BILL REQ. #:  H-3102.1 

Read first time 04/08/09.   Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.

     TO THE HONORABLE BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, Replication and expansion of disease prevention programs could result in a cost savings of $16 billion annually within the next five years, according to research in a July 2008 report from Trust for America's Health; and
     WHEREAS, Nurses are the largest segment of the nation's health care workforce and are crucial to the promotion of preventative health care and the care of the whole person; and
     WHEREAS, There are thousands of nurses and nurse educators currently living and working in Oregon; and
     WHEREAS, Nurses are highly valued and trusted by the public and, in addition to administering health care, are often called upon to deliver educational messages about health maintenance and disease prevention; and
     WHEREAS, An Office of the National Nurse would serve as an effective complement to the existing Office of the Surgeon General; and
     WHEREAS, The Office of the National Nurse would act as a public platform to raise awareness of health issues and promote health and wellness through education and community outreach; and
     WHEREAS, The Office of the National Nurse would provide policy input at the federal level on a number of valuable initiatives, such as providing public service announcements in the media and on the Internet to promote wellness initiatives, addressing factors related to nurse and nurse educator shortages, facilitating the deployment of nurses to underserved areas, strengthening the Medical Reserve Corps to deliver public health services, and providing education to communities, particularly communities at risk or in crisis; and
     WHEREAS, A serious effort is under way to create an Office of the National Nurse, with legislation introduced in the 109th Congress that garnered the bipartisan support of 42 members;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Congress of the United States enact legislation creating the Office of the National Nurse.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.