S.Amdt. 3127

SA 3127. Mr. MERKLEY (for himself and Mrs. Murray) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2786 proposed by Mr.
Reid (for himself, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Dodd, and Mr. Harkin) to the bill
H.R. 3590, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the
first-time homebuyers credit in the case of members of the Armed Forces
and certain other Federal employees, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 1382, between lines 10 and 11, insert the
following:
(c) Advanced Technology Education Program for Nursing.--
Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act is amended by
inserting after section 831A (42 U.S.C. 296b), as added by
subsection (b), the following:

``SEC. 831B. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR
NURSING.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the
Administrator of the Health Resources and Services
Administration, shall establish a grant program to assist
consortia in advancing nursing education and the career
ladder.
``(b) Program Design.--The grant program established under
subsection (a) shall--
``(1) be designed to strengthen and expand the nursing
career ladder, particularly with regard to innovative
programs that encourage registered nurses to pursue advanced
degrees in nursing, with an emphasis on integrating
innovative technology into nursing education programs; and
``(2) place emphasis on the needs of nontraditional
students and underserved groups.
``(c) Applications.--An application for a grant under
subsection (a) shall be submitted--
``(1) by a two-year educational institution on behalf of
the consortia seeking the grant; and
``(2) at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require.
``(d) Advanced Technology Education Projects in Nursing.--
Funds made available

[[Page S12923]]

through a grant under subsection (a) shall be used to support
nursing education projects, to enhance nursing education
programs, and to assist students in transferring academic
credit from a two-year educational institution to an advanced
degree program in nursing through activities such as--
``(1) alignment and enhancement of curriculum to ensure
that academic credit earned at a two-year educational
institutions can be transferred to baccalaureate or graduate
degree programs in nursing;
``(2) establishment of innovative partnerships and
articulation agreements to facilitate the transfer by
students of academic credit from a two-year educational
institution to an advanced degree program in nursing;
``(3) the purchase or lease of state-of-the-art
technologies essential in developing innovative nursing
education programs and in preparing nursing students to use
current and future health technologies, such as simulation
and visualization tools and telehealth;
``(4) the acquisition of technical support necessary for
developing innovative nursing curriculum and advanced
technology training capabilities among nursing faculty;
``(5) professional development and training of nursing
faculty, both full- and part-time, in the nursing profession;
``(6) development and dissemination of exemplary curricula
and instructional materials in nursing;
``(7) development and implementation of innovative
workshops, mentoring activities, and professional development
activities for nursing students, registered nurses, and
nursing faculty to encourage education advancement and
retention in a nursing career; and
``(8) development and implementing internship programs for
nurses or nursing students to encourage mentoring.
``(e) Definition.--In this section--
``(1) the term `consortia' means a collaboration that--
``(A) shall include a two-year educational institution in
partnership with a four-year college or university; and
``(B) may include one or more of the following: another
two-year or four-year college or university, a school of
nursing, the private sector, a State or local government, a
State workforce investment board, a local workforce
investment board, a community-based allied health program, a
health professions school, a teaching hospital, a graduate
medical education program, an academic health center, and any
other appropriate public or private non-profit entity;

in order to inform and improve nursing education programs;
``(2) the term `four-year educational institution' means a
department, division, or other administrative unit in a
college or university which provides primarily or exclusively
an accredited program in professional nursing and related
subjects leading to the degree of bachelor of arts, bachelor
of science, bachelor of nursing, or to an equivalent degree,
or to a graduate degree in nursing, or to an equivalent
degree, and including advanced training related to such
program of education provided by such school;
``(3) the term `local workforce investment board' refers to
a local workforce investment board established under section
117 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2832);
``(4) the term `State workforce investment board' refers to
a State workforce investment board established under section
111 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2821);
and
``(5) the term `two-year educational institution' means a
department, division, or other administrative unit in a
junior or community college which provides primarily or
exclusively a two-year accredited nursing program leading to
an associate degree in nursing or an equivalent degree, but
only if such program, or such unit or college, is accredited.
``(f) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
award grants under this section, $12,000,000 for fiscal year
2010 and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal
years 2011 through 2015.''.
______