[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 120 (Tuesday, July 17, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6338-H6339]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




AUTHORIZING NATIONAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES MEMORIAL FOUNDATION TO 
                      ESTABLISH COMMEMORATIVE WORK

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1037) to authorize the National Emergency Medical Services 
Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District 
of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1037

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION TO ESTABLISH COMMEMORATIVE WORK.

       (a) In General.--The National Emergency Medical Services 
     Memorial Foundation may establish a commemorative work on 
     Federal land in the District of Columbia and its environs to 
     commemorate the commitment and service represented by 
     emergency medical services.
       (b) Compliance With Standards for Commemorative Works.--The 
     establishment of the commemorative work under this section 
     shall be in accordance with chapter 89 of title 40, United 
     States Code (commonly known as the ``Commemorative Works 
     Act'').
       (c) Prohibition on the Use of Federal Funds.--
       (1) In general.--Federal funds may not be used to pay any 
     expense of the establishment of the commemorative work under 
     this section.
       (2) Responsibility of national emergency medical services 
     memorial foundation.--The National Emergency Medical Services 
     Memorial Foundation shall be solely responsible for 
     acceptance of contributions for, and payment of the expenses 
     of, the establishment of the commemorative work under this 
     section.
       (d) Deposit of Excess Funds.--
       (1) In general.--If upon payment of all expenses for the 
     establishment of the memorial (including the maintenance and 
     preservation amount required by section 8906(b)(1) of title 
     40, United States Code), there remains a balance of funds 
     received for the establishment of the commemorative work, the 
     Foundation shall transmit the amount of the balance to the 
     Secretary of the Interior for deposit in the account provided 
     for in section 8906(b)(3) of title 40, United States Code.
       (2) On expiration of authority.--If upon expiration of the 
     authority for the commemorative work under section 8903(e) of 
     title 40, United States Code, there remains a balance of 
     funds received for the establishment of the commemorative 
     work, the Foundation shall transmit the amount of the balance 
     to a separate account with the National Park Foundation for 
     memorials, to be available to the Secretary of the Interior 
     or Administrator (as appropriate) following the process 
     provided in section 8906(b)(4) of title 40, United States 
     Code, for accounts established under 8906(b)(2) or (3) of 
     title 40, United States Code.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Grijalva) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, each year 850,000 EMS providers answer more than 30 
million calls to serve 22 million patients in need at a moment's notice 
and without reservation. For these heroes who serve on the front lines 
of medicine, sacrifice is a part of their calling. EMTs and paramedics 
have a rate of injury that is about three times the national average 
for all occupations, and some pay the ultimate price in the service of 
helping others.
  The men and women of the emergency medical services profession face 
danger every day to save lives and help their neighbors in crisis. They 
respond to incidents ranging from a single person's medical emergency 
to natural and manmade disasters, including terrorist attacks. But 
while their first responder peers in law enforcement and firefighting 
have been honored with national memorials, EMS providers have not. H.R. 
1037 aims to change that.
  The National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation exists to 
honor, recognize, and remember the commitment, service, and sacrifice 
of our Nation's EMS heroes. H.R. 1037 would authorize this foundation 
to place a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of 
Columbia to commemorate the commitment and service represented by the 
EMS community. The foundation will be solely responsible for funding 
the project, and no Federal funds will be required.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch), who is the principal sponsor 
of the legislation.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California 
for his words of support and also thank the gentleman from Arizona for 
the courtesy of yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to express strong support for my bill, H.R. 1037, 
the National Emergency Medical Services Commemorative Work Act. This 
bipartisan legislation will create a National Emergency Medical 
Services Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative memorial 
located here on Federal land in Washington, D.C., that will highlight 
and honor the commitment and sacrifice of emergency medical personnel 
across the United States.
  As the chairman noted, each year, there are 850,000 first responders 
of the emergency medical services who answer over 30 million calls 
while serving 22 million Americans who are in need of lifesaving care.
  Americans rely on the courage and selfless sacrifice of the men and 
women of the emergency medical services, and we all deeply appreciate 
their commitment to maintaining safety and medical security in our 
country.

                              {time}  1800

  Mr. Speaker, this memorial will serve as a symbol of their sacrifice 
during the darkest moments in our Nation's history.
  For example, this September will mark the 17th anniversary of the 
attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. On that day, within 
minutes of the attack, more than 100 EMS units and dozens of private 
ambulances raced to the site, setting up triage centers to treat the 
wounded. Of the nearly 3,000 victims that died on September 11th, 10 
were courageous EMS personnel.
  More than a decade later, in my home city of Boston, Massachusetts,

[[Page H6339]]

EMS providers were literally on site within seconds of the explosions 
during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. As a result of their swift 
and well-coordinated rescue efforts, led by my dear friend and South 
Boston native, the late Boston EMS special ops director Captain Bob 
``Sarge'' Haley, EMS personnel were able to treat the 260 people who 
were injured.
  Lauded for his skills in designing and implementing world-class 
special ops measures in the city of Boston, Captain Sarge Haley's 
leadership during the events of that day no doubt saved dozens of lives 
and is just another example of the sacrifice and heroism that H.R. 1037 
seeks to memorialize.
  Lastly, Mr. Speaker, EMS personnel have been first on site for some 
of our Nation's deadliest mass shootings. During the Las Vegas shooting 
at the Route 91 Harvest music festival last fall, EMT Brittany Speer, 
who was attending the event with her family, set up a triage center 
after the shooting occurred.
  For years, EMS providers like Ms. Speer have treated and transported 
victims in a professional and compassionate manner. This efficient and 
effective response is a result of countless mass casualty exercises 
that EMS personnel undertake.
  Mr. Speaker, this memorial is long overdue. These examples are just a 
small fraction of the countless instances in which EMS personnel have 
sacrificed and served our Nation. Every day, EMS personnel are exposed 
to countless risks and dangers in order to provide critical care for 
those who are in need.
  It is proper to recognize the efforts of our dedicated EMS first 
responders and memorialize the personal sacrifice made by more than 600 
members of the Nation's emergency medical service and, in turn, by 
their families and loved ones.
  As Members of Congress, we should pass this bipartisan bill and begin 
the creation of the commemorative memorial to EMS personnel. These 
individuals have rightfully earned this recognition, and I urge my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand as one and pass H.R. 
1037. Again, I thank the gentleman from California for his support.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts 
for bringing this bill to us. I urge its adoption, and I yield back the 
balance of time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1037, as amended.
  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. LYNCH. 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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