Duckworth Visits Southern Illinois Nursing School Expansion Made Possible by Federal Investment She Secured

Duckworth Visits Southern Illinois Nursing School Expansion Made Possible by Federal Investment She Secured

[CARTERVILLE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today visited John A. Logan College (JALC) to see firsthand how the $1.2 million federal investment she successfully secured is expanding the school's nursing program, building new classrooms, purchasing equipment and helping prepare students for careers in health and nursing. During the visit, Duckworth stressed the importance of programs like these in addressing the shortage of rural health care workers in Illinois and across the country-a crisis that's being exacerbated by Trump and Republicans' health care cuts. Photos from today's visit are available on Senator Duckworth's website.

"Rural Illinoisans were already dealing with extreme barriers to care, between a shortage of health care professionals and too many having to travel hours to the nearest hospital when mere minutes can mean life or death in an emergency. Now in the wake of Trump's Medicaid cuts, those already-distant hospitals face the threat of losing key resources and being shuttered altogether," said Duckworth. "This is a crisis our rural communities cannot afford to get worse. To help address these challenges, we must plan for the long-term and invest in training the next generation of health care professionals. After years of pushing for federal funding for this project, I'm proud to see this investment help us do just that."

Duckworth long pushed for funding to expand rural health care access and support postsecondary programs across Illinois. Earlier this year, Duckworth's bipartisan Improving Access to Care for Rural Veterans Act passed committee, which would make it easier for Veterans who live in rural areas to access the health care they've earned.

John A. Logan College is a public community college in Carterville, Illinois. The JALC Nursing Program offers three stand-alone nursing programs: Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), Practical Nursing (PN) and Associate Degree Nursing (ADN).

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