ROSEMONT, Ill., April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- (AANA) - The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) recognized U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) as with its National Health Leadership Award for 2026 at its Mid-Year Assembly, April 24-29, in Washington, DC.

Senator Collins currently serves as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a member of the Health Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, both of which are priority committees for AANA, due to their direct impact on federal funding, policy, and legislation related to healthcare reimbursement and anesthesia education.

Sen. Collins has been a consistent supporter of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) in Maine and nationwide, particularly in the areas of Title VIII funding and recognizing future CRNAs as professional students. Sen. Collins has led the effort in the U.S. Senate to protect Title VIII Nursing Workforce funding as the House is seeking major cuts. She is also an original co-sponsor of the Senate Title VIII Reauthorization bill.

In addition, Sen. Collins signed on to a critical bipartisan, bicameral letter in support of allowing education for CRNAs and other Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to be classified as 'professional degrees' under the Department of Education. Sen. Collins has long championed CRNAs and rural health and has worked tirelessly to show her support.

Prior to being elected to the Senate in 1996, Sen. Collins had a long career in public service. In addition to time spent as a senior Senate staffer, she was appointed Commissioner of the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation by Gov. John McKernan and later director of the Small Business Administration's Boston office by President George H.W. Bush. She also served as deputy state treasurer in Massachusetts before moving to Maine to become the founding director of the Center for Family Business at Husson University in Bangor, Maine.

"Nurses are invaluable leaders who truly understand what it means to care and serve others," said Senator Susan Collins. "As an original sponsor of the Senate Title VIII Reauthorization bill, I am keenly aware of the need to preserve and strengthen educational opportunities for CRNAs. I'm grateful for this recognition and remain committed to championing efforts to support our nation's nurses in Congress."

"Sen. Collins has been a champion of CRNAs on the state and federal level, working to strengthen the U.S. nursing workforce through education, training and retention programs, helping to ensure our ability to practice at the full scope of our licensure," said AANA President Jeff Molter, MBA, MSN, CRNA. "She understands the important role CRNAs play in delivering quality, safe anesthesia care and has taken a leadership role on critical healthcare issues affecting our work on behalf of patients."

The National Health Leadership Award was established in 1992 and is presented to individuals working at the federal government level who have made a significant contribution to the formation of national health policy. The award recognizes support for the vital role that CRNAs, also known as nurse anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists, play in providing access to cost-effective, quality anesthesia services to patients.

Each year, CRNAs safely administer more than 58 million anesthetics to patients in the United States. CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered: traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms; critical access hospitals; ambulatory surgical centers; ketamine clinics; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists; and U.S. military, Public Health Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities.

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SOURCE American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology