NOVA is the Voice of VA Nurses on Capitol Hill

The Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs (NOVA) was formed in 1980 by nurses at the
Hines, Illinois VA, in response to PL 96-330 which gave VA Doctors a large pay increase
without any change in nurses’ salaries or any nursing input. In 1982, NOVA was invited to speak
at an oversight hearing, this was the first time a VA Registered Nurse gave testimony to
Congress. Since that remarkable day, NOVA has testified on recruitment and retention, staffing
shortages, and submitted statements and letters to Congress on many other issues that affect how
nurses provide care for Veterans across the country.

Get Involved

We encourage you to get involved (first by reading and understanding the “Hatch Act”) and using the following NOVA Advocacy Toolkit to take action!

• The Hatch Act, 5 U. S. C. 7321-7326
  The Hatch Act Hatch Act Overview is federal legislation which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.
  
• Understand the Issues
  
• Find Your Representative
• Find Your Senators
  
• Meeting with Your Members of Congress Sample Script
• Additional Advocacy Resources
• Expanding Access to Care & Nurse Mobility Across the U.S.
  
• Bills of Interest
  
• Letters 
• Sample  Hill Day Congressional Office Email
• 2025 NOVA Legislative Priority Goals 

• Legislative Victories
• Cadet Nurse Bill, HR 2663 was initiated by a NOVA nurse, Angela Bohannon and the Topeka NOVA Chapter, and signed into law by President Reagan.

• Thanks to NOVA Congress passed a law giving VA nurses Saturday premium pay, tuition reimbursement, recruitment and retention bonuses; required Chief Nurse be on  facility policy making and fiscal committees; VA required to study recruitment issue

• NOVA realized a significant accomplishment with the passage of Nurse Pay Act of 1990, establishing system of competitive pay for VA nurses allowing local VA medical centers to offer salaries competitive with those offered by health care facilities in same local market.

• NOVA got PL 102-585 signed; revised nurse pay grade schedules, provided authority to carry out surveys of labor markets to determine compensation rates for healthcare professionals, nurses; revised basis for calculating compensation of health care positions.

• NOVA accomplished legislative victory with Veterans’ Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996; overturned a 50-year-old law restricting full time RN employment outside the VA.

• NOVA, all VA RNs scored tremendous legislative victory with PL-106-419, Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2000 addressing pay issues affecting RNs and other staff; impacted veterans’ benefits, authorization, mandated increased nursing input in senior management at VISNs & medical centers, reformed RN locality pay system with changes in cost-of-living increase; revised survey; oversight of medical center director RN salary decisions with authority to modify those decisions, required annual nurse staffing reports and VISN directors to consult senior nurse executives for patient care policies.

• NOVA got Veterans Affairs Health Care Improvement Act of 2001 (PL 107-135) signed; permanently authorizes EISP for nurses, reduces time to work before eligible; removes limits to amount nurses receive for school-up to 3 years full time; permanently authorizes EDRP up to $44,000.00, with the Secretary adjusting amount; mandates VA provide Saturday premium pay to LPNs; gives VA nurses in FERS ability to add SL to retirement; requires VA establish nationwide policy on nurse staffing; requires Secretary evaluate nurse-managed clinics, determine feasibility; submit annual report on nurse retention; top VACO nurse reports directly to USH; establishes National Commission on VA Nursing.

• NOVA scored significant legislative victory with the passage of Senate Bill 1156, the Veterans Health Care, Capital Asset, and Business Improvement Act of 2003 which improved the appointment and promotion processes, requiring input from VA nurses and expanded Saturday premium pay.

• NOVA scored another significant legislative victory with Senate Bill 2484 which simplified pay provisions; authorized alternate work schedules (three 12-hr tours of duty for full time, work 9 months with 3 months off); authorized executive pay for nurses from $10,000-$25,000), required VA to certify to Congress that each VA has a policy designed to prevent nurses from working more than 12 consecutive hours or more than 60 hours in a week.

• NOVA launched educational webinars free to NOVA members; became accredited provider of Nursing Continuing Professional Development credits (American Nurses Credentialing Center); NOVA launched mentoring program, and helping NOVA nurses with promotion.