American Nurses Association Political Action Committee Endorses Ten Congressional Candidates

CONTACT:
Shannon McClendon, 301-628-5391
shannon.mcclendon@ana.org

Rachel Farbman, 301-628-5062
rachel.farbman@ana.org

SILVER SPRING, MD – Today, the American Nurses Association Political Action Committee (ANA-PAC) announces the endorsement of ten candidates running for Congress. Each election cycle, ANA-PAC endorses candidates who display a commitment to advancing the nursing profession and advocating on health care issues that affect nurses and the public, both on Capitol Hill and in their congressional districts. These candidates include:

• Anthony Brindisi (NY-22) Brindisi helped lead the effort to pass legislation implementing Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Guidelines during his time in the New York state legislature. As the brother of an emergency room nurse, he has a deep understanding of the challenges that nurses face on a daily basis, and has made improving health care a key component of his campaign.

• Angie Craig (MN-2)Craigbrings more than 20 years of experience working in health care to her campaign, and has focused on reducing health care-related costs and expanding access for families across her district.

• Katie Hill (CA-25) Hill learned about the importance of the nursing profession from her mother, and has modeled this example of compassion and care through her work as a social worker and nonprofit executive. Her experience will serve her well as she works to craft effective health policy as a member of the 116^th Congress.

• Chrissy Houlahan (PA-6) Houlahan is the sister of an emergency room nurse and an experienced small business owner who keenly understands the challenges involved with health care system reform as well as the need for strong safe patient handling and mobility guidelines.

• Dusty Johnson (SD-AL) Johnson was responsible for overseeing the South Dakota State Employee Health Care Plan in his capacity as chief of staff to Governor Dennis Daugaard, where he heard and implemented input from health care professionals across the state, including nurses. He is dedicated to bringing stability to a health care market that has experienced a great deal of uncertainty in the past year and a half.

• Andy Kim (NJ-3) Kim is running to increase access to affordable health care, and as the son of a nurse he has worked diligently to understand the needs and priorities of both his constituents and nurses working in his district.

• Dr. Heather Ross, PhD, DNP (AZ-6) Dr. Ross is a nurse practitioner, professor, and scientist whose real-world experience will serve her well as a Member of Congress. She will bring a much-needed voice of expertise to ongoing discussions about how best to reform the health care system.

• Greg Stanton (AZ-9) Stanton has a demonstrated history of bipartisanship as mayor of Phoenix, where he led the model to expand Medicaid for his constituents, later used to expand Medicaid statewide.

• Lauren Underwood (IL-14) Underwood is a registered nurse, former Senior Adviser with the Department of Health and Human Services, and public health expert who will quickly become a leader on nursing issues when she joins the 116th Congress.

• Jeff Van Drew (NJ-2) Van Drew currently serves in the New Jersey Senate. In his capacity as a health care provider, he will serve as a leader on issues concerning the expansion of scope of practice. He has long enjoyed a collaborative working relationship with the nurses who live and work in his district.