The nation's largest union of registered nurses provided this statement in response to the announcement by Congressional authors of the Protect America’s Workforce Act that they will move this legislation through a procedure called a “discharge petition.”

“We demand that all Congressional members who support veterans reject Speaker Mike Johnson’s attempts to prevent this bill from moving to a vote and support the use of the discharge petition.

“Our veterans, and the nurses who care for them, cannot wait a day longer. Protect America’s Workforce Act is necessary to secure quality care for our nation’s veterans. This bill was made necessary due to this administration’s unprecedented attack on federal workers and their collective bargaining rights on March 27, when it issued an executive order attempting to strip more than a million union workers of their bargaining rights under the patently false premise that these workers represent a threat to national security.

“Nurses and other federal workers understand that this executive order was issued in retaliation for union workers’ advocacy and the administration’s opposition to workers’ concerns for both veteran patient safety and public welfare. 

“We’re grateful to the bipartisan group of Congressional members who have already supported this Act and we urge quick action to reverse the chaotic, misinformed decisions from the current administration that have negatively impacted our nation’s veterans and the people who care for them.”

National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.