[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 27, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4685]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3339. Mr. DURBIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 3224 proposed by Mr. Roberts (for himself and Ms. 
Stabenow) to the bill H.R. 2, to provide for the reform and 
continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of 
Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle F of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. __. REAUTHORIZATION OF RURAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES 
                   TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the 
     ``Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs Act of 2018'' or 
     the ``SIREN Act of 2018''.
       (b) Amendments.--Section 330J of the Public Health Service 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-15) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``in rural areas'' and 
     inserting ``in rural areas or to residents of rural areas'';
       (2) by striking subsections (b) through (f) and inserting 
     the following:
       ``(b) Eligibility; Application.--To be eligible to receive 
     grant under this section, an entity shall--
       ``(1) be--
       ``(A) an emergency medical services agency operated by a 
     local or tribal government (including fire-based and non-fire 
     based); or
       ``(B) an emergency medical services agency that is 
     described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code; 
     and
       ``(2) submit an application to the Secretary at such time, 
     in such manner, and containing such information as the 
     Secretary may require.
       ``(c) Use of Funds.--An entity--
       ``(1) shall use amounts received through a grant under 
     subsection (a) to--
       ``(A) train emergency medical services personnel as 
     appropriate to obtain and maintain licenses and 
     certifications relevant to service in an emergency medical 
     services agency described in subsection (b)(1);
       ``(B) conduct courses that qualify graduates to serve in an 
     emergency medical services agency described in subsection 
     (b)(1) in accordance with State and local requirements;
       ``(C) fund specific training to meet Federal or State 
     licensing or certification requirements; and
       ``(D) acquire emergency medical services equipment; and
       ``(2) may use amounts received through a grant under 
     subsection (a) to--
       ``(A) recruit and retain emergency medical services 
     personnel, which may include volunteer personnel;
       ``(B) develop new ways to educate emergency health care 
     providers through the use of technology-enhanced educational 
     methods; or
       ``(C) acquire personal protective equipment for emergency 
     medical services personnel as required by the Occupational 
     Safety and Health Administration.
       ``(d) Grant Amounts.--Each grant awarded under this section 
     shall be in an amount not to exceed $200,000 .
       ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) The term `emergency medical services'--
       ``(A) means resources used by a public or private nonprofit 
     licensed entity to deliver medical care outside of a medical 
     facility under emergency conditions that occur as a result of 
     the condition of the patient; and
       ``(B) includes services delivered (either on a compensated 
     or volunteer basis) by an emergency medical services provider 
     or other provider that is licensed or certified by the State 
     involved as an emergency medical technician, a paramedic, or 
     an equivalent professional (as determined by the State).
       ``(2) The term `rural area' means--
       ``(A) a nonmetropolitan statistical area;
       ``(B) an area designated as a rural area by any law or 
     regulation of a State; or
       ``(C) a rural census tract of a metropolitan statistical 
     area (as determined under the most recent rural urban 
     commuting area code as set forth by the Office of Management 
     and Budget).
       ``(f) Matching Requirement.--The Secretary may not award a 
     grant under this section to an entity unless the entity 
     agrees that the entity will make available (directly or 
     through contributions from other public or private entities) 
     non-Federal contributions toward the activities to be carried 
     out under the grant in an amount equal to 15 percent of the 
     amount received under the grant.''; and
       (3) in subsection (g)(1), by striking ``2002 through 2006'' 
     and inserting ``2019 through 2023''.
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