[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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