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“STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN SCOTT GARRETT IN HONOR OF NATIONAL NURSES WEEK” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1028 on May 11, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN SCOTT GARRETT IN HONOR OF NATIONAL NURSES WEEK
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HON. SCOTT GARRETT
of new jersey
in the house of representatives
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise to praise some of the most under-valued public servants in our society: American nurses. They are ever-present at every stage of our lives--at our birth, through childhood illnesses and adult traumas, and in our final days. Yet, while people remember the doctor who delivered their children or cared for their aging parents, they rarely remember the friendly, caring individuals who stayed by their side while busy doctors made rounds.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, registered nurses constitute the largest segment of the health care workforce, with more than 2.4 million jobs in 2006. And, they are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs amongst all occupations. Yet, the demand for nurses is far outstripping the supply and many parts of the Nation--from the most urban inner city to the most remote rural community--are experiencing extraordinary nursing shortages.
Nursing is a noble profession, but one which is too often upstaged by other health care professionals and too often given little credit for the enormous role played in sustaining the high quality of American health care. As we celebrate National Nurses Week this week, let us all take a moment to thank the nurses in our hospitals and doctors' offices, nursing homes and hospices, and all throughout our communities for all their tremendous service.
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