[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 44 (Monday, March 16, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H1642-H1643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRAUMA SYSTEMS AND REGIONALIZATION OF EMERGENCY CARE REAUTHORIZATION
ACT
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 648) to amend title XII of the Public Health Service Act to
reauthorize certain trauma care programs, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 648
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 ``Trauma Systems and
Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act''.
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF CERTAIN TRAUMA CARE PROGRAMS.
Section 1232(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
300d-32(a)) is amended by striking ``2014'' and inserting
``2020''.
SEC. 3. IMPROVEMENTS AND CLARIFICATIONS TO CERTAIN TRAUMA
CARE PROGRAMS.
(a) Allocation of Funds for Competitive Grants for
Regionalized Systems for Emergency Care Response.--Section
1232(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-
31(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2015, not more
than 50 percent of such amounts remaining for such fiscal
year after application of paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be
allocated for the purpose of carrying out section 1204.''.
(b) Clarifications Under Trauma Systems Formula Grants
Requirements Relating to the American Burn Association.--
Section 1213 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
300d-13) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(3), by inserting ``and (for a fiscal
year after fiscal year 2015) contains national standards and
requirements of the American Burn Association for the
designation of verified burn centers,'' after ``such
entity,'';
(2) in subsection (b)(3)(A), by striking ``and the American
Academy of Pediatrics,'' and inserting ``the American Academy
of Pediatrics, and (for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2015)
the American Burn Association,''; and
(3) in subsection (c)(1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting
``and not later than 1 year
[[Page H1643]]
after the date of the enactment of the Trauma Systems and
Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act'' after
``Act of 2007''; and
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and the American
Academy of Pediatrics'' and inserting ``the American Academy
of Pediatrics, and (with respect to the update pursuant to
the Trauma Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care
Reauthorization Act) the American Burn Association''.
(c) Conforming Amendments.--Part B of title XII of the
Public Health Service Act is amended--
(1) in section 1218(c)(2) (42 U.S.C. 300d-18(c)(2)), in the
matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ``1232(b)(3)''
and inserting ``section 1232(b)''; and
(2) in section 1222 (42 U.S.C. 300d-22), by striking
``October 1, 2008'' and inserting ``October 1, 2017''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Burgess) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).
General Leave
Mr. BURGESS. 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 into the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the Trauma Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care
Reauthorization Act, H.R. 648, is identical to H.R. 4080 that passed
the House last year unanimously. This legislation has also passed both
the subcommittee and the full committee. This support extends back to
1990 when the grant was created and authorized.
This reauthorization allows funding for trauma systems development
and the regionalization of emergency care. These programs are designed
to improve patient outcomes, and they are designed to save lives and
cut costs, objectives where I believe there is bipartisan agreement.
Trauma systems are organized efforts in a defined geographic area
that deliver the full range of care to injured patients. Many members
of the subcommittee have trauma systems in their districts or ones
nearby that are able to serve their constituents.
Regionalizing emergency care allows States to coordinate their
resources and helps first responders act faster, leading to lower costs
and better outcomes. A study released last year found that patients
living near a recently closed trauma facility were 20 percent more
likely to die from their injuries. Two years after closure, the
likelihood of death increased to 29 percent, emphasizing the importance
of these grants.
This legislation is broadly supported by medicine, sharing the list
of supporting organizations that I previously read on H.R. 647. It is
bipartisan. I would stress it has gone through regular order.
I want to thank Chairman Upton and Chairman Pitts, as well as Ranking
Member Pallone and Ranking Member Green, for their help and support on
this legislation. I want to thank the Energy and Commerce staff on both
sides of the dais: Clay Alspach, Katie Novaria, as well as Hannah
Green, and a special thanks to Adrianna Simonelli, who championed both
of these bills as my legislative fellow and who is now working on the
committee.
Mr. Green and I have worked on these issues literally for years, and
I appreciate his continued partnership on this bill. I want to thank
his staff, Kristen O'Neill. Finally, I do want to thank J.P.
Paluskiewicz, who shepherded this bill through the entire process.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as
I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 648, the Trauma Systems and
Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act. I am proud to be
the lead sponsor of this bill, along with my colleague, Dr. Burgess,
and I want to thank him for his leadership and commitment to this
issue.
The bill reauthorizes the programs that provide grants to States for
planning, implementing, and developing trauma care systems and
establishing pilot projects to design innovative models of emergency
care systems.
Ideally, trauma and emergency care systems respond quickly and
efficiently to ensure that seriously injured individuals receive the
care they need within the golden hour, the time period in which medical
intervention is most effective at saving lives. However, unintentional
injury remains the leading cause of death for Americans ages 44 years
and younger, and access to trauma centers is inconsistent throughout
the country. In fact, 45 million Americans lack access to a trauma
center within the first hour after injury.
Emergency departments and trauma centers are overcrowded. The
emergency care system is splintered, and surgical specialists are often
unavailable to patients when they need them. This legislation helps
establish a system that saves lives and improves the functioning of our
trauma care systems.
Again, I want to thank Representative Burgess for championing this
effort with me and his staff for their efforts. I also want to
acknowledge the leadership of Chairman Upton, Chairman Pitts, Ranking
Member Pallone, and the work of the committee's staff in advancing this
bill through the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I support this bipartisan bill. I urge my colleagues to
do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, let me just conclude by strongly urging all
Members of the House to vote in favor of this legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 648.
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. GENE GREEN of Texas. 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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