[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 17, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S1588]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself and Mrs. Murray):
  S. 763. A bill to amend title XII of the Public Health Service Act to 
reauthorize certain trauma care programs, and for other purposes; to 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce the Trauma 
Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act with 
Senator Murray. Timely and effective trauma care is critical to 
ensuring lifesaving interventions for those who have serious injuries.
  Nationally, trauma is the leading cause of death in the United States 
for individuals aged 44 and younger. According to the National Trauma 
Institute, trauma accounts for 41 million emergency room visits and 2.3 
million hospital admissions across the country each year. The nation's 
trauma and emergency medical systems are designed to respond quickly 
and efficiently to get seriously injured individuals to the appropriate 
trauma center hospital within the ``golden hour,'' the time period when 
medical intervention is most effective in saving lives and preserving 
function. Achieving this standard of access requires maintenance and 
careful coordination between organized systems of trauma care.
  The Trauma Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care 
Reauthorization Act builds on my previous efforts to improve trauma 
care, which is an essential component of our care system. Last year, 
the President signed into law legislation I introduced, the Improving 
Trauma Care Act, which includes burn injuries in the definition of 
trauma care. Previously, the statutory definitions of trauma were 
inconsistent and outdated. Most notably, the law defined trauma in a 
way that excluded burn injuries, preventing burn centers from being 
able to apply for funding made available under trauma and emergency 
care programs. The Improving Trauma Care Act updated the Federal 
definition of trauma to include burns, a change that more appropriately 
reflects the relationship between burns and other traumatic injuries.
  This was an important step, but more must be done. The legislation we 
are introducing today would reauthorize two important grant programs: 
Trauma Care Systems Planning Grants, which support State and rural 
development of trauma systems, and Regionalization of Emergency Care 
Systems Pilot Projects, which provide funds to design, implement, and 
evaluate innovative models of regionalized emergency care. The bill 
would also direct States to update their model trauma care plan with 
the input of relevant stakeholders. These critical programs support 
emergency care in communities across the country.
  I urge our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join us in 
cosponsoring this legislation and working toward its expeditious 
passage.

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