Nursing School Could Be FREE Soon — If These New Bills Pass

Two newly proposed federal bills could reshape the future of nursing education, access, and workforce development across the U.S.—the Health Care Workforce Expansion Act and the Pathways to Health Careers Act. Both aim to address the nation’s deepening nursing shortage and long-term pipeline challenges.

Health Care Workforce Expansion Act (S. 2954)

• What is it? A new Senate bill that aims to tackle workforce shortages by making nonprofit nursing schools tuition-free, expanding seats in nursing, medical and dental programs, and investing in training sites like teaching health centers. The NURSE Grants would cover tuition and required fees and a large expansion of Medicare-funded residency positions in primary care and behavioral health. 
• Who’s behind it? Introduced September 30, 2025 by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) as cosponsor in response to nationwide shortages; referred to the Senate HELP Committee.
• Have we seen versions of it before? Sanders has previously pushed broad workforce and primary-care packages, including the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act in 2023, which proposed expanding the workforce and primary care access. While not identical, it reflects a through-line of efforts to boost training capacity and funding. 
• What’s in it for nurses?
  • Tuition coverage at nonprofit nursing schools through NURSE Grants with conversion to federal loans only if service obligations are not met. 
  • Bigger class sizes in nursing programs via grants tied to enrollment growth and student support (with attention to disadvantaged backgrounds and rural/underserved areas). 
  • More funds and training sites for Teaching Health Center GME and distribution of new Medicare GME slots in primary care and psychiatry. 
• Who has endorsed it? Major healthcare and labor groups support the bill, including the American Nurses Association and the National Rural Health Association. If it advances, it could mark one of the largest federal investments ever made in nurse education.
• Chances of passing: Right now, the bill has only the two Democratic-caucusing sponsors listed on Congress.gov and sits in a Republican-controlled Senate and House. It will likely need bipartisan negotiation or inclusion in a larger health or budget package to advance. 
• Bottom line for nurses: If it moves, this could be transformative for prospective RNs and APRNs by removing tuition at nonprofit schools and by expanding clinical training capacity. Keep an eye on whether Republican members on HELP engage with or reshape the proposal. 

Pathways to Health Careers Act (H.R. 5370)

• What is it? A House bill to restart and modernize the Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program. It funds multi-year, local partnerships that train low-income adults for health careers and provide wraparound supports like basic-skills education, childcare, transportation, career coaching, and paid training stipends. Target roles include nursing assistants, registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, EMTs, paramedics and more. It also pilots pathways for individuals with arrest or conviction records where state law allows, and maternal health pathways (midwives and doulas) in states recognizing those providers.
• Who’s behind it? Introduced September 16, 2025 by Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL) with 15 Democratic cosponsors; referred to House Ways and Means.
• Have we seen versions of it before? Congress tried to reauthorize these grants in the last Congress as H.R. 4783 (2023), and Senators Martin Heinrich and Ron Wyden led a companion push highlighting HPOG’s track record serving 60,000+ participants before it expired in 2021. Those versions did not become law but set up this year’s reintroduction.
• What’s in it for nurses?
  • On-ramps into nursing: funding for training and support across the ladder from CNA to RN and APRN.
  • Money for barriers: statutory emphasis on childcare and transportation so trainees can persist and complete programs.
  • Maternal health workforce: grants can build doula and midwifery pipelines where states recognize and reimburse those roles.
• Who has endorsed it? Advocacy groups like LeadingAge have backed the bill, calling it “a vital tool to strengthen the long-term care pipeline.”
• Chances of passing? As a Democratic-led workforce and anti-poverty measure moving through Ways and Means in a GOP-led House, standalone passage could be challenging. That said, narrower workforce provisions sometimes get folded into bipartisan packages. Watch for endorsements and whether Republicans seek to reshape HPOG into a more limited demonstration. 

What This Means for Nurses

For nurses and nursing students, these two proposals could be transformative. The Health Care Workforce Expansion Act could make nursing school tuition-free nationwide, immediately easing financial barriers for aspiring nurses. Meanwhile, the Pathways to Health Careers Act would expand entry points into nursing and related professions, particularly for low-income individuals and career changers.

While neither bill has yet advanced beyond introduction, both signal Congress’s growing recognition that nurse recruitment and retention require systemic federal solutions. If passed, these acts could not only strengthen the nursing pipeline but also help rebuild access to care in underserved rural and urban communities.

🤔 What do you think about these two pieces of legislation? Let us know in the discussion forum below.