[Public Law 74—78th Congress] [Chapter 126—Ist Session] , [H. R. 2664] To provide for the training of nurses for the armed forces, governmental and civilian hospitals, health agencies, and war industries, through grants to insti- tutions providing such training, and for other purposes. AN ACT Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That for the pur- pose of assuring a supply of nurses for the armed forces, govern- mental and civilian hospitals, health agencies, and war industries, there are hereby authorized to be appropriated sums sufficient to carry out the purposes of this Act: Provided That there shall be no discrimination in the administration of the benefits and appropria- tions made under the respective provisions of this Act, on account of race, creed, or color. Such sums shall be used for making payments to schools of nursing or other institutions which have submitted, and had approved by the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service (hereinafter referred to as the Surgeon General), plans for nurses’ training, for making payments under section 4, and for all necessary expenses of the Public Health Service in administering the provisions of this Act. Sec. 2. A plan for training of nurses may be limited to student- nurse training, or to postgraduate or refresher-nursing courses, or may include both. A plan submitted by any institution may be approved only if it provides— (a) That no student or graduate nurse will be included under the plan unless in the judgment of the head of the institution such nurse will be available for military or other Federal governmental or essen- tial civilian services for the duration of the present war, and such nurse so states in her application for inclusion under the plan; (b) That nurses under the plan will be provided courses of study and training meeting standards prescribed by the Surgeon General; (c) That the institution will furnish student nurses under the plan (without charge for tuition, fees, or other expenses) courses of study and training, uniforms, insignia, and maintenance in accord- ance with regulations of the Surgeon General; (d) That the institution will pay student nurses under the plan a stipend at not less than the following monthly rates: sls for the first nine months of study; S2O for the following fifteen to twenty-pne months of combined study and practice, depending upon the curricu- lum of such institution; (e) That the institution will either afford student nurses under the plan an opportunity to complete their course of training until gradua- tion at such institution and will such student nurse a stipend at a monthly rate not less than S3O for the period following the period of combined study and practice and prior to graduation, or will transfer such student, after completion of the period of combined 2 [Pub. Law 74.J study and practice and prior to graduation, for training in some other institution, but only if such training may be credited toward gradua- tion, and the institution to which the nurse is transferred agrees to pay he*r a stipend at a monthly rate of not less than S3O until graduation; and (f) That where extramural credit toward graduation can be given under the law of the State in which the institution is located, such institution will make transfers to Federal hospitals, under the con- ditions specified in subsection (e), in any case where a student nurse desires such transfer and appropriate request for such transfer is made on behalf of such hospital. Sec. 3. From the sums appropriated therefor the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay each institution, with a plan approved under section 2 (1) with respect to items furnished student nurses thereunder, amounts determined by the Surgeon General to compensate such institution for— (A) reasonable tuition and fees for the courses of study and training; (B) reasonable maintenance provided pursuant to section 2 for the first nine months of their course of study and training, to the extent that such maintenance is not com pensated for by the value of their services during such period; (C) uniforms and insignia, provided in accordance with section 2; and (D) the minimum rate of stipend specified in section 2 for periods prior to completion of the course of combined study and training referred to in such section; and (2) with respect to items furnished graduate nurses thereunder, amounts determined by the Surgeon General to compensate such institution for reasonable tuition and fees for postgraduate and refresher course of study, and reasonable maintenance for gradu- ate nurses undertaking postgraduate courses, or such portion of such amounts as may be determined in accordance with regula- tions of the Surgeon General. Seo. 4. The Surgeon General is authorized, with the approval of the Federal Security Administrator, to enter into agreements with nonprofit organizations for the recruitment of student and graduate nurses for training and courses under plans approved pursuant to this Act, and to compensate such organizations therefor, but in no case shall such compensation exceed the necessary cost, as determined by him, of rendering such service. Sec. 5. Determinations under section 3 or 4 of amounts which any institution or organization shall receive shall be conclusive upon such institution or organization and upon any officer or agency of the Government. Sec. 6. The method of computing and paying the amounts referred to in sections 3 and 4 shall be as follows: (a) The Surgeon General shall from time to time, on a prepay- ment or reimbursement basis, estimate or make determination of the amount for each institution or organization, which amount shall be reduced or increased, as the case may be, by any sum by which he finds that unadjusted payments with respect to any prior period were (Pus.'Law ?4.j 3 greater or less than the amount which should have been paid to such mstitution or organization pursuant to section 3 or 4 for such prior period, and shall certify the amount so estimated or determined and so reduced or increased to the Secretary of the Treasury. (b) The Secretary of the Treasury shall thereupon through the Division of Disbursement of the Treasury Department and prior to audit or settlement by the General Accounting Office pay the insti- tution or organization at the time or times fixed by the Surgeon General the amount so certified. Sec, 7. In lieu of payment therefor under section 3 the Surgeon General is authorized to procure and provide insignia for student nurses under a plan approved under section 2. Seo. 8. There shall be no discrimination against any institution on account of the size thereof or the number of nurses employed or student nurses training therein. Sec, 9. The Surgeon General with the approval of the Federal Security Administrator is hereby authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. Such rules and regulations shall be promulgated after confer- ence with an advisory committee of not less than five members con sisting of representatives of the nursing profession, hospitals, and accredited nurses training institutions. The members of the com- mittee shall be appointed by the Federal Security Administrator. The members of the committee shall not receive any compensation for their services on the committee, but shall be reimbursed for all necessary travel and subsistence expenses (or receive a per diem in lieu thereof not to exceed $lO to be fixed by the Federal Security Administrator) while away from their respective places of residence on the business of the committee. Sec. 10. This Act shall cease to be in effect upon the date of the termination of hostilities in the present war as determined by the President or upon such earlier date as the Congress by concurrent resolution or the President may designate, except for purposes of (a) making computations, payments, and adjustments in payments with respect to training, and courses prior to such date, and (b) making computations, payments, and adjustments in pay- ments so as to permit continuance, after such date, of training and courses by graduate or student nurses who were receiving training or courses ninety days prior to such date. Approved June 15> 1943.