[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 124 (Tuesday, October 5, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H8089-H8091]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION OF PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATION
PROGRAMS
Mr. BARTON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 250) recognizing
community organization of public access defibrillation programs.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 250
Whereas coronary heart disease is the single leading cause
of death in the United States;
Whereas every two minutes, an individual suffers from
cardiac arrest in the United States, and 250,000 Americans
die each year from cardiac arrest out of hospital;
Whereas the chance of survival for a victim of cardiac
arrest diminishes by ten percent each minute following sudden
cardiac arrest;
Whereas 80 percent of cardiac arrests are caused by
ventricular fibrillation, for which defibrillation is the
only effective treatment;
Whereas 60 percent of all cardiac arrests occur outside the
hospital, and the average national survival rate for an out-
of-hospital victim of cardiac arrest is only five percent;
Whereas automated external defibrillators (AEDs) make it
possible for trained non-medical rescuers to deliver
potentially life-saving defibrillation to victims of cardiac
arrest;
Whereas public access defibrillation (PAD) programs train
non-medical individuals to use AEDs;
Whereas communities that have established and implemented
PAD programs that make use of AEDs have achieved average
survival rates as high as 50 percent for those individuals
who have suffered an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest;
Whereas successful PAD programs ensure that cardiac arrest
victims have access to
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early 911 notification, early cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
early defibrillation, and advanced care;
Whereas schools, sports arenas, large hotels, concert
halls, high-rise buildings, gated communities, buildings
subject to high-security, and similar facilities can benefit
greatly from the use of AEDs as part of a PAD program, since
it often takes additional and therefore critical time for
emergency medical personnel to respond to victims of cardiac
arrest in these areas;
Whereas according to the American Heart Association,
widespread use of defibrillators could save as many as 50,000
lives nationally each year;
Whereas the Aviation Medical Assistance Act of 1998 (Public
Law 105-170; 49 U.S.C. 44701 note) authorized AEDs to be
carried and used aboard commercial airliners;
Whereas the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act of 2000 (Public Law
106-505; 42 U.S.C. 238p-238q) and the Rural Access to
Emergency Devices Act (Public Law 106-505, 42 U.S.C. 254c
note) provided for the placement of AEDs in Federal office
buildings and increased access to AEDs in rural communities;
Whereas the Community Access to Emergency Defibrillation
Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-188; 42 U.S.C. 244-245)
authorized the development and implementation of PAD
projects;
Whereas the Automatic Defibrillation in Adam's Memory Act
(presented to the President for his signature on June 20,
2003) authorizes the use of grant funds to establish an
information clearinghouse to provide information to increase
public access to defibrillation in schools; and
Whereas Summit County, Ohio serves as an inspiring model
for communities across the United States by providing access
to AEDs in all of the county's 59 middle and high schools, in
47 city buildings and community centers, in 17 police
departments, and in seven buildings at the University of
Akron: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress--
(1) recognizes the growing number of community activists,
organizations, and municipal governments leading the national
effort to establish public access defibrillation (PAD)
programs; and
(2) encourages the continued development and implementation
of PAD programs in schools, sports arenas, large hotels,
concert halls, high-rise buildings, gated communities,
buildings subject to high-security, and similar facilities to
increase the survival rate for victims of cardiac arrest.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Barton) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton).
General Leave
Mr. BARTON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 250.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. BARTON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 250 which
recognizes community organization of public access defibrillation
programs. The Committee on Energy and Commerce favorably reported this
resolution by voice vote last week.
Coronary heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in
the United States. It is often the case that lives are either saved or
lost in those first few critical moments when an individual suffers
from cardiac arrest. Fortunately, medical technology and life-saving
equipment are improving every day. New, portable medical devices called
``automated external defibrillators'' are often used to deliver life-
saving treatment on the scene.
I can give a personal example of an individual in my district, Mr.
Gary Terry, who was going through the Austin airport several years ago
when he suffered a massive heart attack just as he went through
security checkpoint. Luckily, the city of Austin had just installed
these defibrillators at the airport, and it has on videotape the
emergency technicians grabbing the defibrillator, putting it on Mr.
Terry's chest and literally bringing him back to life. Mr. Terry is
alive and well today because one of these devices was in the Austin
international airport in Austin, Texas.
Over the past 6 years, Congress has enacted several laws to expand
the use of automatic external defibrillators. H. Con. Res. 250
recognizes the growing number of community activist organizations and
municipal governments leading the national effort to establish public
access defibrillation programs and encourages the continued development
and implementation of programs in a variety of community venues.
Madam Speaker, I would urge that all Members adopt this resolution.
Also, I want to thank my good friend, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Brown), for his sponsorship of this legislation. It shows his
commitment to a healthier community that he would take the time to be
the leader on this important legislation.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1530
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes.
Madam Speaker, heart disease kills more Americans than any other
condition. Nearly a quarter of a million Americans die from cardiac
arrest every year. The American Heart Association, which supports this
resolution, estimates that with widespread access to and use of
defibrillation, 50,000 of those lives could be saved every year.
We are starting to see real success in ensuring that there are
defibrillators in major public places in this country. In Summit
County, in my district, a successful effort led by Dr. Terry Gordon has
resulted in public defibrillators in all of the county's 59 middle
schools and high schools, and in 23 other public buildings, coverage
that probably is unprecedented in the United States.
As these efforts continue, we are making strides towards public
access defibrillation in all major public venues, in schools and sports
arenas, in large hotels, in concert halls, in high-rise buildings, in
gated communities and high-security companies.
Currently, 60 percent of heart attacks take place in venues like
these outside of hospitals, and the survival rate for these attacks is
only around 5 percent. Public access to defibrillation programs provide
defibrillators to facilities and train nonmedical personnel in how to
use a defibrillator. If administered within 3 minutes of a victim
collapsing from cardiac arrest, a defibrillator can increase the
patient's survival rate, it is estimated, by 70 percent.
Knowing these statistics, Madam Speaker, it is clear we can do better
in preventing death from cardiac arrest. This House can begin by fully
funding the Community and Rural Defibrillation Program for fiscal year
2005.
My colleagues, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps), the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus), along with the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Deal) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind), and
especially the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) have been champions
of these important programs, and it is critical their funding levels be
maintained.
Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), our
chairman, and the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr.
Dingell) of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, as well as my
colleague and friend, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for
bringing this measure up for consideration before the House today. It
is an important bill that will save lives. This will matter to the
lives of family members of so many Americans.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BARTON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns), one of our
subcommittee chairmen.
Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman for
yielding me this time, and I rise in support and as a cosponsor of H.
Con. Res. 250, recognizing public access defibrillation, or PAD,
programs.
My colleagues, years ago I had the opportunity and honor to work with
the American Heart Association and we developed legislation addressing
sudden cardiac arrest along with the gentlewoman from California (Mrs.
Capps). This cooperation led to the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act. After
years of work, the provisions from the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act were
combined with other health care provisions in H.R. 2498, and finally
enacted in 2000 as the Public Health Improvement Act.
This law directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to simply
[[Page H8091]]
develop guidelines for the placement of defibrillators in public
buildings. It also directs Health and Human Services to consult with
and counsel other Federal agencies where such devices are to be used.
Now, a number of agencies have initiated the program, including
Labor, HHS, Commerce, GSA, and IRS. These public access defibrillation
programs, PADs, vary with occupancy of the building, building size and
other characteristics.
Since last winter, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps) and I
have been working with the Architect of the Capitol and the Office of
the Attending Physician to consider the implementation of a PAD program
throughout the United States Capitol complex to help save lives for the
people that visit our Capitol in and around this area. The hard-working
staff, employees of the U.S. Congress, and the many visitors should be
afforded the same protection as citizens employed by or visiting other
Federal facilities implementing PAD programs.
We are finding that the biggest area of discussion from building
supervisors at both the executive branch and here in the Capitol is the
ongoing maintenance of the AEDs and the program once they are in place.
Now, thanks to our persistence, I am pleased to share that each
Chamber's Legislative Branch Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2005
has included $1 million in funding for installation and annual
maintenance of hundreds and hundreds of defibrillators around the
Capitol complex.
This is good, good news, and I am very pleased to cosponsor the
legislation of my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), and I
commend him for his active participation on this.
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BARTON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume to just ask that we strongly support the Sherrod Brown bill.
Mr. BARTON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Miller of Michigan). The question is on
the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton) that the
House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con.
Res. 250.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was
agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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