ANA Membership Assembly: Legislation, inclusion, action

The 2026 Membership Assembly held special significance, as ANA celebrated its 130th anniversary, with nurses from every corner of the country coming together to address the challenges and opportunities facing the profession. Throughout the meeting, representatives debated policy, adopted significant changes, and reaffirmed nursing’s essential role in advancing healthcare and public policy. 

Before the Membership Assembly convened, WSNA representatives joined more than 500 nurses from across the country for ANA Hill Day. Nurses met with members of Congress and congressional staff to advocate for legislative priorities that strengthen the nursing workforce and improve patient care. 

Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL) opened the day by encouraging nurses to embrace their role as the nation’s most trusted profession and to confidently share their expertise with policymakers. 

WSNA representatives met with every Senate and House office from Washington state, discussing issues critical to nurses and patients across the state. Key priorities included: 

• Supporting the Nursing Is a Professional Degree Act and similar legislation to reverse the U.S. Department of Education’s decision excluding nursing from the federal definition of a professional degree. 
• Protecting and expanding Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs. 
• Preventing workplace violence in healthcare settings. 
• Advancing the Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act. 

The day also brought encouraging news for nursing education. While nurses were meeting with lawmakers, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia announced a stay of the Department of Education’s policy limiting student loan access for post-baccalaureate nursing students, following litigation brought by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and other professional associations. This decision represented an important step toward protecting educational access for future advanced practice nurses. 

Later that day, ANA conferred a wide variety of awards honoring both longtime and emerging nursing leaders. Among the honorees was retiring WSNA Executive Director David Keepnews. He received the Luther Christman Award, which recognizes the substantial contributions made by an individual man in nursing to the profession in the areas of practice, research, education, public policy, and/or community service. 

The 2026 ANA Membership Assembly focused on issues that impact the future of the profession and ensuring that ANA continues to represent nurses across all practice settings. 

In a historic vote, 88% of Membership Assembly representatives voted to open ANA membership to licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs), expanding opportunities for professional engagement across nursing and strengthening ANA’s unified voice on behalf of the profession. 

Throughout the meeting, delegates also considered resolutions addressing health system sustainability, the bullying of nursing students, cannabis-related nursing practice, and the future of nursing advocacy. 

One of the most significant conversations of the meeting centered on the future of ANA’s political advocacy and support of federal candidates.  

During the ANA Board of Directors Roundtable Discussion, leaders from several constituent and state nurses associations (C/SNAs) shared perspectives on the current approach of the ANA Political Action Committee (ANA-PAC). Many emphasized that nurses’ extraordinary public trust presents an opportunity to more visibly support candidates who champion nursing priorities and policies that improve patient care. 

Building on those conversations, WSNA led a coalition of 16 C/SNAs in introducing a resolution on Embracing Transparency and Engagement in ANA Political Action & Congressional Candidate Support (PDF). The resolution called on ANA leadership to strengthen transparency, member engagement, and communication surrounding ANA-PAC activities while recognizing the value of visible political support and/or endorsement by the nursing profession. 

Specifically, the resolution urged the ANA Board of Directors and the ANA-PAC Board of Trustees to: 

• Promote greater transparency and public visibility regarding political contributions and candidate support decisions. 
• Restore consultation with constituent and state nurses associations regarding congressional candidate support, particularly for non-incumbent candidates. 
• Provide timely communication to ANA members regarding supported candidates and the rationale guiding those decisions. 

The resolution also encouraged ANA leadership to leverage the public trust placed in nurses through visible political engagement while reaffirming the organization’s commitment to transparency, accountability, member engagement, and democratic participation. 

Voting representatives affirmed their support by an overwhelming hand vote during the final session of the Membership Assembly, reflecting broad support among delegates for strengthening member engagement and promoting more visible nonpartisan candidate support in ANA’s political advocacy efforts. 

The 2026 Membership Assembly reflected both ANA’s rich history and its continued evolution. As the organization marked 130 years of advancing nursing, MA representatives demonstrated a shared commitment to ANA’s role as a voice for the profession and the patients we serve. 

For Washington’s delegation, the meeting reinforced the importance of nurses taking part not only at the bedside, but also in professional association discussions, legislative chambers, and the policymaking process. 

As healthcare continues to evolve, the voice of nurses has never been more important — and Washington nurses will continue working alongside colleagues across the country to ensure that voice remains strong, visible, and influential.