[House Report 113-5]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 113-5
======================================================================
VETERAN EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN SUPPORT ACT OF 2013
_______
February 4, 2013.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Upton, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 235]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 235) to amend the Public Health Service Act to
provide grants to States to streamline State requirements and
procedures for veterans with military emergency medical
training to become civilian emergency medical technicians,
having considered the same, report favorably thereon without
amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 2
Background and Need for the Legislation.......................... 2
Hearings......................................................... 2
Committee Consideration.......................................... 3
Committee Votes.................................................. 3
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 3
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 3
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 3
Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits....... 3
Committee Cost Estimate.......................................... 3
Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 3
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 5
Duplication of Federal Programs.................................. 5
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings.............................. 5
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 5
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 5
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 6
Purpose and Summary
H.R. 235, the ``Veteran Emergency Medical Technician
Support Act of 2013,'' was introduced on January 14, 2013, by
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce.
The legislation would amend the Public Health Service Act
(PHSA) to provide demonstration grants to states with emergency
medical technician (EMT) shortages to streamline state
requirements for returning veterans with military EMT training
to enter the EMT workforce without unnecessary duplication of
their training.
Background and Need for the Legislation
Members of the U.S. military who trained as combat medics
face State licensing challenges when they try to find similar
work after discharge. Many States do not recognize their
qualifications as applicable to the licensing requirements of
the civilian health care system for emergency medical services,
such as EMTs or paramedics. State licensing laws vary, and
while some States make exceptions for former military medics to
allow for reciprocity and a chance to sit for the licensing
exam without repeating their training, many States do not. With
many EMT shortage areas, and a 10% unemployment rate among post
9/11 veterans,\1\ the legislation addresses two important
policy goals and will help veterans transition into the
civilian workforce as quickly as possible.
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\1\http://vets.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Employment-
Situation-July-20121.pdf
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H.R. 235, the ``Veteran Emergency Medical Technician
Support Act of 2013,'' would provide demonstration grants to
States with emergency medical technician (EMT) shortages to
help streamline State requirements for returning veterans to
enter the EMT workforce without unnecessary duplication of
their training. States could determine the extent to which the
State requirements for education and training of EMTs are
equivalent to that of the military and identify methods, such
as waivers, for qualified military EMTs to forego duplicative
requirements. The bill would provide for an annual report to
Congress on the demonstration grants.
H.R. 235 would make available a total of $1,000,000 over a
five-year period (FY 2014-FY 2018) for the program. Funding
would be offset by authorizing it within total amounts
authorized for the Area Health Education Centers (Section 751
of the PHSA). Any cost associated with enacting the provisions
of this Act should be paid for out of existing funds.
This bill is essentially the same as H.R. 4124, the
``Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2012''
that was passed by the House in September 2012 and sent to the
Senate. No further action was taken on H.R. 4124 in the 112th
Congress.
Hearings
The Committee on Energy and Commerce has not held hearings
on H.R. 235 during the 113th Congress. However, the
Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on H.R. 4124 during the
112th Congress.
Committee Consideration
On January 22, 2012, the Committee on Energy and Commerce
met in open markup session and approved H.R. 235, the ``Veteran
Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2013,'' by
unanimous consent.
Committee Votes
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes
on the motion to report legislation and amendments thereto.
There were no record votes taken in connection with ordering
H.R. 235 reported. A motion by Mr. Upton to order H.R. 235
reported to the House, without amendment, was agreed to by
unanimous consent.
Committee Oversight Findings
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee has not held oversight
hearings on this legislation.
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives
The goal of the legislation is to help Veteran EMTs to
enter the civilian EMT workforce without unnecessary
duplication of their training.
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures
In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H.R.
235, the ``Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of
2013,'' would result in no new or increased budget authority,
entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues.
Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits
In compliance with clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI
of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee
finds that H.R. 235, the ``Veteran Emergency Medical Technician
Support Act of 2013,'' contains no earmarks, limited tax
benefits, or limited tariff benefits.
Committee Cost Estimate
The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared
by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
Congressional Budget Office Estimate
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate
provided by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, January 31, 2013.
Hon. Fred Upton,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 235, the Veteran
Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2013.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Lisa Ramirez-
Branum.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
Enclosure.
H.R. 235--Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2013
Summary: H.R. 235 would authorize grants to states for
streamlining state certification and licensing requirements for
veterans to become licensed or certified emergency medical
technicians (EMT).
The bill would authorize the appropriation of $1 million
and CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $1
million over the 2014-2018 period, assuming the appropriation
of the authorized amount. Pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply
to this legislation because it would not affect direct spending
or revenues.
The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA).
Estimated Cost to the Federal Government: The estimated
budgetary impact of H.R. 235 is shown in the following table.
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 550
(health).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
----------------------------------------------------------------
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2013-2018
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Estimated Authorization Level.................. 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
Estimated Outlays.............................. 0 * * * * 0 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: * = less than $500,000.
Basis of estimate: The bill would direct the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to award demonstration grants to
states to streamline state licensing and certification
standards to assist veterans to meet state requirements
applicable to becoming a certified or licensed EMT in the state
if they have completed military EMT training while serving in
the Armed Forces. The bill would authorize the appropriation of
$1 million for the period of 2014 through 2018 and direct that
the authorized amount come from funds appropriated in fiscal
year 2014 to provide grants to area health education centers.
For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 225 will be
enacted near the end of fiscal year 2013 and that the full
amount authorized will be appropriated. Based on historical
patterns of spending for the similar demonstration programs,
CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost less than
$1 million in 2014 and a total of $1 million over the 2014-2018
period, assuming appropriation of the specified amounts.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 235
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA. Funds authorized in the bill would benefit
states that restructure state procedures to certify or license
eligible veterans as emergency medical technicians.
Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Lisa Ramirez-Branum,
Impact on state, local, and tribal governments: Lisa Ramirez-
Branum, Impact on the private sector: Michael Levine.
Estimate approved by: Holly Harvey, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Federal Mandates Statement
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act.
Duplication of Federal Programs
No provision of H.R. 235, the ``Veteran Emergency Medical
Technician Support Act of 2013,'' establishes or reauthorizes a
program of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of
another Federal program, a program that was included in any
report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress
pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program
related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance.
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings
The Committee estimates that enacting H.R. 235, the
``Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2013,''
specifically directs to be completed no specific rule makings
within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 551.
Advisory Committee Statement
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this
legislation.
Applicability to Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 states that the legislation may be cited as the
``Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2013.''
Section 2. Assisting Veterans with military emergency medical training
to meet requirements for becoming civilian emergency medical
technicians
Section 2 amends the PHSA by adding a new Section 315. The
new section would allow the Secretary of Health and Human
Services (HHS) to establish a program for awarding
demonstration grants to states to streamline state requirements
and procedures and assist veterans who have completed military
emergency medical training in meeting state certification and
licensing requirements. In addition, the HHS Secretary would be
required to submit an annual report on the demonstration
projects to Congress. Funding would be authorized within total
amounts authorized for the Area Health Education Centers
program (PHSA Section 751(j)(1))
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT
* * * * * * *
TITLE III--GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
* * * * * * *
Part B--Federal-State Cooperation
* * * * * * *
SEC. 315. ASSISTING VETERANS WITH MILITARY EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRAINING
TO MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR BECOMING CIVILIAN
EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS.
(a) Program.--The Secretary shall establish a program
consisting of awarding demonstration grants to States to
streamline State requirements and procedures in order to assist
veterans who completed military emergency medical technician
training while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States
to meet certification, licensure, and other requirements
applicable to becoming an emergency medical technician in the
State.
(b) Use of Funds.--Amounts received as a demonstration grant
under this section shall be used to prepare and implement a
plan to streamline State requirements and procedures as
described in subsection (a), including by--
(1) determining the extent to which the requirements
for the education, training, and skill level of
emergency medical technicians in the State are
equivalent to requirements for the education, training,
and skill level of military emergency medical
technicians; and
(2) identifying methods, such as waivers, for
military emergency medical technicians to forego or
meet any such equivalent State requirements.
(c) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under this
section, a State shall demonstrate that the State has a
shortage of emergency medical technicians.
(d) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to the Congress an
annual report on the program under this section.
(e) Funding.--Of the amount authorized by section 751(j)(1)
to be appropriated to carry out section 751 for fiscal year
2014, there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
section $1,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2014 through
2018.
* * * * * * *
TITLE VII--HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION
* * * * * * *
PART D--INTERDISCIPLINARY, COMMUNITY-BASED LINKAGES
* * * * * * *
SEC. 751. AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTERS.
(a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--[There is authorized to be
appropriated] Subject to section 315(e), there is
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$125,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2010 through
2014.
* * * * * * *