I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1240 

To establish a Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical 

Services, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 10, 2005 

Mr. HEFLEY (for himself and Mr. ALLEN) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To establish a Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency 

Medical Services, 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 ‘‘Emergency Medical 

5 Services Support Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON EMER7 GENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. 

8 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Transpor9 tation and the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting 

10 through the Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness 
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1 and Response of the Department of Homeland Security 

2 and in consultation with the Secretary of Health and 

3 Human Services, shall establish a Federal Interagency 

4 Committee on Emergency Medical Services (in this Act 

5 referred to as the ‘‘Interagency Committee on EMS’’) to 

6 improve coordination and enhance support of emergency 

7 medical services. 

8 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Interagency Committee on 

9 EMS shall consist of the following officials (or their des10 ignees): 

11 (1) The Administrator of the National Highway 

12 Traffic Safety Administration. 

13 (2) The Director of the Office for Domestic 

14 Preparedness of the Department of Homeland Secu15 rity. 

16 (3) The Administrator of the Health Resources 

17 and Services Administration of the Department of 

18 Health and Human Services. 

19 (4) The Director of the Centers for Disease 

20 Control and Prevention of the Department of Health 

21 and Human Services. 

22 (5) The Administrator of the United States 

23 Fire Administration of the Department of Homeland 

24 Security. 
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1 (6) The Administrator of the Centers for Medi2 care Medicaid Services of the Department of Health 

3 and Human Services. 

4 (7) The Under Secretary of Defense for Per5 sonnel and Readiness. 

6 (8) The Assistant Secretary for Public Health 

7 Emergency Preparedness of the Department of 

8 Health and Human Services. 

9 (9) The Director of the Indian Health Service 

10 of the Department of Health and Human Services. 

11 (10) The Bureau Chief of the Wireless Tele12 communications Bureau of the Federal Communica13 tions Commission. 

14 (11) A representative of any other Federal 

15 agency identified by the Secretary of Transportation 

16 or the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting 

17 through the Under Secretary for Emergency Pre18 paredness and Response of the Department of 

19 Homeland Security and in consultation with the Sec20 retary of Health and Human Services, as having a 

21 significant role in relation to the purposes of the 

22 Interagency Committee on EMS. 

23 (c) LEADERSHIP.—The members of the Interagency 

24 Committee on EMS shall annually select an individual 
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1 from among the members of the Committee to serve as 

2 chairperson of the Committee. 

3 (d) ACTIVITIES.—The Interagency Committee on 

4 EMS shall carry out the following activities: 

5 (1) Ensuring coordination among the Federal 

6 agencies represented on the Committee with State, 

7 local, tribal, and regional emergency medical services 

8 and 9–1–1 systems. 

9 (2) Identifying State, local, tribal, and regional 

10 emergency medical services and 9–1–1 needs. 

11 (3) Ensuring that emergency medical services 

12 are appropriately integrated with homeland security 

13 and other emergency response programs. 

14 (4) Recommending new or expanded programs, 

15 including grant programs, for— 

16 (A) improving State, local, tribal, and re17 gional emergency medical services; and 

18 (B) implementing improved interoperable 

19 voice and data emergency medical services and 

20 communications technologies, including wireless 

21 9–1–1. 

22 (5) Identifying ways to streamline the process 

23 through which Federal agencies support State, local, 

24 tribal, and regional emergency medical services. 
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1 (6) Assisting State, local, tribal, and regional 

2 emergency medical services in setting priorities 

3 based on identified needs. 

4 (7) Advising, consulting, and making rec5 ommendations on matters relating to the implemen6 tation of the coordinated State emergency medical 

7 services programs. 

8 (e) MEETINGS.—The Interagency Committee on 

9 EMS shall meet as frequently as is determined necessary 

10 by the chairperson of the Committee, but no less fre11 quently than quarterly. 

12 (f) ADMINISTRATION.—The Administrator of the Na13 tional Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in coopera14 tion with the Director of the Office for Domestic Pre15 paredness of the Department of Homeland Security, shall 

16 provide administrative support to the Interagency Com17 mittee on EMS, including scheduling meetings, setting 

18 agendas, keeping minutes and records, and producing re19 ports. 

20 (g) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Interagency Committee 

21 on EMS shall prepare and submit an annual report to 

22 Congress on the Committee’s activities, actions, and rec23 ommendations, and shall include in such report a descrip24 tion of respective Federal agency responsibility, support, 

25 and coordination of emergency medical services systems. 
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1 SEC. 3. FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON EMER2 GENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY COUN3 CIL. 

4 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a Fed5 eral Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Serv6 ices Advisory Council (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Advi7 sory Council’’) that shall consist of not more than 13 indi8 viduals with an interest or expertise in emergency medical 

9 services selected by the Interagency Committee on EMS. 

10 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—In selecting members of the Ad11 visory Council, the Interagency Committee on EMS shall 

12 ensure that the Advisory Council represents— 

13 (1) both urban and rural areas; and 

14 (2) all sectors of the emergency medical services 

15 community. 

16 (c) LEADERSHIP.—Members of the Advisory Council 

17 shall annually select an individual from among the mem18 bers of the Council to serve as chairperson of the Advisory 

19 Council. 

20 (d) ACTIVITIES.—The Advisory Council shall make 

21 recommendations to the Interagency Committee on EMS 

22 on topics including the following: 

23 (1) Improved coordination and support of emer24 gency medical services systems among Federal pro25 grams. 
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1 (2) Development of a national emergency med2 ical services plan. 

3 (3) Standards, guidelines, benchmarks, and 

4 data collection on emergency medical services. 

5 (4) Guidelines for conducting needs assessments 

6 for improving community-based emergency medical 

7 services systems at State and local levels. 

8 (5) Creation of new, or the expansion of exist9 ing, grants or other programs for improving commu10 nity-based emergency medical services. 

11 (6) Consolidation or realignment of Federal 

12 agency or program responsibility for emergency med13 ical services. 

14 (7) Strengthening emergency medical services 

15 systems through enhanced workforce development, 

16 education, training, exercises, equipment, medical 

17 oversight, and other areas. 

18 (8) Issues or topics to be addressed in the an19 nual report of the Interagency Committee on EMS. 

20 (e) ANNUAL REPORT.—Before the Interagency Com21 mittee on EMS submits to Congress the annual report re22 quired under section 2(g), the Advisory Council shall re23 view the report and include independent information or 

24 recommendations for inclusion in the report, as deemed 

25 appropriate by the Advisory Council. 
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1 (f) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Council— 

2 (1) shall meet at the same time and place as 

3 the Interagency Committee on EMS, when such 

4 Committee meets; and 

5 (2) may conduct independent meetings to re6 ceive public comment and collect data and informa7 tion. 

8 (g) COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT.— 

9 (1) COMPENSATION.—The members of the Ad10 visory Council shall receive no pay by reason of their 

11 service as a member of the Advisory Council. 

12 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The members of the 

13 Advisory Council shall be allowed travel expenses, in14 cluding per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates au15 thorized for employees of agencies under subchapter 

16 1 of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while 

17 away from their homes or regular places of business 

18 in the performance of services for the Advisory 

19 Council. 

20 (h) ADMINISTRATION.—The Administrator of the 

21 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in co22 operation with the Director of the Office for Domestic 

23 Preparedness of the Department of Homeland Security, 
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1 shall provide administration support to the Advisory 

2 Council. 

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