[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1708 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1708

     To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
  Assistance Act to ensure the continuity of medical care following a 
major disaster by making private for-profit medical facilities eligible 
                    for Federal disaster assistance.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 15, 2001

 Mr. McConnell (for himself and Ms. Landrieu) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment 
                            and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
  Assistance Act to ensure the continuity of medical care following a 
major disaster by making private for-profit medical facilities eligible 
                    for Federal disaster assistance.

    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 ``Parity in Emergency Preparedness and 
Response Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT MEDICAL FACILITIES FOR 
              FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Eligibility of Private For-Profit Medical Facilities for 
Assistance Available to Private Nonprofit Facilities.--Section 102(9) 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5122(9)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and facilities'' and inserting 
        ``facilities''; and
            (2) by inserting before the period at the end the 
        following: ``, and private for-profit medical facilities 
        (including hospitals and long-term care facilities)''.
    (b) Clarification of Eligibility of Medical Facilities for 
Emergency Preparedness Assistance.--
            (1) Definition of emergency preparedness.--Section 
        602(a)(3)(A) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
        Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5195a(a)(3)(A)) is amended 
        by inserting ``the preparation of private nonprofit and for-
        profit medical facilities (including hospitals and long-term 
        care facilities) to withstand major disasters,'' after 
        ``control centers,''.
            (2) Functions of fema.--Section 611(j)(1) of the Robert T. 
        Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
        U.S.C. 5196(j)(1)) is amended in the first sentence by 
        inserting before the period at the end the following: 
        ``(including the preparation of private nonprofit and for-
        profit medical facilities (including hospitals and long-term 
        care facilities) to withstand major disasters)''.
    (c) Definition of Long-Term Care Facility.--Section 102 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5122) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(10) Long-term care facility.--`Long-term care facility' 
        means--
                    ``(A) any skilled nursing facility (as defined in 
                section 1819(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
                1395i-3(a));
                    ``(B) any nursing facility (as defined in section 
                1919(a) of that Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r(a)); and
                    ``(C) any other long-term care facility, such as an 
                intermediate care facility for the mentally 
                retarded.''.
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