• Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 302(b) allocation to the Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. Click here to view.
• TCAA Advocacy Day set for April 16 in Washington DC. Click here for more information.
• STN supports Coalition for Health Funding request to Congress. Visit publichealthfunding.org to learn more.
• A Call to Action from the Nation’s Nurses in the Wake of Newtown (January 2013)
• TCAA 2012 Lobby Day Talking Points
• TCAA Ensuring Access to Life-Saving Trauma Services Now and in the Future (2012)
• Trauma and EMS Programs Authorized Under the Public Health Service Act

Have You Ever…?

…written to a Member of Congress to share your views?
…visited or called a Member of Congress?
…written to the media about a topic important to you?

Why does it matter?

Members of Congress at the State and National levels are elected to make decisions for their constituency, but they are not necessarily the authority on health related matters. As nurses, we are health professional experts and have a responsibility to educate and inform our elected officials in all things health related.

Elected officials need our expertise! I recently attended a Nurse’s Day at the Statehouse in my home state which included lunch with the legislators. One of these elected officials did not understand the difference between an LPN/LVN, RN, BSN and NP. It was a great opportunity to educate this legislator about nursing education and the critical need for educational funding in our profession.

For the last nine years, in Gallup’s annual survey of professions, nurses have been voted as the most trusted profession in America. In 2011, 81% of Americans believed nurses’ honesty and ethical standards are either “high” or “very high.” Legislators have a great amount of respect for nurses. They regard us as trustworthy, and believe that we understand the “big picture” of health issues. We are known to be on the side of patients, not profits.

Our legislators work for us. They value our expertise and admire our dedication to promoting health issues. Select an issue that is significant to you and reach out to your Member of Congress. It matters!

Terrie Stewart, RN, MSM
STN Legislative Committee Chair

• STN Support of CHF 302B FY2013
• Committee – Activities & Involvement
• Where We Stand
• Requests for Support
• Find Your Legislator
• Letter Templates
• STN Legislative Fact Sheet
• In the News

• American College of Surgeons – Legislative Action Centers
• Emergency Nursing Association – Government & Advocacy
• The Trauma Center Association of America