Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate what would have been the 185th birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. This week also marks the 3rd annual National Nurses Week, which will be observed May 6th through May 12th.
The 2.7 million registered nurses in the United States bear the primary responsibility for the care and well-being of hospital patients and are the largest single component of the health care profession. Unfortunately, our nation faces a serious shortfall in the number of nurses available; too few nurses are caring for too many patients. According to a report by the Department of Health and Human Services, our nation could face a shortage of 800,000 nurses by the year 2020. As our population ages and as health care costs continue to escalate, government, hospitals, and policy advocates must work together to combat this problem.
The theme of National Nurses Week 2005 is Nurses: Many Roles, One Profession. In addition to their tireless hands-on efforts caring for patients, nurses are constantly involved in health education, research, business, and public policy. Having met with numerous nurses from the 29th district of California, I know first hand the needs of nurses of America. That is why I support House Resolution 245, which will recognize the important contributions of nurses to the health care system and the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week. I ask my colleagues to please join me in honoring some of America's greatest heroes, our nurses.