[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 74 (Wednesday, May 11, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H2266-H2268]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VETERAN EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN SUPPORT ACT OF 2016
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1818) to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide
grants to States to streamline State requirements and procedures for
veterans with military emergency medical training to become civilian
emergency medical technicians, as amended.
[[Page H2267]]
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1818
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veteran Emergency Medical
Technician Support Act of 2016''.
SEC. 2. ASSISTING VETERANS WITH MILITARY EMERGENCY MEDICAL
TRAINING TO MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR BECOMING
CIVILIAN EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS.
Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 243 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 314
the following:
``SEC. 315. ASSISTING VETERANS WITH MILITARY EMERGENCY
MEDICAL TRAINING TO MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR
BECOMING CIVILIAN EMERGENCY MEDICAL
TECHNICIANS.
``(a) Program.--The Secretary shall establish a program
consisting of awarding demonstration grants to States to
streamline State requirements and procedures in order to
assist veterans who completed military emergency medical
technician training while serving in the Armed Forces of the
United States to meet certification, licensure, and other
requirements applicable to becoming an emergency medical
technician in the State.
``(b) Use of Funds.--Amounts received as a demonstration
grant under this section shall be used to prepare and
implement a plan to streamline State requirements and
procedures as described in subsection (a), including by--
``(1) determining the extent to which the requirements for
the education, training, and skill level of emergency medical
technicians in the State are equivalent to requirements for
the education, training, and skill level of military
emergency medical technicians; and
``(2) identifying methods, such as waivers, for military
emergency medical technicians to forgo or meet any such
equivalent State requirements.
``(c) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under this
section, a State shall demonstrate that the State has a
shortage of emergency medical technicians.
``(d) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to the Congress
an annual report on the program under this section.
``(e) Funding.--No additional funds are authorized to be
appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this section.
This section shall be carried out using amounts otherwise
available for such purpose.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and to insert extraneous materials into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 1818, the Veteran Emergency Medical
Technician Support Act of 2016, introduced by my colleagues on the
Committee on Energy and Commerce--Mr. Kinzinger from Illinois and Mrs.
Capps from California.
Members of the U.S. military who trained as combat medics face State
licensing challenges when they try to find similar work after
discharge. Many States do not recognize their qualifications as being
applicable to the licensing requirements of the civilian healthcare
system for emergency medical services, such as EMTs or paramedics.
State licensing laws vary, and while some States make exceptions for
former military medics to allow for reciprocity and a chance to sit for
the licensing exam without repeating their training, many States do
not.
This legislation would provide grants to States with emergency
medical technician shortages so as to help streamline State
requirements for veterans to enter the EMT workforce without there
being an unnecessary duplication of their training. This will help them
more easily transition to their becoming civilian EMTs.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 1818, the Veteran Emergency Medical
Technician Support Act.
Our Nation's servicemen and -women receive some of the best medical
training and experience in emergency medicine while serving our
country. Their commitment to duty, training, real-world experience, and
ability to work effectively in challenging environments make them
exceptionally well suited for working as emergency medical technicians,
EMTs, upon their return to civilian life.
However, experienced military medics who want to work in civilian EMT
jobs are often required to repeat their medical training at the most
basic level to receive certification in order to be hired. Depending on
the State, a returning veteran may have to obtain or renew their EMS
license. The requirements can vary significantly by State. This is an
unnecessary impediment for both our service personnel and our
communities that are in need of qualified emergency medical service
personnel. We should not be keeping veterans out of the workforce and
withholding valuable medical personnel from supporting our communities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook
Handbook, approximately 55,000 new civilian EMT and paramedic jobs have
already been or will be created between 2012 and 2022. Highly skilled
and properly trained veterans are well positioned to fill these
essential provisions.
H.R. 1818 will authorize a demonstration grant program for States to
streamline certification and licensure requirements for returning
veterans with military EMT training so they can work as civilian EMTs
as quickly as possible. Streamlining the licensing process will make it
easier for the civilian EMS community to hire experienced combat
medics. This is not only beneficial to our veterans, but also to our
communities, and it will enhance the level of care that is provided to
our citizens.
I thank the bill's sponsors--Representative Lois Capps, who is a
member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and of our Subcommittee
on Health, and Congressman Adam Kinzinger--for introducing and
championing this legislation.
I urge my colleagues to support the Veteran Emergency Medical
Technician Support Act.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger), my colleague and good friend on the Committee
on Energy and Commerce, who is a veteran Air Force pilot himself.
Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. I appreciate the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, the Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act
will help our veterans and our communities by assisting States in
reducing burdens for military medics who want to become civilian EMTs.
Emergency medical technicians are an important part of the medical
workforce and, as first responders, are critical to our goal of
combating the thousands of opioid overdoses each year. EMTs respond to
hundreds of thousands of overdoses. In 2014 alone, EMTs responded to
240,000 calls at which naloxone was administered.
According to the Department of Labor, the demand for EMTs and
paramedics is expected to increase by 33 percent by the year 2020. This
expected shortage is on top of some communities that are already
reporting a shortage of EMTs.
My legislation, H.R. 1818, the Veteran EMT Support Act, works to
address this by helping States to streamline requirements and
procedures in order to assist veterans who completed military EMT
training in the Armed Forces to meet the certification, the licensure,
and other requirements to become civilian EMTs.
Although some service branches train military medics to EMT national
certification standards, States generally have required additional
training for State licensure. This creates a barrier for servicemembers
who have received some of the best EMT training and have practiced
their profession on the battlefield.
The Veteran EMT Support Act is a commonsense way to help veterans
transition into the civilian workforce, improve public health, and
ensure communities have highly qualified, professional men and women to
answer challenging emergency calls like opioid overdoses.
I thank Congresswoman Capps for her strong support and advocacy of
this
[[Page H2268]]
legislation, and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I
urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote in favor of this
legislation.
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).
Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my colleague for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1818, the Veteran Emergency
Medical Technician Support Act.
As the ranking member of our committee just said, our military medics
receive some of the best technical training in emergency medicine on
the battlefield, and it is proven in extreme circumstances. However,
when these medics return home and attempt to apply their skills to work
in the civilian EMT sector, they are often forced to start back at
square one. Repeating coursework isn't just a waste of time, it is also
incredibly expensive. Similarly, civilian EMTs who are also in the
military or in the reserves often must let their civilian
certifications lapse when they are deployed.
In either circumstance, this is an unfair burden on our military men
and women who have bravely defended our country. It is also so
shortsighted for our communities, which could benefit from their
expertise. We need these valuable medical personnel to be working in
our communities, especially as we now deal with this opioid crisis.
That is why I am so pleased to have again joined with my Republican
colleague, Representative Kinzinger, to introduce the Veteran EMT
Support Act. The bill is a small but straightforward effort to help
States streamline their EMT certification processes to take military
medic training into account for civilian licensure. It is the least we
can do to help ensure that our military medics' transition home is a
little bit easier, and it is the least we can do to ensure that our
communities have the best civilian first responder personnel working
for them.
I thank Chairmen Upton and Pitts and Ranking Members Pallone and
Green and their staffs for their support in getting this bill to the
floor. I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Costello).
Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R.
1818, the Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act. I thank
Congressman Kinzinger for his leadership on this bill. I also recognize
the chief operations officer for the Western Berks EMS, in my district,
Ed Moreland, who came to my office and shared with me what this bill
was all about.
It is a very easy bill to support. Not only is it an easy bill to
support, but it is a very important, valuable bill for me and other
Members to support because in my State of Pennsylvania where I used to
be a county commissioner and, before that, a township supervisor, we
would see firsthand the very valuable role that EMTs and paramedics
provide to local communities. We also know that there is a demand for
more EMTs and paramedics. In fact, over the next 8 years, it is
estimated that there will be another 40,000 EMTs and paramedics that we
will need in this country.
I have the honor to serve on the House Committee on Veterans'
Affairs. One of the things on which we focus on that committee is to
work to find innovative solutions to help our veterans find successful
careers when they return home and to utilize the skills that many
servicemen and servicewomen obtain and possess during their service.
Indeed, many of the best training and experience that military men and
women get overseas is in the area of emergency medicine.
When one looks at what it takes to be an EMT--the education,
training, skill level, and what is required in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania and in many other States--you realize that there is an
equivalency that many veterans already have, which they obtained while
serving in the military.
This bill seeks to streamline the process so that if a veteran
already has the training, the education, the skill level, the
experience, we can basically not require that veteran to spend more
time and more money going through the process of obtaining a
certification. Instead, we can get him into the practice of actually
serving his community and working in a professional environment. It
gets qualified veterans to work quicker. It also fills the communities'
safety needs quicker.
It is commonsense, bipartisan legislation to address the demand for
qualified professionals in our communities, and it provides veterans
with good job opportunities. It is why I encourage my colleagues to
support it. It is why I commend Congressman Kinzinger and why I thank
Ed Moreland of the Western Berks EMS for bringing this to my attention.
{time} 1745
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote for H.R.
1818.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1818, the
``Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2015,'' which
emphasizes the necessity to add requirements and procedures that assist
veterans with military EMT training to meet state EMT certification,
licensure, and other requirements.
I support this legislation, because it benefits states with a
shortage of emergency medical technicians.
H.R. 1818 allows veterans to reenter society and assist the helpless
within the emergency medical community.
The bill enables the Public Health Service Act to direct the
Department of Health and Human Services in an efficient approach for
veteran assistance.
Specifically, H.R. 1818 requires the secretary to establish a program
consisting of awarding demonstration grants to states to streamline
state requirements and procedures.
H.R. 1818 determines the extent to which the requirements for
education, training, and skill level of emergency medical technicians
are equivalent to the requirements for military emergency medical
technicians.
The bill identifies methods to facilitate the attainment of state
requirements for military emergency medical technicians.
For proper usage of the grant provided by the bill, a state shall
demonstrate its shortage of emergency medical technicians.
This bill introduces a feasible alternative for veterans within the
community.
With consistent experience in high pressure situations and emergency
environments, veterans are the appropriate choice for this profession.
This is a comprehensive bill that will simultaneously provide
opportunity for veterans while alleviating the shortage of staff in a
medical specialty involving care for undifferentiated and unscheduled
patients with illnesses or injuries requiring immediate medical
attention.
I urge all Members to join me in support of H.R. 1818.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1818, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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