[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3584-3585]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        ACCESS TO LIFE-SAVING TRAUMA CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS ACT

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 647) 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. 647

       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 ``Access to Life-Saving Trauma 
     Care for All Americans Act''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF TRAUMA AND EMERGENCY CARE 
                   PROGRAMS.

       (a) Trauma Center Care Grants.--Section 1245 of the Public 
     Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-45) is amended in the 
     first sentence--
       (1) by striking ``2009, and such'' and inserting ``2009, 
     such''; and
       (2) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, and $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 
     through 2020''.
       (b) Trauma Service Availability Grants.--Section 1282 of 
     the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-82) is amended 
     by striking ``2015'' and inserting ``2020''.

     SEC. 3. ALIGNMENT OF PROGRAMS UNDER ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR 
                   PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE.

       Section 2811(c)(2)(F) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
     U.S.C. 300hh-10(c)(2)(F)) is amended by striking ``trauma 
     care under parts A through C of title XII'' and inserting 
     ``trauma care under parts A through D of title XII and part H 
     of such title''.

     SEC. 4. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS RELATING TO TRAUMA CENTER 
                   GRANTS.

       (a) Clarification on Eligible Trauma Centers.--Section 
     1241(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-
     41(a)) is amended by striking ``qualified public, nonprofit 
     Indian Health Service, Indian tribal, and urban Indian trauma 
     centers'' and inserting ``qualified public trauma centers, 
     qualified nonprofit trauma centers, and qualified Indian 
     Health Service, Indian tribal, and urban Indian trauma 
     centers''.
       (b) Trauma Center Grants Qualifications for Substantial 
     Uncompensated Care Costs.--Section 1241(b)(3)(B) of the 
     Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-41(b)(3)(B)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in clause (i), by striking ``35'' and inserting ``30''; 
     and
       (2) in clause (ii), by striking ``50'' and inserting 
     ``40''.
       (c) Clarification Relating to Trauma Center Grants.--The 
     heading for part D of title XII of the Public Health Service 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-41 et seq.) is amended to read as 
     follows:

                      ``PART D--TRAUMA CENTERS''.

  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 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
insert extraneous materials in 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, I am pleased that the House today will consider two 
bills relating to Federal support for trauma care. These bills have 
both passed the Energy and Commerce Committee at the subcommittee and 
full committee levels on voice votes.
  Trauma is the leading cause of death under the age of 65. It is 
expensive, costing over $400 billion per year, third only to heart 
disease and cancer. It affects individuals of all ages--35 million

[[Page 3585]]

Americans annually, or one person every 15 minutes.
  Over many years, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green) and I have 
worked closely on this issue to update the law and ensure the 
reauthorization of crucial trauma grant programs occurs. As a result of 
this coordination, today we will be voting on two bills that continue 
our long bipartisan record of support for efforts to shore up the 
Nation's trauma systems and centers.
  The Access to Life-Saving Trauma Care for All Americans Act, H.R. 
647, will authorize two grant programs, which will expire this year, 
that provide critically needed Federal funding to help cover 
uncompensated costs in trauma centers, support core mission trauma 
services, provide emergency funding to trauma centers, and address 
trauma center physician shortages in order to ensure the future 
availability of trauma care for all our citizens.
  Trauma can happen at any time to anyone. It can happen to a family in 
a highway crash or a gunshot victim or a construction worker who is 
injured at the worksite. Trauma centers must be available for all 
victims of traumatic injury. Getting a trauma victim to a trauma center 
right away is the first step in saving that person's life.
  These bills draw support from the American Association of 
Neurological Surgeons, the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, 
the American Burn Association, the American College of Emergency 
Physicians, the American College of Surgeons, the American Trauma 
Society, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the Association of 
Critical Care Transport, the American Heart Association, the American 
Stroke Association, Emergency Nurses Association, Society of Trauma 
Nurses, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Eastern 
Association for the Surgery of Trauma, National Association of 
Emergency Medical Technicians, the Orthopedic Trauma Association, and 
the Trauma Center Association of America.
  I strongly urge the House to support both of these bills.
  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. 647, the Access to Life-Saving 
Trauma Care for All Americans Act. My colleague and fellow Texan, Dr. 
Mike Burgess, and I have introduced this legislation. I thank him for 
his leadership and partnership on this issue.
  The bill would reauthorize vital programs to prevent more trauma 
center closures and improve access to trauma care.
  The trauma center care grants were created to prevent trauma center 
closures by supporting their core missions, covering a portion of the 
losses from uncompensated care, and providing emergency awards to 
centers at risk of closing.
  The trauma service availability grants are awarded through the States 
to address shortfalls in trauma services and improve access and 
availability of trauma care in underserved areas.

                              {time}  1545

  Despite our best prevention efforts, trauma injury will continue to 
occur. Unfortunately, access to trauma care is threatened by losses 
associated with the high cost of treating severely injured patients, 
including those unable to pay for their care, and a growing shortage of 
trauma-related physicians.
  The public expects that appropriate trauma care will always be 
available to them wherever they reside or travel, yet this is not a 
reality. Profound challenges face our Nation's trauma centers, trauma 
systems, and the physicians who treat the most vulnerable patients. 
Thus, I urge swift passage of this important legislation.
  Again, I want to thank Representative Burgess for championing this 
effort with me, and his staff, J.P. Paluskiewicz, for their hard work. 
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.
  I support this bipartisan bill. I urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I would just point out the gentleman's name 
is J.P. Paluskiewicz, and we do, indeed, thank him for his efforts on 
the bill.
  I have no more speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time to 
close.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we have no more speakers.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I just want to point out many people 
nowadays are familiar with what is called the golden hour, that first 
hour that occurs after a traumatic injury where the ability to save 
life and limb is vastly increased if a person can be delivered to a 
center within that golden hour's time. It is imperative to reauthorize 
these programs. They are critically needed for our citizens. Mr. 
Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote on the bill.
  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. 647.
  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.

                          ____________________