H.R. 5924
The Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act
Amends the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 to lift the numerical limitations for employment based immigrants (and accompanying family members) for nurses and physical therapists until September 30, 2011, subject to a cap.
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security: (1) to impose a fee upon each petitioning employer who uses such a visa to provide employment for an alien as a professional nurse; and (2) acting through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to award a grant each fiscal year to each eligible nursing school that applies and meets specified requirements.
Establishes in the Treasury's general fund a Domestic Nursing Enhancement Account.
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) direct the Secretary to allow an eligible alien (and spouse or child) to reside in a candidate country (defined to include a lower middle income country or one experiencing a natural disaster) during the period the alien is working there as a health care worker; and (2) make inadmissible an alien seeking entry into the United States to perform labor as a health care worker unless the alien attests that he or she does not have an outstanding obligation to the alien's government or country of residence, subject to a waiver.
Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a partnership program to award grants to eligible entities to carry out comprehensive programs to provide education to nurses and create a pipeline to nursing for incumbent ancillary health care workers who wish to advance their careers.