[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 81 (Tuesday, May 11, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2172-H2175]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1530
HELPING EMERGENCY RESPONDERS OVERCOME ACT
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1480) to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services
to improve the detection, prevention, and treatment of mental health
issues among public safety officers, and for other purposes, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1480
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 ``Helping Emergency Responders
Overcome Act'' or the ``HERO Act''.
SEC. 2. DATA SYSTEM TO CAPTURE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER
SUICIDE INCIDENCE.
The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting
before section 318 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 247c) the
following:
``SEC. 317V. DATA SYSTEM TO CAPTURE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY
OFFICER SUICIDE INCIDENCE.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in coordination with the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and other
[[Page H2173]]
agencies as the Secretary determines appropriate, may--
``(1) develop and maintain a data system, to be known as
the Public Safety Officer Suicide Reporting System, for the
purposes of--
``(A) collecting data on the suicide incidence among public
safety officers; and
``(B) facilitating the study of successful interventions to
reduce suicide among public safety officers; and
``(2) integrate such system into the National Violent Death
Reporting System, so long as the Secretary determines such
integration to be consistent with the purposes described in
paragraph (1).
``(b) Data Collection.--In collecting data for the Public
Safety Officer Suicide Reporting System, the Secretary shall,
at a minimum, collect the following information:
``(1) The total number of suicides in the United States
among all public safety officers in a given calendar year.
``(2) Suicide rates for public safety officers in a given
calendar year, disaggregated by--
``(A) age and gender of the public safety officer;
``(B) State;
``(C) occupation; including both the individual's role in
their public safety agency and their primary occupation in
the case of volunteer public safety officers;
``(D) where available, the status of the public safety
officer as volunteer, paid-on-call, or career; and
``(E) status of the public safety officer as active or
retired.
``(c) Consultation During Development.--In developing the
Public Safety Officer Suicide Reporting System, the Secretary
shall consult with non-Federal experts to determine the best
means to collect data regarding suicide incidence in a safe,
sensitive, anonymous, and effective manner. Such non-Federal
experts shall include, as appropriate, the following:
``(1) Public health experts with experience in developing
and maintaining suicide registries.
``(2) Organizations that track suicide among public safety
officers.
``(3) Mental health experts with experience in studying
suicide and other profession-related traumatic stress.
``(4) Clinicians with experience in diagnosing and treating
mental health issues.
``(5) Active and retired volunteer, paid-on-call, and
career public safety officers.
``(6) Relevant national police, and fire and emergency
medical services, organizations.
``(d) Data Privacy and Security.--In developing and
maintaining the Public Safety Officer Suicide Reporting
System, the Secretary shall ensure that all applicable
Federal privacy and security protections are followed to
ensure that--
``(1) the confidentiality and anonymity of suicide victims
and their families are protected, including so as to ensure
that data cannot be used to deny benefits; and
``(2) data is sufficiently secure to prevent unauthorized
access.
``(e) Reporting.--
``(1) Annual report.--Not later than 2 years after the date
of enactment of the Helping Emergency Responders Overcome
Act, and biannually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a
report to the Congress on the suicide incidence among public
safety officers. Each such report shall--
``(A) include the number and rate of such suicide
incidence, disaggregated by age, gender, and State of
employment;
``(B) identify characteristics and contributing
circumstances for suicide among public safety officers;
``(C) disaggregate rates of suicide by--
``(i) occupation;
``(ii) status as volunteer, paid-on-call, or career; and
``(iii) status as active or retired;
``(D) include recommendations for further study regarding
the suicide incidence among public safety officers;
``(E) specify in detail, if found, any obstacles in
collecting suicide rates for volunteers and include
recommended improvements to overcome such obstacles;
``(F) identify options for interventions to reduce suicide
among public safety officers; and
``(G) describe procedures to ensure the confidentiality and
anonymity of suicide victims and their families, as described
in subsection (d)(1).
``(2) Public availability.--Upon the submission of each
report to the Congress under paragraph (1), the Secretary
shall make the full report publicly available on the website
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
``(f) Definition.--In this section, the term `public safety
officer' means--
``(1) a public safety officer as defined in section 1204 of
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968; or
``(2) a public safety telecommunicator as described in
detailed occupation 43-5031 in the Standard Occupational
Classification Manual of the Office of Management and Budget
(2018).
``(g) Prohibited Use of Information.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, if an individual is identified as
deceased based on information contained in the Public Safety
Officer Suicide Reporting System, such information may not be
used to deny or rescind life insurance payments or other
benefits to a survivor of the deceased individual.''.
SEC. 3. PEER-SUPPORT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS
WITHIN FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICE AGENCIES.
(a) In General.--Part B of title III of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 243 et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``SEC. 320C. PEER-SUPPORT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
PROGRAMS WITHIN FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND EMERGENCY
MEDICAL SERVICE AGENCIES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants to
eligible entities for the purpose of establishing or
enhancing peer-support behavioral health and wellness
programs within fire departments and emergency medical
services agencies.
``(b) Program Description.--A peer-support behavioral
health and wellness program funded under this section shall--
``(1) use career and volunteer members of fire departments
or emergency medical services agencies to serve as peer
counselors;
``(2) provide training to members of career, volunteer, and
combination fire departments or emergency medical service
agencies to serve as such peer counselors;
``(3) purchase materials to be used exclusively to provide
such training; and
``(4) disseminate such information and materials as are
necessary to conduct the program.
``(c) Definition.--In this section:
``(1) The term `eligible entity' means a nonprofit
organization with expertise and experience with respect to
the health and life safety of members of fire and emergency
medical services agencies.
``(2) The term `member'--
``(A) with respect to an emergency medical services agency,
means an employee, regardless of rank or whether the employee
receives compensation (as defined in section 1204(7) of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968); and
``(B) with respect to a fire department, means any
employee, regardless of rank or whether the employee receives
compensation, of a Federal, State, Tribal, or local fire
department who is responsible for responding to calls for
emergency service.''.
(b) Technical Correction.--Effective as if included in the
enactment of the Children's Health Act of 2000 (Public Law
106-310), the amendment instruction in section 1603 of such
Act is amended by striking ``Part B of the Public Health
Service Act'' and inserting ``Part B of title III of the
Public Health Service Act''.
SEC. 4. HEALTH CARE PROVIDER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
PROGRAMS.
Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 243 et seq.), as amended by section 3, is further
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 320D. HEALTH CARE PROVIDER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND
WELLNESS PROGRAMS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants to
eligible entities for the purpose of establishing or
enhancing behavioral health and wellness programs for health
care providers.
``(b) Program Description.--A behavioral health and
wellness program funded under this section shall--
``(1) provide confidential support services for health care
providers to help handle stressful or traumatic patient-
related events, including counseling services and wellness
seminars;
``(2) provide training to health care providers to serve as
peer counselors to other health care providers;
``(3) purchase materials to be used exclusively to provide
such training; and
``(4) disseminate such information and materials as are
necessary to conduct such training and provide such peer
counseling.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section, the term `eligible
entity' means a hospital, including a critical access
hospital (as defined in section 1861(mm)(1) of the Social
Security Act) or a disproportionate share hospital (as
defined under section 1923(a)(1)(A) of such Act), a
Federally-qualified health center (as defined in section
1905(1)(2)(B) of such Act), or any other health care
facility.''.
SEC. 5. DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES FOR EDUCATING MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS ABOUT TREATING FIRE FIGHTERS AND
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL.
(a) In General.--The Administrator of the United States
Fire Administration, in consultation with the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, shall develop and make publicly
available resources that may be used by the Federal
Government and other entities to educate mental health
professionals about--
(1) the culture of Federal, State, Tribal, and local
career, volunteer, and combination fire departments and
emergency medical services agencies;
(2) the different stressors experienced by firefighters and
emergency medical services personnel, supervisory
firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, and
chief officers of fire departments and emergency medical
services agencies;
(3) challenges encountered by retired firefighters and
emergency medical services personnel; and
(4) evidence-based therapies for mental health issues
common to firefighters and emergency medical services
personnel within such departments and agencies.
(b) Consultation.--In developing resources under subsection
(a), the Administrator of the United States Fire
Administration and
[[Page H2174]]
the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consult with
national fire and emergency medical services organizations.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``firefighter'' means any employee, regardless
of rank or whether the employee receives compensation, of a
Federal, State, Tribal, or local fire department who is
responsible for responding to calls for emergency service.
(2) The term ``emergency medical services personnel'' means
any employee, regardless of rank or whether the employee
receives compensation, as defined in section 1204(7) of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C.
10284(7)).
(3) The term ``chief officer'' means any individual who is
responsible for the overall operation of a fire department or
an emergency medical services agency, irrespective of whether
such individual also serves as a firefighter or emergency
medical services personnel.
SEC. 6. BEST PRACTICES AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR ADDRESSING
POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER IN PUBLIC SAFETY
OFFICERS.
(a) Development; Updates.--The Secretary of Health and
Human Services shall--
(1) develop and assemble evidence-based best practices and
other resources to identify, prevent, and treat posttraumatic
stress disorder and co-occurring disorders in public safety
officers; and
(2) reassess and update, as the Secretary determines
necessary, such best practices and resources, including based
upon the options for interventions to reduce suicide among
public safety officers identified in the annual reports
required by section 317W(e)(1)(F) of the Public Health
Service Act, as added by section 2 of this Act.
(b) Consultation.--In developing, assembling, and updating
the best practices and resources under subsection (a), the
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consult with, at
a minimum, the following:
(1) Public health experts.
(2) Mental health experts with experience in studying
suicide and other profession-related traumatic stress.
(3) Clinicians with experience in diagnosing and treating
mental health issues.
(4) Relevant national police, fire, and emergency medical
services organizations.
(c) Availability.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services shall make the best practices and resources under
subsection (a) available to Federal, State, and local fire,
law enforcement, and emergency medical services agencies.
(d) Federal Training and Development Programs.--The
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall work with
Federal departments and agencies, including the United States
Fire Administration, to incorporate education and training on
the best practices and resources under subsection (a) into
Federal training and development programs for public safety
officers.
(e) Definition.--In this section, the term ``public safety
officer'' means--
(1) a public safety officer as defined in section 1204 of
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34
U.S.C. 10284); or
(2) a public safety telecommunicator as described in
detailed occupation 43-5031 in the Standard Occupational
Classification Manual of the Office of Management and Budget
(2018).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 1480.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Helping Emergency
Responders Overcome Act, or the HERO Act.
As we have learned over the past year, not all heroes wear capes.
There are heroes in our communities working to save the lives of
countless Americans, including our emergency responders, firefighters,
healthcare workers, and hospital personnel, who, to this day, continue
to battle COVID-19.
Unfortunately, despite their heroic efforts, evidence suggests that
suicide, depression, and substance abuse disorder are significant
issues facing public safety personnel and medical providers. Those on
the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic have witnessed previously
unimaginable conditions that are traumatizing for even the most
resilient public safety and medical personnel.
Madam Speaker, prior to COVID-19, it was estimated that 30 percent of
first responders develop behavioral health conditions, including, but
not limited to, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, as
compared with 20 percent of the general population. Tragically, a 2018
study found that public safety officers were more likely to die by
suicide than professionals in other lines of duty.
So this bill will help inform and support prevention and treatment
strategies for addressing behavioral and mental health issues among
public safety officers. The legislation would require the development
of a data system to capture the incidence of suicides among this
population, while also facilitating the study of successful
interventions to reduce suicide among these frontline health workers.
The bill also includes efforts to enhance behavioral health and
wellness programs for healthcare providers, such as providing financial
assistance to entities that establish behavioral health programs
targeted to these populations. By utilizing the new data system,
improved research, and programmatic findings, the Department of Health
and Human Services will develop best practices and resources for
addressing PTSD in these frontline workers.
I want to commend Representative Bera, I know he spoke before during
the 1 minute Special Orders on this bill, and also Congressman
Fitzpatrick, for putting forward this bipartisan legislation.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to help those heroes by
supporting the HERO Act today, and I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology,
Washington, DC, May 4, 2021.
Hon. Frank Pallone, Jr.,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Pallone: I am writing you concerning H.R.
1480, the ``Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Act of
2019,'' which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce and then to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology (``Science Committee'') on March 2, 2021.
As a result of our consultation, I agree to work
cooperatively on H.R. 1480 and in order to expedite
consideration of the bill the Science Committee will waive
formal consideration of this legislation. However, this is
not a waiver of any future jurisdictional claims by the
Science Committee over the subject matter contained in H.R.
1480 or similar legislation. I ask for your support of my
request to name members of the Science Committee to any
House-Senate conference that may consider this bill.
Additionally, thank you for your assurances to include a
copy of our exchange of letters on this matter in the
Congressional Record during floor consideration thereof.
Sincerely,
Eddie Bernice Johnson,
Chairwoman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Energy and Commerce,
Washington, DC, May 7, 2021.
Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson,
Chairwoman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairwoman Johnson: Thank you for consulting with the
Committee on Energy and Commerce and agreeing to discharge
H.R. 1480, the ``Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Act'',
from further consideration, so that the bill may proceed
expeditiously to the House floor.
I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure
does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of
your committee or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives
on this measure or similar legislation in the future. I would
support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate
number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate
conference on this legislation.
I will ensure our letters on H.R. 1480 are entered into the
Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill.
I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and
look forward to continuing to work together as this measure
moves through the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Frank Pallone, Jr.,
Chairman.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1480, the Helping
Emergency Responders Overcome Act, or HERO Act, which was introduced by
Representative Bera, and several Members of this Chamber, including
Energy and Commerce Committee colleagues Burgess, Blunt Rochester,
Kelly, Kuster, and Tonko.
This legislation would create a database at the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention to capture public safety officer suicide
incidences, and studies successful interventions. It would
[[Page H2175]]
also authorize a grant program for peer support and wellness programs
for frontline healthcare workers and fire and emergency medical service
agencies. The bill also directs the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to develop best practices and share resources for addressing
post-traumatic stress in public safety officers.
This legislation is incredibly timely. Emergency workers and doctors
and nurses have been under incredible strain throughout the pandemic.
Losing those who keep us healthy and safe will only make the crisis
worse.
We must ensure that all the heroes across America on the front lines
of healthcare and in law enforcement and public safety have the support
they need to continue working to keep us safe.
Madam Speaker, this being National Police Officer Week, I think it is
Memorial week, it is an important time to do all we can for those in
law enforcement, but also public safety, as this bill addresses, and
those on the front lines in healthcare.
So I encourage us to be in support of those on the front lines, and I
urge a ``yes'' vote. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, this one, of course, deals with trying to
address behavioral mental health amongst public safety officers, and
that is obviously a very important part of this package.
Madam Speaker, I would urge unanimous support for the bill, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1480, 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. ROY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
____________________