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Congress·In Committee·H.R. 8659

Nursing is a Professional Degree Act

Nursing Degrees: Classification as Professional Degrees

This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being sent to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. It is actively moving forward as it awaits review by committee members. There are no upcoming votes or hearings scheduled at this time.

Legislative Progress

House
Senate
President
Law
Could go either way

The bill has support from both parties and addresses the popular goal of helping healthcare workers, but it may need to be added to a larger education package to pass.

Key Points

  • This bill changes how the government views advanced nursing degrees. It adds degrees like the Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice to the official federal list of professional degrees.
  • Currently, advanced nursing is often grouped with general graduate studies. By labeling it a professional degree, these students may gain access to the same federal loan limits and financial aid rules as medical or law students.
  • The change aims to recognize the high level of skill and licensing required for advanced nursing. It treats nursing as a distinct profession that requires specific training beyond a standard four year college degree.
  • This could help address nursing shortages by making it easier for students to afford the advanced training needed to become nurse practitioners or nursing teachers.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
May 4, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

May 4, 2026

Introduced in House

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.

News

No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Nursing is a Professional Degree Act

Bill NumberHR 8659
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(2)
D: 1R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.