ROSEMONT, Ill., April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) recognized U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) as the winner of its National Health Leadership Award for 2026 at its Mid-Year Assembly, April 24 –29, in Washington, D.C.

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici was first elected to represent Oregon's First Congressional District in 2012. She serves on the House Committee on Education and Workforce (Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development) and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Co-chair of the House Nursing Caucus, Rep. Bonamici is a proponent of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists' (CRNAs) and other Advanced Practice Registered Nurses' (APRNs) issues.

In addition to leading efforts on funding for Title VIII programs, Rep. Bonamici is a cosponsor of AANA's signature bills, the Improving Care and Access to Nurses Act (ICAN Act) and the Ensuring Veterans Timely Access to Anesthesia Care Act. She also led a recent bipartisan, bicameral letter to the Department of Education advocating for the reclassification of future CRNAs and other nurses as professional students. Rep. Bonamici has been a strong advocate and champion of CRNAs and other nurses throughout her tenure.

Prior to serving in the U.S. House, Bonamici served as a consumer protection lawyer at the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., before starting a private law practice in Oregon. She also served in the Oregon state House and Senate.

"Anyone who has spent time in a hospital as a patient or visitor can tell you how important nurses are to providing patients with the care they need," said U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici. "I'm a steadfast supporter and cosponsor of the Improving Care and Access to Nurses Act, which would increase healthcare access, improve the quality of care, and lower costs by expanding access to health care provided by nurses. I'm grateful for this recognition and look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress on additional ways to support nurses, including CRNAs."

"Through her leadership, Rep. Bonamici continues to be a champion for patients' access to healthcare," said AANA President Jeff Molter, MBA, MSN, CRNA. "She understands the critical role CRNAs bring to delivering quality, safe anesthesia care to patients. We are proud to recognize Rep. Bonamici for her service and contributions and thank her for her continued support."

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 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (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