[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 45 (Monday, March 16, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3110-S3111]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             WAKEFIELD ACT

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I wish today to speak in support of S. 408, 
legislation that I introduced along with my colleague, Senator Inouye, 
to reauthorize the Emergency Medical Services for Children, EMSC, 
Program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services', 
HHS, Health Resources and Services Administration's, HRSA, Maternal and 
Child Health Bureau, MCHB. It is fitting that we do this in the year of 
the program's 25th anniversary.
  The purpose of the EMSC Program is straightforward: to ensure state-
of-the-art emergency medical care for ill or injured children and 
adolescents. Children have different medical needs than adults, and 
that presents special challenges for emergency and trauma care 
providers. These differences do not solely relate to medical supplies. 
They are also physiological and emotional. Not only will an adult-sized 
facemask not adequately administer oxygen to a child; but, for example, 
children's respiratory systems function differently, so they are more 
at risk for inflammation and infection; and they maintain fluid 
balances differently and thus are more prone to dehydration and death 
due to blood and fluid loss. Kids even may not be old enough or 
sufficiently cognizant to communicate what exactly is wrong with them 
or how they got hurt.
  The EMSC Program has helped educate and train medical professionals 
to provide emergency care for children appropriately, because children 
are not just small adults.
  The program has made extraordinary contributions in its 25 years--but 
disparities in children's emergency care still exist. According to the 
Institute of Medicine, IOM's 2006 report: ``Emergency Care for 
Children: Growing Pains,'' children account for nearly one-third of all 
emergency department visits, yet many hospitals are simply not prepared 
to handle pediatric patients. The IOM reported that only 6 percent of 
EDs in the United States have all of the necessary supplies to 
appropriately handle children's emergency care.
  I am proud that my home State of Utah has played a special role in 
advancing the level of emergency medical care for children and 
teenagers. Working with the EMSC Program, Utah has participated in the 
Intermountain Regional Emergency Medical Services for Children 
Coordinating Council. The University of Utah is home to both the 
National Emergency Medical Services for Children Data Analysis Resource 
Center, NEDARC, and the Central Data Management Coordinating Center, 
CDMCC, for the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network, 
PECARN. Utah-based projects also helped pioneer the development of 
training materials on caring for special needs pediatric patients.
  Each year, representatives of Utah's medical workforce come to visit 
and talk about the wonderful accomplishments and importance of the EMSC 
Program.
  The IOM report also recommended doubling the EMSC Program budget over 
the next 5 years. Over the past several years, there has been a 
heightened interest in emergency preparedness and emergency services 
coordination. Despite this, there has been little concern with 
pediatric emergency readiness. The interest and financial support has 
gone to predominately support communications and coordination of local, 
State, and Federal emergency resources. The focus has been on the 
general population, on adult care; there is not a national strategy to 
address the complex emergency care needs of children. In light of the 
recent and current events related to national readiness, such as a 
potential influenza outbreak, bioterrorist attack, or natural disaster, 
children's readiness must also be acknowledged and funded.
  The EMSC Program last expired in 2005. EMSC remains the only Federal 
program dedicated to examining the best ways to deliver various forms 
of care to children in emergency settings. Its reauthorization is long 
overdue.
  The House passed its version of the EMSC reauthorization bill in 
April of last year by an overwhelming vote of 390 to 1; but, 
unfortunately, the Senate was not able to take up the bill before the 
110th Congress adjourned. While I surely understand the uncertainties 
of the Senate's legislative agenda, I am disappointed we were unable to 
pass this very important reauthorization legislation to which there was 
no opposition.
  S. 408 contains the same language that received such tremendous 
bipartisan support, and I urge my colleagues to support its timely 
passage.

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