; Whereas nurses are the cornerstone of the public health infrastructure, promoting healthy lifestyles and educating communities on disease prevention and health promotion; Whereas nurses are strong allies to Congress as the nurses help inform, educate, and work closely with legislators to improve the education, retention, recruitment, and practice of all nurses and, more importantly, the health and safety of the patients for whom the nurses care; Whereas strengthening nursing workforce development programs at all levels, including the number of doctorally prepared faculty members, and providing education to the nurse research scientists who can discover new nursing care models to improve the health status of the diverse population of the United States, are needed; Whereas nurses touch the lives of the people of the United States from birth to the end of life; and Whereas nursing has been voted as the most honest and ethical profession in the United States: Now, therefore, be it