[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 12, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H442-H443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VETERAN EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN SUPPORT ACT OF 2013
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 235) 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.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 235
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 2013''.
SEC. 2. ASSISTING VETERANS WITH MILITARY EMERGENCY MEDICAL
TRAINING TO MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR BECOMING
CIVILIAN EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS.
(a) In General.--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 forego 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.--Of the amount authorized by section
751(j)(1) to be appropriated to carry out section 751 for
fiscal year 2014, there is authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this section $1,000,000 for the period of fiscal
years 2014 through 2018.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 751(j)(1) of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294a(j)(1)) is amended by
striking ``There is authorized to be appropriated'' and
inserting ``Subject to section 315(e), there is authorized to
be appropriated''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Ben Ray
Lujan) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise in strong support and urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 235,
the Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2013.
At this time I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Kinzinger), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, who wrote
this important legislation.
Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your hard
work in bringing this forward. I just want to thank all my colleagues
on both sides of the aisle for supporting this bill.
Unemployment rates continue to be far too high among our veterans who
are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. These returning men and women
deserve a smooth transition from the military into the civilian
workforce. As a Nation, we must recognize the experience and education
that our military-trained EMTs receive. It's inefficient to force these
well-trained veterans to start over with basic training in the civilian
workforce after aiding wounded men and women who were severely injured
in combat. We must recognize military-trained EMT skills and education
and streamline the process so these honorable men and women can quickly
return to work here at home.
I'm a pilot in the Air National Guard. One of the things that really
brought this to my mind is, as a pilot, I went through my pilot
training and was able to take an equivalency test in which I was
granted, basically, the civilian equivalent of what I learned in the
military. And you realize those are very obviously transferable skills.
And to be able to bring that into the civilian workforce has done great
for airlines and commercial piloting and everything, frankly, related
to aviation in the civilian world.
This bill is a commonsense way to help our veterans as they
transition back to civilian life. By supporting States to make the
process more efficient, veterans with military EMT training will more
quickly become certified civilian EMTs. In doing so, returning veterans
will not have to start over at square one in their training and can
enter the civilian workforce much sooner.
One other point to make in this is that in rural areas--and I
represent a lot of rural areas in Illinois--there is a shortage of
emergency medical technicians in small towns. But there's not a
shortage of folks coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan--veterans in
these small communities. To be able to do this small step in ensuring
that the rural areas, the rural municipalities and our veterans are
matched with jobs where there is need is, I think, a very positive step
in the right direction.
I would urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this
great piece of legislation.
Mr. BEN RAY LUJAN of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 235, the Veteran Emergency
Medical
[[Page H443]]
Technician Support Act of 2013. This bill authorizes a demonstration
grant program for States that are experiencing emergency medical
technician shortages so that States, in turn, can better assist
returning veterans and their transition to civilian employment. States
receiving grant funding under this program would develop and implement
plans to streamline training and educational requirements for returning
vets. Specifically, States would determine the extent to which civilian
education and training requirements are equivalent to those for
previous military EMT work. And States would identify ways for
qualified military EMTs to forego duplicative requirements.
H.R. 235 was reported by the Energy and Commerce Committee with broad
bipartisan support. And, Mr. Speaker, I think it's also worth noting
that H.R. 235 is essentially the same as legislation that passed the
House on a voice vote in the last Congress. I commend the sponsors of
the bill, Congressman Kinzinger and Congresswoman Capps, for their
leadership on this important issue. H.R. 235 is a commonsense
bipartisan measure. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and the majority for working with
us on this bill, would urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I want to thank once again Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois and Mrs. Capps
of California for this commonsense legislation. When you think about
young men and women serving in the military and Iraq and Afghanistan
and responding to a wide array of emergencies that they respond to and
having visited the training programs that they have, we know that they
are well trained. And yet some State licensing laws for EMTs vary. Many
States do not recognize combat medics and other veterans'
qualifications as applicable to the licensing requirement of the
civilian health care system. Some States make exceptions for former
military medics and allow them reciprocity and a chance to sit for the
licensing exam without going through the usual training. But, as I
said, many States do not.
This legislation simply helps streamline State requirements and make
allowances for returning veterans to enter the EMT workforce without
unnecessary duplication of their training. And we all know the great
demand for emergency technicians in our society today.
{time} 1440
This bill also provides for an annual report to Congress. It complies
with CutGo because funding of the $1 million for the program is offset
with funds from area health education centers of the Public Health
Service Act.
So, I am pleased to support this legislation and urge my colleagues
to vote in favor of H.R. 235. Once again, I thank the gentleman from
Illinois and all of those on the committee who brought this legislation
to the floor.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 235, the Veteran
Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2013. Congresswoman Capps
and Congressman Kinzinger have introduced this commonsense legislation
to advance our shared goals of getting our veterans back to work and
addressing areas of shortage in health professions.
H.R. 235 is essentially the same as legislation the House passed on a
voice vote in the 112th Congress. I know we are all hopeful that this
time around the Senate will act quickly to consider and pass this bill.
Each of us is deeply indebted to the members of our military for
their patriotism and for all they do to protect our country and its
national interests.
We know that our returning vets have unique skills and experiences
that make them highly qualified for jobs in the health care and other
sectors. However, the unfortunate reality is that our veterans
experience unemployment rates well above the national average.
H.R. 235 authorizes a demonstration grant program for states to
support planning efforts to streamline their certification and
licensure requirements for returning vets with emergency medical
training. While states would take the lead in carrying out this
program, I believe there would be an important role for partnerships
between public and private organizations within the states--such as
area health education centers--in its implementation.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 235, and I commend the sponsors
of this bill for their work on this legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 235.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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