Nursing is a Professional Degree Act
This bill, titled the Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, updates federal definitions to classify nursing degrees as professional degrees. It directly affects students pursuing nursing education and the federal financial aid programs that support them. The legislation amends the Higher Education Act to explicitly list nursing degrees, such as the Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice, alongside other advanced fields like medicine and law. By making this change, the bill ensures that nursing programs are recognized at the same level as other established professional disciplines within the federal student aid system.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced May 7, 2026
Last action May 7, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
1
May 7, 2026
Committee
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
lower
May 7, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 22 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Jennifer A. Kiggans
RRepublican
Co
André Carson
DDemocratic
Co
Brian K. Fitzpatrick
RRepublican
Co
Chuck Edwards
RRepublican
Co
Dan Newhouse
RRepublican
Co
David P. Joyce
RRepublican
Co
Derrick Van Orden
RRepublican
Co
Don Bacon
RRepublican
Co
Eleanor Holmes Norton
DDemocratic
Co
Harriet M. Hageman
RRepublican
Co
Jack Bergman
RRepublican
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