historical displays, I was reminded that advocacy begins at home. It means shaping the future of nursing from within and ensuring that the profession continues to evolve alongside the needs of nurses and the communities we serve. The exhibits reflected the many dimensions of nursing, from ethics and professional values to initiatives supporting nurses’ own health and well-being. Throughout the day, I connected with nurses from across the country, learning from their experiences and perspectives while sharing my own journey as a PhD student. Many offered encouragement, saying, “Keep going. We need the next generation of nurse scientists to help lead our profession.”

Before leaving that day, I paused at a podium displaying a book with the names of ANA members who had passed on, a quiet reminder of the many nurses whose contributions shaped the profession before us. It reminded me that nursing is a profession built across generations, shaped by those who came before us, strengthened by those advancing the profession today, and carried forward by those who will lead it tomorrow.

Carrying the Work Forward

As a novice still finding my way in the world of advocacy and health policy, I came to Washington expecting a deeper understanding of how policy change happens. What I’m leaving with is something much more enduring, a clearer understanding that advocacy is not a singular act, but a professional responsibility. It belongs not only to elected officials or policy experts, but also to every nurse willing to engage through sharing experiences with legislators, participating in professional governance, mentoring the next generation, and lending their voice to the issues that shape the future of nursing.

From the Bedside to the Capitol: ANA Hill Day 2026

Nurses from across the country will gather in Washington, D.C. for the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) 2026 Capitol Hill Day this month to advocate for federal nursing priorities. After a policy briefing, they will meet with lawmakers to highlight the below issues affecting nurses and patient care.

Fight for Fair Graduate Student Aid

In May, the U.S. Department of Education finalized a rule classifying post-baccalaureate nursing programs as “graduate programs”, reducing borrowing limits for nursing students to $20,500 annually and $100,000 lifetime, compared with $50,000 and $250,000 for “professional degree” students. This is especially harmful for nursing students in accelerated programs who may hit borrowing caps before finishing their degrees.

Nurse advocates will urge lawmakers to support the Nursing Is a Professional Degree Act (H.R. 8691/S. 4568) to ensure that nursing students qualify for the higher graduate loan limits and support a Congressional Review Act resolution (H. J. Res. 189/S.J.Res.196) to repeal the rule. The adoption of these policies would ensure equitable access to federal financial aid and strengthen our nursing workforce.

Protect Nurses from Workplace Violence

Workplace violence is a major threat, with 75% of the nearly 25,000 workplace assaults reported each year occurring in health care and social service settings. One in four nurses reports being assaulted in their workplace. In fact, nurses are more likely to be victims of workplace violence than police officers or prison guards. The cost to the U.S. healthcare system exceeds $151 billion per year, not including the hidden costs of trauma, burnout, and attrition that drive nurses out of the profession.

The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R. 2531/S. 1232) would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue standards that healthcare employers would use to develop workplace violence prevention plans to protect their clinicians and patients. It would ensure that nurses and other direct-care workers help develop and implement those plans. The bill also protects nurses who report workplace violence. Nurse advocates will urge lawmakers to co-sponsor this critical legislation and take a concrete step toward ensuring nurses can care for their patients without fearing for their own safety.

Break Down Barriers Facing APRNs

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) now provide more than half of all primary care for Medicare patients, and decades of research demonstrate that they provide safe, high-quality care. Yet, federal law still requires unnecessary physician oversight and limits APRN practice.

The bipartisan Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act (H.R. 1317/S. 575) would remove outdated Medicare and Medicaid barriers that prevent APRNs from practicing to the full extent of their education and training. The measure notably does not supersede any state laws or alter APRNs’ scope of practice and has support from over 260 organizations.

ANA advocates will urge lawmakers to support the ICAN Act to expand access to quality care for patients — particularly those in rural and underserved communities — while empowering APRNs who are already proving every day that they are more than capable of meeting that need.

Invest in Nursing Education and Training

The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs are the only dedicated federal investment in nursing education, practice, and retention — yet they receive just $305.472 million compared to the $17.8 billion in mandatory federal spending directed toward graduate medical education. Last reauthorized in 2020, Title VIII programs supported more than 24,000 nurses, nursing students, and grantees in FY 2025 alone, helping to chip away at our nation’s nursing workforce shortage.

Nurse advocates will ask their lawmakers to fund the Title VIII programs at a minimum of $610 million in FY 2027, and to pass the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3593/S. 1874) to reauthorize the programs through FY 2030 — ensuring the pipeline of qualified nurses remains strong and that patients across the country continue to have access to high-quality care.

Call to Action

While registration for ANA’s 2026 Hill Day has closed, you can still make your voice heard. ANA is organizing a virtual day of action to coincide with Hill Day on 6/25 to amplify the message being shared by nurses on Capitol Hill.

Mark your calendars and be on the lookout for an RN Action Alert on June 25!

Your Midterm Elections Toolkit

There is no shortage of policies impacting nurses today, from the U.S. Department of Education creating caps on federal loans for graduate students to the need for a national standard for workplace violence prevention. Yet, just as important as advocating for nurses while these policies are written is being part of the political process to elect officials who are drafting these proposals in the first place.

2026 is a big election year. Although there’s no presidential race at the top of the ticket, voters must elect all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, in addition to 35 Senate races – 33 seats that are regularly up plus two special elections to fill the remainders of terms left by now-Vice President JD Vance and now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio. What’s more, 36 gubernatorial races are on the ballot in November, and several major cities – from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City to Tallahassee – are holding mayoral elections.

With so many races on the ballot, it certainly can be overwhelming as one person to understand what’s in your toolbox in being an engaged citizen. Each option has its own cost and benefits – some may be time-intensive; others may involve money – and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to participating in the political arena.

Below is a non-exhaustive menu of ways you can be active this midterm election in making your voice heard:

Voting

The simplest and most effective way you can participate in politics is voting.

This year’s general election day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. However, there may be other opportunities you have to head to the polls. While some states have already done this, many are still holding primary elections through September.

Each state has their own requirements for voting, and in most cases, you must be registered before election day. You can check with your secretary of state for voter registration deadlines and details. You can also check with your employer as some places allow individuals to take off time to vote on election day.

As you develop your plan to vote, we encourage you to visit ANA’s voting and elections center NursesVote.org. This is a one-stop-shop to find your state’s primary date, voter registration deadline, and link to your secretary of state.

Supporting Monetarily

Another way to make sure your voice is heard is by contributing. Campaigns are expensive: according to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), congressional candidates spent a total of $3.7 billion during the 2024 cycle. The average winning House of Representatives race raised $2.1 million last cycle, up from $1.1 million in 2008.

If you’re a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted permanent resident who is over the age of 18, is not a federal contractor, and is using your own personal funds, you can contribute to candidates, to political parties, and to political action committees (PACs). PACs are formed by associations, unions, companies, or other organizations to raise and distribute funds to aligned candidates. They allow individual donors to speak with a collective voice.

Under the umbrella of ANA, ANA-PAC supports nurse champions running for office at the federal level. ANA members can give to ANA-PAC to help elect policymakers who will advance priorities ranging from mandatory overtime rules to nurse faculty funding.

For more information on ANA-PAC, visit RN Action.

Engaging with your Community

The next level up in time intensive civic engagement, but where you can set the terms on when and how you do it, is connecting with your community. This can range from reminding your family of upcoming voter registration deadlines, to talking to your friends about a particular issue that’s motivating you to vote, to driving your neighbors to the polls on election day.

One resource is the nonprofit Vot-ER, which promotes civic engagement among healthcare professionals.

Volunteering for a Candidate or Cause

Another step up on the intensity level of engagement is volunteering more formally. Candidates need help with their campaigns, and you can volunteer to knock doors, make phone calls, send postcards, and help other get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts. If there is a candidate you want to see in office, we encourage you to volunteer with their campaign.

You have other opportunities besides volunteering with individual candidates: you can also support causes. Many local and state governments have ballot initiatives with their own campaigns. Another option is to work with organizations in your area, as many national interest groups have state and local chapters that focus on civic engagement.

One final volunteer opportunity is to become a poll worker. These individuals greet, verify, and walk voters through the electoral process at their voting location. The U.S. Elections Administration Commission has an easy-to-use portal to identify your local jurisdiction for volunteering, including the start and stop times, whether this role is compensated, and who to contact.

Running for Office

In 1992, former Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) became the first nurse elected to Congress. Currently, there are only three nurses serving on Capitol Hill: Reps. Sheri Biggs (R-SC), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), and Lauren Underwood (D-IL). We need more nurses and more nurse champions shaping policy in DC.

But you don’t have to just jump in feet first into the federal level: running for office at the state, the county, or local level – or even for your state boards of nursing – will give a voice to this profession. Elected roles from PTA board member to President have the power to shape how government services are delivered.

If you’re interested in running for office, the nonprofit Healing Politics has many resources to help, including an annual campaign school for nurses and midwives interested in working on campaigns or being a candidate.