[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 131 (Monday, September 15, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H7461-H7462]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2014

  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(S. 2154) to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the 
Emergency Medical Services for Children Program.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 2154

       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 ``Emergency Medical Services 
     for Children Reauthorization Act of 2014''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 1910(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     300w-9(d)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and $30,387,656'' and inserting 
     ``$30,387,656''; and
       (2) by inserting before the period ``, and $20,213,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2015 through 2019''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to insert extraneous materials into the Record on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2154, the Emergency 
Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2014, introduced 
by Senator Casey of Pennsylvania and Senator Hatch of Utah and 
championed in the House by Mr. Matheson of Utah and Mr. King of New 
York.
  A child's health care necessities are not the same as their parents. 
Children have special health care needs, and the emergency and trauma 
care system has been slow to develop an adequate response. 
Fragmentation and poor coordination among pre-hospital services, 
hospitals, and public health are problems that involve emergency 
services in general. The gravity of the problem is worse for children 
when hospitals lack the appropriate medical personnel, pediatric 
supplies, or transfer agreements that lead to better care within the 
``golden hour,'' when chances for survival are higher.
  In 1984, Congress passed the Emergency Medical Services for Children, 
EMSC, as part of the Preventive Health Amendments of 1984. The program 
was last reauthorized in 2010 and aims to reduce child and youth 
mortality and morbidity caused by severe illness or trauma. EMSC was 
designed to ensure that pediatric service is well integrated into an 
emergency medical service system and that the entire spectrum of 
emergency services is provided to children and adolescents, as well as 
adults.
  The bill is almost identical to H.R. 4290, which the House passed 
last week. Voting for S. 2154 would send the bill to the President so 
we can continue this important program that helps our Nation's 
children.
  I ask my colleagues to vote for this important piece of legislation, 
which is bipartisan, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2154, the Emergency 
Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2014.
  Established 30 years ago this year, the Emergency Medical Services 
for Children program has supported improvements to pediatric emergency 
care in all U.S. States, territories, and freely associated States. 
EMSC grant programs help assess emergency systems and implement quality 
improvement measures, improve services in

[[Page H7462]]

rural and tribal communities, and support a research network that 
facilitates studies in pediatric emergency care.
  Last week, as the chairman said, the House approved a similar bill to 
reauthorize the Emergency Medical Services for Children program by 
voice vote. By advancing the Senate's companion legislation today, the 
EMSC program will be able to continue for another 5 years at its 
currently appropriated funding level.
  I want to thank Senators Hatch and Casey for sponsoring this bill in 
the Senate, Congressmen Matheson and King for sponsoring the House 
companion bill, and leaders on the Energy and Commerce Committee and 
the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for making 
it possible to have a consensus bill before us today--Chairman Upton, 
Chairman Pitts, Ranking Member Waxman, Ranking Member Pallone, Chairman 
Harkin, and Ranking Member Alexander.
  I urge Members to support S. 2154 so we can send this bill to the 
President for his signature.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this bipartisan 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2154, the Emergency 
Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2014.
  The Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program aims to 
reduce the number of deaths of children and adolescents due to severe 
illness or trauma. This program supports a number of grant programs to 
advance pediatric emergency care. It is the only federal program that 
specifically focuses on improving emergency services for children and 
adolescents.
  The House of Representatives approved legislation reauthorizing the 
EMSC program last week. The Senate bill before us today reauthorizes 
the program for another five years at the level of funding it received 
in fiscal year 2014.
  I want to commend the sponsors of this bill and of the House 
companion legislation--Senators Casey and Hatch and Congressmen 
Matheson and King--for their leadership on this issue. I would also 
like to thank Chairman Upton, Chairman Pitts, and Ranking Member 
Pallone for their work on this legislation in the Energy and Commerce 
Committee, and Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Alexander for their 
work in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
  I support S. 2154 and urge my colleagues to do the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 2154.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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