[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 29 (Thursday, March 14, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S1937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FEINGOLD (for himself, and Ms. Collins):
  S. 2014. A bill to provide better Federal interagency coordination 
and support for emergency medical services; to the Committee on 
Governmental Affairs.
  By Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I rise today with my colleague from 
Maine to introduce legislation that will help to improve and streamline 
Federal support for community-based emergency medical services. Our 
proposal will also provide an avenue for local officials and EMS 
providers to help Federal agencies improve existing programs and future 
initiatives.
  Five Federal agencies currently provide technical assistance and 
funding to State and local EMS systems. These Agencies are the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Department of Health and 
Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration, the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency's U.S. Fire Administration, and the Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services.
  Last year, the General Accounting Office cited the need to increase 
coordination between these agencies as they address the needs of local 
emergency medical service providers. According to GAO, these needs, 
including personnel, training, equipment, and more emergency personnel 
in the field, tend to vary between urban and rural communities.
  The Federal Government needs to step up to the plate and provide 
support to our firefighters, EMTs, emergency physicians, emergency 
nurses, state medical directors, and others who provide the emergency 
care to those in need. And the Federal agencies must listen to their 
priorities. We have five Federal agencies currently involved in 
supporting EMS services, but they lack coordination and the necessary 
input from our local EMS providers.
  Over the past few years, each of the five Federal agencies has 
separately initiated attempts to promote activities to strengthen 
support for EMS providers and address the needs cited in the GAO 
report. While these efforts are certainly welcome, our legislation will 
help to coordinate and prioritize Federal EMS activities that support 
first responders, and at the same time, ensure effective utilization of 
taxpayer dollars.
  This legislation does not begin to address many of the challenges 
facing our local EMS providers, but it is an important first step. I 
know it is an important step because this legislation is a direct 
result of the input by Wisconsin's fire chiefs, members of Emergency 
Medical Service Board and others. In particular, I would like to thank 
Dr. Marvin Birnbaum of the University of Wisconsin, Fire Chief Dave 
Bloom of the Town of Madison, and Dan Williams, the Chair of 
Wisconsin's EMS advisory board, for their advice and guidance.
  I am also pleased that my legislation has support from public health 
groups such as the American Heart Association and other important 
groups such as the State EMS Directors. In particular, I would like to 
express my appreciation to Steve Hise of the State EMS Directors and 
Karl Moeller of the American Heart Association for their input and 
consistent advocacy on issues facing the EMS community.
  We must be aggressive in seeking the advice of our local EMS 
providers, and helping them to attain the resources that they need to 
provide effective services. They are on the front lines, and deserve 
our support. I ask my colleagues to join me in taking this important 
first step to cosponsor this legislation and improve and streamline 
Federal support for community-based emergency medical services.
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