Note from Rob:
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
When someone you love is sick or injured, you can always count on a nurse to be there.
Nurses are the reassuring voice in the middle of a difficult diagnosis, the steady hand during recovery, and the compassionate advocate who helps patients and families navigate some of life’s most challenging moments. Their skill, professionalism, and dedication make our health care system stronger every single day.
My appreciation for nurses comes from personal experience.
Before serving in Congress, I earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health and spent more than 26 years working for the Virginia Department of Health. During that time, I worked alongside outstanding nurses serving communities across the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula, and throughout Virginia. I saw firsthand the vital role they play in keeping families healthy and caring for patients in every stage of life.
That experience continues to shape how I approach health care policy today. For me, these issues have never been abstract debates in Washington. They are about making sure our communities have access to the dedicated professionals who provide quality care every day.
That’s why I am proud to support legislation that strengthens Virginia’s nursing workforce.
I am a cosponsor of the Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, which would recognize graduate-level nursing programs as professional degrees for federal education loan programs, helping nursing students access the resources they need to pursue advanced education and serve their communities.
I also proudly cosponsor the bipartisan Title VII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025, which strengthens programs that recruit, educate, train, and retain nurses, particularly in rural and medically underserved communities where access to care can be especially challenging.
As our population grows and health care needs continue to evolve, supporting a strong nursing workforce is more important than ever.
I will continue working to advance practical policies that strengthen our health care workforce, expand opportunities for the next generation of nurses, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, and ensure patients across Virginia receive the high-quality care they deserve.
To every nurse serving our communities: thank you. Your compassion, professionalism, and commitment improve countless lives every day, and I will continue working to support you in Congress.
Sincerely,
Rob Wittman
Member of Congress, Virginia’s 1st District