From Your Legislator Editor

The American Nurses Association issued a press release on February 7, 1997 denouncing President Clinton's proposed 1998 budget. The cause for alarm is the proposed decrease in funding for The Nurse Education Act (NEA) from $63 million in 1997 to $7.7 million for 1998. That is a $55.3 million reduction that surely will impact not only nurses but significantly reduce the access of our clients to quality health care. Other major issues are the proposed reduction in funding to Title VIII funded nurse-managed clinics and cuts to the hospital reimbursement (Part A) Medicare Program.

The complete news release is available to you on Nursing World by typing www.nursingworld.org/pressrel/1997/budget97.htm. Once you have all of the information, you can make a real difference in the outcome of NEA funding by contacting your Senators and Representatives. Tell them about the general negative ramifications of the decreased funding to nurses and clients and provide personal examples of how the decreased funding would impact you and your students and clients.

Your House and Senate members addresses are readily available by accessing Thomas via the Internet. You can access Thomas by typing thomas.loc.gov/ and clicking on House members and Senate members. Stay tuned to the activity that will take place related to the proposed budget by accessing Thomas and clicking on Congress this week, committee information, bills and the congressional record.

Nursings' lobbying efforts will be greatly enhanced if everyone who reads this message really writes to her/his legislators. Our lobbyists need to know the intensity of our efforts. Therefore, could you please E-mail your letters to me at gglazer@kent.edu and I will forward them to the American Nurses Association. Together we will make a difference.

THE AUTHOR

Greer Glazer, PhD, RN, FAAN
Director, Parent Child Nursing
College of Nursing
Kent State University
Kent, OH 44202
E-mail Address: GGlazer@Kent.Edu

Dr. Glazer is Professor and Director of Parent Child Nursing at Kent State University College of Nursing. Besides her many research activities in the field of women's health and stress, Dr. Glazer is chairman of the Ohio Nurses' Association Government Affairs Committee, a combination legislation committee and PAC. She is currently the legislative liaison to congressman Steve LaTourette and has previously been on health care committees at the state and national level. Locally she serves on the Board of the Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Children's Trust Fund and recently completed four years on the Health Care Committee allocation panel for United Way in Cuyahoga County.