Pro-life leaders expressed suspicion that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is intentionally delaying its safety evaluation of mifepristone until after the November 3, 2026, midterm elections

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If Republicans retain their House majority in the 2026 midterms, a full House floor vote for Speaker of the House will take place on Jan. 3

Speaker Mike Johnson floated returning to Louisiana if Republicans lose the U.S. House of Representatives in an interview with Fox News, though his spokesperson pushed back on speculation that he would leave Congress

GOP lawmakers and aides noted that a push to support a leader other than Speaker Mike Johnson could emerge if Republicans suffer major midterm losses

Speaker Mike Johnson stated to CBS News that he intends to remain leader of the House Republican conference even if Republicans lose the House majority in the 2026 midterms

GOP lawmakers, aides, and staffers identified House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan as alternative House minority leader contenders to Speaker Mike Johnson if Republicans lose their 2026 midterm majority

CMS and HHS said the Nurses for Nursing Homes program is expected to support more than 4,000 nurses across all 50 states and the District of Columbia

Senator Ron Wyden stated that decades have passed since Congress enacted a comprehensive, system-level investment in long-term care infrastructure and financing

The Nurses for Nursing Homes program offers eligible nurses up to $40,000 in student loan repayment and a $10,000 stipend in exchange for a three-year service commitment, under the CMS initiative launched Oct. 23

In October 2026, Senate Democrats led by Senator Ron Wyden advocated for a comprehensive, system-level investment in American long-term care infrastructure and financing for home care and nursing homes

The Nurses for Nursing Homes initiative is funded by $100 million from CMS and at least $175 million pledged by states using civil monetary penalties

All rural nursing facilities and additional facilities in areas with severe labor shortages qualify for incentives under the Nurses for Nursing Homes initiative, which CMS launched Oct. 23

Applicants for the Nurses for Nursing Homes program must hold an active registered nurse, licensed practical or vocational nurse license and work at least 30 hours per week at a qualifying facility, under an initiative CMS launched Oct. 23

Applications for the Nurses for Nursing Homes initiative open on October 26, 2026, at NursesforNursingHomes.cms.gov

American Health Care Association President Clif Porter stated that supporting seniors and caregivers should remain a high priority for lawmakers in 2026 to meet exploding demand

In a May 2025 provider survey cited by the American Health Care Association, 91 percent of nursing home respondents described recruiting staff as somewhat or very difficult

According to an American Health Care Association research summary, U.S. counties with frequent staffing shortages experienced larger declines in skilled nursing beds, with rural counties affected most

The population of U.S. adults aged 80 and older is projected to rise by 8 million over the next decade, according to AHCA's January 2026 workforce report

According to an American Health Care Association report, nursing homes added 40,700 workers during 2025 but remained 26,500 workers below pre-pandemic February 2020 employment levels

Nurses for Nursing Homes applicants generally must not have worked in a nursing home during the 60 days before applying to the program, though temporary exceptions exist for recent hires

Nurses without qualifying student loan debt can receive the $10,000 stipend under the Nurses for Nursing Homes program if they graduated within two years before applying, an initiative CMS launched Oct. 23