Dear John,

As the husband of a nurse, I’ve seen up close the sacrifices our nurses make day after day to provide exceptional care and comfort to our communities. All year, they’ve been on the absolute front lines of this pandemic -- tragically, often without the full support, resources, and personal protective equipment (PPE) they need.

Now, more than ever, we must do everything we can to support and invest in these amazing health professionals. So this week, Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) and I unveiled a detailed agenda to support our nurses that includes priority items for coronavirus relief legislation, and recommendations for President-elect Biden, his administration, and Congress.

For coronavirus relief legislation, those items include hazard pay for nurses and frontline health care workers during the pandemic; prioritization for testing and treatment so we can maintain a healthy workforce; expanded paid leave for all workers, including nurses and health care workers, so they are not forced to use paid time off or lose wages in the event that they must quarantine or are sick with the coronavirus; child care coverage; and other resources.

We also propose that President-elect Biden and his administration use every tool at their disposal, including the Defense Production Act, to ramp up the production of respirators and other critical PPE that we need to beat this pandemic. Additionally, our agenda recommends that the incoming administration include nurses at every step of the coronavirus response process, and ask relevant agencies to develop reporting requirements to better track PPE levels at health care facilities and require employers to create comprehensive plans to protect workers, including nurses, and more.

Lastly, our proposal outlines steps for Congress, including the removal of barriers to nursing education and hurdles that prevent Advanced Practice Registered Nurses from practicing to the full extent of their education and training, and expanding federal student loan forgiveness, scholarships, and incentives for nurse educators. You can read the full list of recommendations here.

The bottom line is, we still have a long road ahead of us when it comes to fighting the coronavirus crisis, and our nurses are playing an essential role in that effort. It’s on us to make sure they have the tools and support they need to continue providing their life-saving care to our family, friends, and neighbors.

All my best,
Jeff