Nurse Reinvestment Act
Public Law 107-205 · H.R. 3487 · 107th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Aug 1, 2002 · Health
Sponsor: Rep. Michael Bilirakis (R-FL-9)
Cosponsors (35): Rep. Lois Capps, Rep. Sue Kelly,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Nurse Reinvestment Act - Title I: Nurse Recruitment - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promote the nursing profession through public service announcements. Permits the Secretary to make grants to support State and local advertising campaigns, excluding particular employment opportunities.
Expands eligibility for the nursing loan repayment program to include service at any health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses. Restricts service to nonprofits after FY 2007.
Directs the Secretary to provide nursing scholarships in exchange for at least two years of nursing services at facilities with a critical shortage. Makes such program discretionary after FY 2004. Permits part-time service if the aggregate service equals two full-time years. Treats such scholarships, for repayment purposes, as equivalent to those made under the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program, except as specified.
Grants preference according to financial need. Requires detailed, annual reports to Congress on the loan and scholarship programs, including numbers, demographics, and default rates. Leaves allocation of funds between the loan and scholarship programs to the discretion of the Secretary.
Title II: Nurse Retention - Authorizes the Secretary to award grants or contracts to schools of nursing or health care facilities to expand nursing opportunities: (1) in education, through increased enrollment in four-year degree programs, internship and residency programs, or new technologies such as distance learning; and (2) in practice, through care to underserved populations, care in noninstitutional settings or organized health care systems, and through developing cultural competencies. Makes career ladder programs and activities which enhance professional collaboration, communication, and decision-making eligible for a grant award.
Directs the Secretary to award grants for geriatric care training programs.
Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to establish a student loan fund to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty. Cancels up to 85 % of such loan according to a schedule of employment milestones.
Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress within four years on: (1) national variations in nursing shortages; (2) any differences in nurse hiring practices between profit and nonprofit private entities because of the inclusion of for-profit private entities in the loan repayment program; and (3) whether the scholarship program increased applications to nursing schools.
Authorizes appropriations for all programs for FY 2003 through 2007.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Aug 1, 2002Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-205.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 30, 2002PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jul 22, 2002Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Bilirakis moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to H.R. 3487.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Dec 20, 2001FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- Dec 19, 2001FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mrs. Capps objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Bilirakis moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Dec 18, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Dec 13, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.