AANA Honors Rep. Bonamici for Advancing Nurse Anesthesia Policy
Event summary
- AANA awarded its National Health Leadership Award to Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) on April 29, 2026.
- Bonamici is a key sponsor of the ICAN Act and Ensuring Veterans Timely Access to Anesthesia Care Act.
- She led a bipartisan push for reclassifying future CRNAs as professional students under federal education policy.
- CRNAs administer over 58 million anesthetics annually across diverse healthcare settings.
The big picture
This award underscores the growing political influence of nurse anesthetists in healthcare policy. Bonamici's leadership on key bills reflects broader efforts to expand scope-of-practice laws for advanced practice nurses, a trend driven by workforce shortages and cost pressures in U.S. healthcare delivery.
What we're watching
- Legislative Momentum
- Whether Bonamici's continued advocacy can advance the ICAN Act through Congress.
- Policy Impact
- How reclassifying CRNAs as professional students might affect federal funding for nursing education.
- Industry Influence
- The extent to which AANA's recognition strengthens Bonamici's role in shaping nurse anesthesia policy.