II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 412 

To provide a pay incentive for border patrol agents to complete emergency 

medical technician and paramedic training, to ensure that language interpretation services are available at all U.S. Border Patrol stations, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 7, 2019 

Mr. HEINRICH (for himself, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. UDALL, and Ms. HARRIS) 

introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To provide a pay incentive for border patrol agents to complete emergency medical technician and paramedic training, to ensure that language interpretation services are 

available at all U.S. Border Patrol stations, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLES. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Remote, Emergency, 

5 Medical, Online Training, Telehealth, and EMT Act’’ or 

6 the ‘‘REMOTE Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. MEDICAL TRAINING FOR BORDER PATROL AGENTS. 

2 (a) DEFINED TERM.—In this section, the term ‘‘chil3 dren’’ means individuals who have not attained 18 years 

4 of age. 

5 (b) MEDICAL TRAINING.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 411 of the Home7 land Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211) is amend8 ed— 

9 (A) in subsection (c)(17), by striking ‘‘sub10 section (l)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsections (l) and 

11 (m)’’; 

12 (B) by redesignating subsections (m), (n), 

13 (o), (p), (q), and (r) as subsections (n), (o), (p), 

14 (q), (r), and (s), respectively; and 

15 (C) by inserting after subsection (l) the 

16 following: 

17 ‘‘(m) MEDICAL TRAINING FOR BORDER PATROL

18 AGENTS.— 

19 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 

20 ‘‘(A) AVAILABILITY.—Beginning not later 

21 than 6 months after the date of the enactment 

22 of this subsection, the Commissioner of U.S. 

23 Customs and Border Protection shall make 

24 available, at no cost to U.S. Border Patrol 

25 agents selected for such training, emergency 

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1 section as ‘EMT’) and paramedic training in 

2 each U.S. Border Patrol sector along the south3 ern land border of the United States. Such 

4 training shall include pediatric medical training, 

5 which shall utilize nationally recognized pedi6 atric training curricula that includes emergency 

7 pediatric care. 

8 ‘‘(B) USE OF OFFICIAL DUTY TIME.—A 

9 U.S. Border Patrol agent shall be credited with 

10 work time for any EMT or paramedic training 

11 provided to such agent pursuant to subpara12 graph (A) in order to achieve or maintain an 

13 EMT or paramedic certification. 

14 ‘‘(C) LODGING AND PER DIEM.—Lodging 

15 and per diem shall be made available to border 

16 patrol agents attending training described in 

17 subparagraph (B) if such training is not avail18 able at a location within commuting distance of 

19 the agent’s residence or worksite. 

20 ‘‘(D) SERVICE COMMITMENT.—Any U.S. 

21 Border Patrol agent who completes a paramedic 

22 certification preparation program pursuant to 

23 subparagraph (A) shall— 


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1 ‘‘(i) complete 3 years of service as a 

2 U.S. Border Patrol agent following the 

3 completion of such training; or 

4 ‘‘(ii) reimburse U.S. Customs and 

5 Border Protection in an amount equal to 

6 the product of— 

7 ‘‘(I) the cost of providing such 

8 training to such agent; multiplied by 

9 ‘‘(II) the percentage of the serv10 ice required under clause (i) that the 

11 agent failed to complete. 

12 ‘‘(2) INCREASE IN RATE OF PAY FOR BORDER

13 PATROL MEDICAL CERTIFICATION.— 

14 ‘‘(A) EMT CERTIFICATION.—A U.S. Bor15 der Patrol agent who has completed EMT 

16 training pursuant to paragraph (1)(A) and has 

17 a current, State-issued or State-recognized cer18 tification as an EMT shall receive, in addition 

19 to the pay to which the agent is otherwise enti20 tled under this section, an amount equal to 5 

21 percent of such pay. 

22 ‘‘(B) PARAMEDIC CERTIFICATION.—A U.S. 

23 Border Patrol agent who has completed para24 medic training pursuant to paragraph (1)(A) 

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1 nized certification as a paramedic shall receive, 

2 in addition to the pay to which the agent is oth3 erwise entitled under this section (except for 

4 subparagraph (A)), an amount equal to 10 per5 cent of such pay. 

6 ‘‘(C) EXISTING CERTIFICATIONS.—A U.S. 

7 Border Patrol agent who did not participate in 

8 the training made available pursuant to para9 graph (1)(A), but, as of the date of the enact10 ment of the REMOTE Act, has a current 

11 State-issued or State-recognized EMT or para12 medic certification, shall receive, in addition to 

13 the pay to which the agent is otherwise entitled 

14 under this section (except for subparagraph (A) 

15 or (B)), an amount equal to— 

16 ‘‘(i) 5 percent of such pay for an 

17 EMT certification; and 

18 ‘‘(ii) 10 percent of such pay for a 

19 paramedic certification. 

20 ‘‘(3) AVAILABILITY OF MEDICALLY TRAINED

21 BORDER PATROL AGENTS.—Not later than 3 years 

22 after the date of the enactment of the REMOTE 

23 Act, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 

24 Protection shall— 

25 ‘‘(A) ensure that— 


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1 ‘‘(i) U.S. Border Patrol agents with 

2 current EMT or paramedic certifications 

3 are stationed at each U.S. Border Patrol 

4 sector and remote station along the south5 ern border to the greatest extent possible; 

6 ‘‘(ii) 10 percent of all U.S. Border 

7 Patrol agents have EMT certifications and 

8 comprise not fewer than 10 percent of all 

9 border patrol agents assigned to each U.S. 

10 Border Patrol sector; and 

11 ‘‘(iii) 1 percent of all U.S. Border Pa12 trol agents have paramedic certifications 

13 and comprise not fewer than 1 percent of 

14 all U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to 

15 each U.S. Border Patrol sector; and 

16 ‘‘(B) in determining the assigned posts of 

17 U.S. Border Patrol agents who have received 

18 training under paragraph (1)(A), give priority 

19 to remote stations and forward operating bases. 

20 ‘‘(4) MEDICAL SUPPLIES.— 

21 ‘‘(A) MINIMUM LIST.—The Commissioner 

22 of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall 

23 provide minimum medical supplies to each U.S. 

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1 trol sector, including all remote stations and 

2 forward operating bases and for use while on 

3 patrol. Such supplies shall include— 

4 ‘‘(i) supplies designed for children; 

5 ‘‘(ii) first aid kits; and 

6 ‘‘(iii) oral hydration, such as water. 

7 ‘‘(B) CONSULTATION.—In developing the 

8 minimum list of medical supplies required 

9 under subparagraph (A), the Commissioner 

10 shall consult national organizations with exper11 tise in emergency medical care, including emer12 gency medical care of children. 

13 ‘‘(5) MOTOR VEHICLES.—The Commissioner of 

14 U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall make 

15 available appropriate motor vehicles to U.S. Border 

16 Patrol agents with current EMT or paramedic cer17 tifications to enable them to provide necessary emer18 gency medical assistance.’’. 

19 (2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

20 There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as 

21 may be necessary to carry out section 5550(g) of 

22 title 5, United States Code, as added by paragraph 

23 (1). 

24 (c) IDENTIFYING AND TREATING INDIVIDUALS EX25 PERIENCING MEDICAL DISTRESS.— 


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1 (1) ONLINE TRAINING.— 

2 (A) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on the date 

3 that is 90 days after the date of the enactment 

4 of this Act, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs 

5 and Border Protection shall require all border 

6 patrol agents and officers, including agents and 

7 officers with EMT or paramedic certification, to 

8 complete an online training program that meets 

9 nationally recognized standards for the medical 

10 care of children that will enable U.S. Border 

11 Patrol agents and officers— 

12 (i) to identify common signs of med13 ical distress in children; and 

14 (ii) to ensure the timely transport of 

15 sick or injured children to an appropriate 

16 medical provider. 

17 (B) CONTRACT.—In developing or selecting 

18 an online training program under subparagraph 

19 (A), the Commissioner may enter into a con20 tract with a national professional medical asso21 ciation of pediatric medical providers. 

22 (2) VOICE ACCESS TO MEDICAL PROFES23 SIONALS.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 

24 Border Protection shall ensure that all remote U.S. 

25 Border Patrol stations, forward operating bases, and 


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1 remote ports of entry on the southern border have 

2 24-hour voice access to a medical command physi3 cian whose board certification includes the ability to 

4 perform this role or a mid-level health care provider 

5 with pediatric training for consultations regarding 

6 the medical needs of individuals, including children, 

7 taken into custody near the United States border. 

8 Access under this paragraph may be accomplished 

9 through mobile phones, satellite mobile radios, or 

10 other means prescribed by the Commissioner. 

11 SEC. 3. LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION SERVICES. 

12 The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Pro13 tection shall ensure that language interpretation services, 

14 either in person or remotely through electronic technology, 

15 are continuously available at all remote U.S. Border Pa16 trol stations, forward operating bases, and remote ports 

17 of entry on the southern border for any language that is 

18 commonly spoken by migrants seeking to enter the United 

19 States through the southern border. 

Æ 


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