II 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1692 

To authorize the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation 

to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and 

its environs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 1, 2017 

Mr. COONS (for himself, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. COTTON, Mr. CASSIDY, Mrs. SHAHEEN, and Ms. WARREN) introduced the following bill; which was read 

twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To authorize the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work 

in the District of Columbia and its environs, 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 TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Emergency 

5 Medical Services Commemorative Work Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that— 

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1 (1) each year, throughout the United States, 

2 the 850,000 first responders of Emergency Medical 

3 Services answer more than 30,000,000 calls to serve 

4 22,000,000 patients in need of life-saving care and 

5 comfort at a moment of notice and without reserva6 tion; 

7 (2) with little regard for their own safety and 

8 in the face of all hazards, the first responders of 

9 Emergency Medical Services respond across the 

10 spectrum of incidents from a medical emergency of 

11 a single person to naturally occurring or manmade 

12 disasters, including terrorist attacks that threaten 

13 the entire United States; 

14 (3) the commitment of the first responders of 

15 Emergency Medical Services to others, at a moment 

16 of notice and despite risk, exemplifies the finest tra17 ditions of the spirit of the people of the United 

18 States; 

19 (4) as an element of the homeland defense 

20 strategy of the United States, Emergency Medical 

21 Services stands on the ‘‘Nation’s first line of defense 

22 in the prevention and mitigation of risk from ter23 rorist attacks, man-made incidents, and natural dis24 asters’’; 

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1 (5) the first responders of Emergency Medical 

2 Services, along with the members of Law Enforce3 ment and Fire Services, serving in both the public 

4 and private sectors as career and volunteer emer5 gency medical service providers— 

6 (A) are a critical element of the homeland 

7 and national security efforts of the United 

8 States; and 

9 (B) provide for the domestic tranquility of 

10 the citizens of the United States; 

11 (6) all too often the risks associated with the 

12 critical role of Emergency Medical Services results in 

13 an unacceptable rate of injury and fatality to first 

14 responders; 

15 (7) statistics compiled by the Department of 

16 Labor and the National Highway Safety Administra17 tion indicate that Emergency Medical Services pro18 viders— 

19 (A) die in the line of duty at a rate more 

20 than twice the national average for all occupa21 tional fatalities; and 

22 (B) experience an injury rate of virtually 

23 100 percent during the careers of the providers; 

24 (8) the United States has historically and con25 tinually relied on the selfless and ultimate sacrifices 

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1 made by citizens in service to the United States and 

2 the families and loved ones of citizens in service to 

3 the United States, in order to maintain the domestic 

4 tranquility, safety, and security of the United States; 

5 (9) the first responders of Emergency Medical 

6 Services continue to serve in this finest tradition, in 

7 the face of unacceptable sacrifice, risk, and danger 

8 in service to the United States and the citizens of 

9 the United States; 

10 (10) the scope of responsibility assumed by the 

11 first responders of Emergency Medical Services is 

12 broad and unique; and 

13 (11) the sacrifice and commitment of the first 

14 responders of Emergency Medical Services in service 

15 to the United States is deserving of a commemora16 tive work that recognizes the sacrifice and commit17 ment of the first responders. 

18 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION TO ESTABLISH COMMEMORATIVE 

19 WORK BY THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY MED20 ICAL SERVICES MEMORIAL FOUNDATION. 

21 (a) IN GENERAL.—The National Emergency Medical 

22 Services Memorial Foundation (referred to in this section 

23 as the ‘‘Foundation’’) may establish a commemorative 

24 work on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its 

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1 environs to commemorate the commitment and service 

2 represented by Emergency Medical Services. 

3 (b) COMPLIANCE WITH STANDARDS FOR COMMEMO4 RATIVE WORKS.—The establishment of the commemora5 tive work under this section shall be in accordance with 

6 chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code (commonly 

7 known as the ‘‘Commemorative Works Act’’). 

8 (c) PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.— 

9 (1) RESPONSIBILITY OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY

10 MEDICAL SERVICES MEMORIAL FOUNDATION.—The 

11 Foundation shall be solely responsible for acceptance 

12 of contributions for, and payment of the expenses of, 

13 the establishment of the commemorative work under 

14 this section. 

15 (2) USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS PROHIBITED.— 

16 Federal funds may not be used to pay any expense 

17 of the establishment of the commemorative work 

18 under this section. 

19 (d) DEPOSIT OF EXCESS FUNDS.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—If on payment of all ex21 penses for the establishment of the commemorative 

22 work (including the maintenance and preservation 

23 amount required by section 8906(b)(1) of title 40, 

24 United States Code), there remains a balance of 

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1 memorative work under this section, the Foundation 

2 shall transmit the amount of the balance to the Sec3 retary of the Interior for deposit in the account pro4 vided for in section 8906(b)(3) of title 40, United 

5 States Code. 

6 (2) ON EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—If on ex7 piration of the authority for the commemorative 

8 work under section 8903(e) of title 40, United 

9 States Code, there remains a balance of funds re10 ceived for the establishment of the commemorative 

11 work under this section, the Foundation shall trans12 mit the amount of the balance to a separate account 

13 with the National Park Foundation for memorials, 

14 to be available to the Secretary of the Interior or 

15 Administrator of General Services, as appropriate, in 

16 accordance with the process provided in section 

17 8906(b)(4) of title 40, United States Code, for ac18 counts established under paragraph (2) or (3) of 

19 section 8906(b) of title 40, United States Code. 

Æ 

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