Legislative Nurse

Rep. Diane Black, BSN, Congresswoman Tennessee

In the 115^th, U.S. Congress Rep. Diane Black is among the three nurses and is representing Tennessee’s sixth district in the House of Representative. Throughout her 40 years of experience working in healthcare, Diane learned about the critical importance of quality care, with the first-hand experience on the obstacles faced by patients and healthcare providers. With her real-world experience as a nurse, this has uniquely positioned her as an effective leader in influencing healthcare policies in Congress. Ideally, Black was the first member of Congress to repeal the Obamacare health reforms in 2011. The legislation signed into law saved taxpayers approximately 13 billion dollars (“U.S. Congressman Dianne Black,” n.d). Along with that, she believes that the president’s health bill is disastrous and has been on the forefront advocating for a true patient-centered and market-based health care reform that will reduce the increasing cost of care. More precisely, her focus is to increase the competition in the private sector and consumer choice. True to her efforts, the House of Republicans from Tennessee voted in favor of the American health care reform, and as Black commented, it was now upon the Senate to strengthen the bill and ensure that a patient-centered medical policy is implemented. 

Alongside healthcare reforms, Black has also been a steadfast campaigner for the rights of the unborn children. On 01/06/2007, Black authored the “Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2017.” The comprehensive bill sought to block any federal funding to Planned Parenthood Federation of America affiliates or medical facilities that perform an abortion (H.R.354, 2010). Black has also sponsored the Conscience Protection Act, which protects the religious freedom of organizations or hospitals that refuse to participate, refer, or pay for abortion (“U.S. Congressman Dianne Black,” n.d). 

References

“Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2017,” H.R.354, 115th Cong. (2010).

“U.S. Congressman Dianne Black.” (n.d). About. Retrieved from: https://black.house.gov/about