National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2025

S. 1482 would amend the Public Health Service Act to create a two-year pilot program supporting state-based nursing workforce centers. If enacted, the bill would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to eligible entities such as state agencies, nursing boards, nonprofit organizations, and nursing schools to establish new centers or enhance existing ones. These centers would conduct research and analysis on nursing workforce challenges, including studying education capacity, identifying recruitment and retention obstacles, and developing strategies to address nursing shortages in specific specialties and underserved areas.

The bill would allocate up to $1.5 million annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, with grant recipients required to provide matching funds. The centers would engage in activities such as strategic workforce planning with employers and educators, analyzing trends in nursing shortages, and providing career counseling and mentoring to individuals entering the nursing profession. The bill would also require the Secretary to submit annual reports to Congress on the program's effectiveness and recommendations for reducing nursing shortages.