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	<title>Capitol Update</title>
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	<link>http://www.capitolupdate.org</link>
	<description>ANA Government Affairs&#039; free, online legislative and political newsletter on issues that impact nurses.</description>
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		<title>RN Safe Staffing Act Reintroduced in the House and Senate</title>
		<link>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/rn-safe-staffing-act-reintroduced-in-the-house-and-senate/</link>
		<comments>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/rn-safe-staffing-act-reintroduced-in-the-house-and-senate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:48:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rachel.Conant@ana.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[June 2010]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act (H.R. 5527/ S. 3491)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Staffing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[www.safestaffingsaveslives.org]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.capitolupdate.org/?p=1081</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On June 16, just in time for ANA’s Lobby Day, ANA-supported Safe Staffing legislation was introduced in the House and Senate.  The Senate sponsor, Sen. Daniel Inouye, and House sponsors, Reps Lois Capps (D-CA), Steven LaTourette (R-OH) and Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) introduced the Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act (H.R. 5527/ S. 3491), which would hold hospitals accountable for the development of valid, reliable unit-by-unit nurse staffing plans.  These plans would be developed in coordination with direct care registered nurses (RNs) and based on each unit’s unique characteristics and needs.   ANA needs your help to educate members of congress and build support for this important legislation.]]></description>
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		<title>President Obama Addresses ANA House of Delegates</title>
		<link>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/president-obama-addresses-ana-house-of-delegates/</link>
		<comments>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/president-obama-addresses-ana-house-of-delegates/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:40:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Doretta.Hood@ana.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Legislative Updates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[House of Delegates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[June 2010]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[President Barack Obama]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.capitolupdate.org/?p=1055</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The American Nurses Association was proud to welcome President Barack Obama as a guest speaker to its biennial House of Delegates. He spoke to an estimated crowd of more than 1,000 nurses and guests during the opening session.  ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Nurses Storm Capitol Hill for ANA&#8217;s 2010 Lobby Day</title>
		<link>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/nurses-storm-capitol-hill-for-anas-2010-lobby-day/</link>
		<comments>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/nurses-storm-capitol-hill-for-anas-2010-lobby-day/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:35:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Doretta.Hood@ana.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Political News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Capitol Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[June 2010]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lobby Day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Virtual Lobby Day]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.capitolupdate.org/?p=1059</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On June 16th, in conjunction with the ANA House of Delegates, approximately 300 nurses from across the country came to Capitol Hill to take part in the ANA 2010 Lobby Day.  This year we also added a virtual component, allowing 1200 nurses from all over to follow the action “virtually” on Facebook and Twitter.  On our “Virtual” Lobby Day homepage participants were able to research issues and write letters to their Members of Congress leading to over 400 letters sent!  ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>State Update &#8211; Temporary High Risk Pools</title>
		<link>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/state-update-temporary-high-risk-pools/</link>
		<comments>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/state-update-temporary-high-risk-pools/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:25:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Doretta.Hood@ana.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[In the States]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Affordable Care Act (ACA)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health and Human Services (HHS)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[high-risk pools]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[June 2010]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP)]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.capitolupdate.org/?p=1062</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on July 1st the establishment of a new Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) that will offer coverage to the uninsured who have been unable to obtain health coverage because of a pre-existing health condition for at least six months. The program was created in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as a transitional program to operate until 2014 when the state operated exchanges become active.  ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>HHS Grants Millions For Primary &amp; Preventive Care</title>
		<link>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/hhs-grants-millions-for-primary-preventive-care/</link>
		<comments>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/hhs-grants-millions-for-primary-preventive-care/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:20:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Doretta.Hood@ana.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[In the Agencies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health and Human Services (HHS)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[June 2010]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preventive care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[primary care]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.capitolupdate.org/?p=1086</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As you may be aware, in June 2010 the U.S. Department of Health &#038; Human Services announced that $500 million in grants would be made available for primary and preventive care – including funds specifically supporting nurses.  These funds come from the Prevention and Public Health fund for fiscal year 2010, created by the new healthcare reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  More recently, HHS announced an additional $96 million in grants to improve the diversity of the healthcare workforce, and encourage nurses to pursue careers in education.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>President Appoints Dr. Donald Berwick CMS Administrator</title>
		<link>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/president-appoints-dr-donald-berwick-cms-administrator/</link>
		<comments>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/president-appoints-dr-donald-berwick-cms-administrator/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:10:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Doretta.Hood@ana.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[End Notes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dr. Donald Berwick]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[June 2010]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.capitolupdate.org/?p=1068</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On July 7, President Obama appointed Dr. Donald Berwick the new administrator of the Centers for Medicare &#038; Medicaid Services (CMS).  The president made this “recess” appointment while Congress is out of session, as Republican members threatened to derail the nomination and turn the confirmation hearings into a debate on healthcare reform.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/president-appoints-dr-donald-berwick-cms-administrator/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>ANA-PAC Hosts Successful Fundraising Events at the 2010 House of Delegates</title>
		<link>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/ana-pac-hosts-successful-fundraising-events-at-the-2010-house-of-delegates/</link>
		<comments>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/ana-pac-hosts-successful-fundraising-events-at-the-2010-house-of-delegates/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:00:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Doretta.Hood@ana.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[End Notes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ANA-PAC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[June 2010]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.capitolupdate.org/?p=1045</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ANA's strength on Capitol Hill is through the political involvement and contributions of our nurses to ANA-PAC. $36,659 was raised at the 2010 House of Delegates to support Congressional candidates running for office who will advocate for nurses on the Hill.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Senate Defeats Resolution Challenging EPA Authority on Greenhouse Gasses</title>
		<link>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/senate-defeats-resolution-challenging-epa-authority-on-greenhouse-gasses/</link>
		<comments>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/senate-defeats-resolution-challenging-epa-authority-on-greenhouse-gasses/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:55:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rachel.Conant@ana.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[End Notes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clean Air Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[June 2010]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.capitolupdate.org/?p=1083</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On June 10, the Senate declined to consider a resolution introduced by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska disapproving of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation of greenhouse-gas emissions by 47-53. This dangerous resolution would have put the Senate on record in favor of blocking the EPA from regulating greenhouse-gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Medicare Pay Cut Postponed</title>
		<link>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/medicare-pay-cut-postponed/</link>
		<comments>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/medicare-pay-cut-postponed/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:45:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Doretta.Hood@ana.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[End Notes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[June 2010]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Medicare]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SGR (Sustainable Growth Rate)]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.capitolupdate.org/?p=1052</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After months of legislative wrangling and misfires, Congress approved legislation replacing a 21.3 percent cut in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) with a 2.2 percent increase, for services provided from June through November 2010.  ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>The ANA-PAC Board Welcomes New Trustees</title>
		<link>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/the-ana-pac-board-welcomes-new-trustees/</link>
		<comments>http://www.capitolupdate.org/index.php/2010/07/the-ana-pac-board-welcomes-new-trustees/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:40:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Doretta.Hood@ana.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[End Notes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Nurses Association Political Action Committee (ANA-PAC)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[June 2010]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.capitolupdate.org/?p=1047</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The American Nurses Association Political Action Committee (ANA-PAC) proudly welcomes three new Trustees, Barbara Crane, Jennifer Davis and Elizabeth Dietz. ]]></description>
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