[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3614]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  H.R. 648, THE TRAUMA SYSTEMS AND REGIONALIZATION OF EMERGENCY CARE 
REAUTHORIZATION ACT AND H.R. 647, THE ACCESS TO LIFE-SAVING TRAUMA CARE 
                         FOR ALL AMERICANS ACT

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 16, 2015

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I am encouraged that today the House will 
consider two important public health bills that deal with traumatic 
injury. These two bills would reauthorize a number of important trauma 
programs to help equip states to deliver these critical medical 
services.
  Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death for children and 
adults under the age of 45. After an accident, the care received in the 
first hour presents the highest likelihood that the patient will 
survive rapid intervention after a traumatic injury. Without that 
immediate care, their survival rates decrease by 25 percent. Trauma 
systems not only provide rapid intervention at the time of injury but 
also include supporting equipment and personnel, and a continuum of 
care, including pre-hospital, hospital, and rehabilitation services
  The first bill, H.R. 648, the Trauma Systems and Regionalization of 
Emergency Care Reauthorization Act, which passed the House last year, 
allows for planning and implementing trauma care systems in the States. 
The bill would also establish pilot projects for innovative models of 
regionalized trauma care.
  The second bill, H.R. 647, the Access to Life-Saving Trauma Care for 
All Americans Act, reauthorizes two additional trauma programs that 
will increase the availability of trauma services. Trauma centers 
should be available for all victims of traumatic injury. Unfortunately, 
many trauma centers are at serious risk of closure and financial 
insolvency. In fact, nearly thirty trauma centers have closed in the 
past fifteen years.
  The programs included in this bill will provide critically needed 
federal funding to help cover uncompensated costs in trauma centers, 
support core mission trauma services, provide emergency finding to 
trauma centers, and address trauma center physician shortages in order 
to ensure the future availability of trauma care for all our citizens.
  Mr. Speaker, none of these programs have received funding during the 
appropriations process in recent years. I hope that our consideration 
of these measures signals the importance of these programs to Members 
of Congress. I would like to thank Mr. Green and Mr. Burgess, who are 
both leaders on trauma care, for their work on these bills.
  I urge Members to support H.R. 647 and H.R. 648.

                          ____________________