ARN Health Policy Digest - October 2026

We are pleased to present the October issue of the ARN Health Policy Digest. This member benefit provides updates on health policy and legislative and regulatory developments that may be of interest to rehabilitation nurses. 

Dr. Courtney Aklin becomes the new director of NINR

​The Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Jay Bhattacharya announced Dr. Courtney Aklin as the new director of the National Institutes of Nursing Research (NINR). Dr. Aklin has already worked an illustrious career at NINR holding lead roles at the scientific and organization strategy branch, and most recently was the Acting Director and Acting Scientific Director at the institute. Additionally, Dr. Aklin has served as the NINR Deputy Director, as a senior advisor within the Immediate Office of the Director and as the Chief of Staff at the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Dr. Aklin is a licensed clinical psychologist who is an expert in behavioral, translational, and implantation science.

Potential Executive Order on NIH Funding

​The Trump Administration has asked the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to draft an Executive Order that will create a board including OMB director, Russ Vought, and NIH director Jay Bhattacharya as well as other political appointees who will need to unanimously approve all NIH grants. President Trump dictated this board after Bhattacharya refused to pull funding from grants to Harvard University as the university did not address antisemitism on campus to the standards of the administration. This executive order would be another attempt from the administration to ensure political power over grant distribution, as their first attempt, through the OMB proposed rule on federal grantmaking has been stayed by Congress as part of the continuing resolution passed in August. This will affect how NINR dollars are spent as any grants through that agency would have to be approved by the board who will be vetting grants for their alignment with the administration's goals.

NINR Releases a Request for Information

​The NINR has released a Request for Information (RFI) on the Strategic Plan for fiscal years (FYs) 2027-2031. The NINR is looking to update their strategic plan which serves as the basis of the institute's priorities and key areas of scientific focus to overall carry out the institute's mission of supporting nursing research that addresses urgent health challenges and informs health care practice to improve health for all. As NINR works to update their strategic plan they are calling on stakeholders throughout the scientific research, academic, advocacy, and clinical practice communities to weigh in on the key areas of nursing research to be discussed as part of the new strategic plan. Specifically, the RFI asks for comments on research that falls under the categories of foundational nursing research priorities, emerging science, scientific workforce and training, innovation, translation and implementation, conditions of daily life, care settings, partnerships. We are working to best represent ARN's priorities in this RFI.

Senate Holds Nomination Hearings for Surgeon General and Deputy Director of HHS

​The Senate HELP committee held a confirmation hearing on Wednesday, September 16, for the Nicole Saphier for Surgeon General and for Chris Klomp for Deputy Director of HHS. Nicole Saphier is the administrations second person to have a confirmation hearing for surgeon general, and the third nominee for the position. Saphier, a radiologist and former contributor to Fox news, used her opening testimony to endorse childhood vaccines, and explicitly stated that she does not believe childhood vaccines cause autism. Senator Bill Cassidy, the chair of the HELP committee and a doctor demanded clear answers to his questions on the nominee's stance on vaccinations, particularly on if vaccines cause autism, and on the hepatitis B vaccine. Saphier answered by saying she supports the universal hepatitis B vaccination, and that the universal birth dose is the most effective way to prevent hepatitis B infections and lower hepatitis B associated illnesses. It is likely that this nomination passes through committee as both Senator Cassidy and Senator Murkowski (R-AK), who have been skeptical of past nominees, have shown their support for Saphier.

Chris Klomp was a former health tech executive who has already served the administration as the director of the Center for Medicare and "chief counselor" to Secretary of HHS, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and is now up for the number two position at HHS. Many questioned Klomp on his positions on drug pricing, Medicaid fraud, and the measles outbreak. The nominee defended stated, about the measles outbreak, that the agency needs to make a commitment to transparency and that they should promote the measles vaccine. 

Take Action! Urge Congress to Pass the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act

​ARN needs your help to support the reauthorization of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VIII Nursing Workforce programs (H.R.3593/S.1874). Please fill out the action alert to urge your Members of Congress to support the passage of this legislation. These programs are critical to supporting and bolstering the nursing workforce by making a career in nursing more accessible. Without reauthorization of the programs, they will not be able to receive appropriations funding and therefore will be effectively eliminated. The ongoing nursing shortages will worsen, causing greater stress on the current workforce, faster nurse burnout, and decreased access to care therefore creating a more acute shortage.

The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act has passed out of the Senate HELP committee and is going to be considered on the Senate floor. In the House, the bill has passed out of the Energy and Commerce committee Health subcommittee and will be considered by the whole committee. Despite positive movement from this bill in both chambers, it is crucial that ARN members show their support for the continued movement of the bill through Congress to ensure its final passage.

Notice of Funding Opportunities

Below is a list of other funding opportunities for interested ARN members.

• Community Partnered Nursing Research Centers (P20 Clinical Trial Optional) (PAR-25-439)
• Leveraging Nursing Research to Advance Healthy School Environments for All (FOR-NR-25-002)
• Limited Competition: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Postdoctoral Research Training Grant for the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program (T32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PAR-25-195)
• NINR Mentoring Resources and Activities (FOR-NR-25-003)
• Advancing Nutrition-related Research Across the Lifespan (FOR-NR-25-001)
• Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (FOR-PAR-25-420)
• Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes and Reduce Health Disparities in Rural Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) (FOR-NR-25-007)
• Public Health Nursing (HHS-2027-HIS-PHN-0001)