II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 611 

To establish a Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services 

and a Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services 

Advisory Council, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 14, 2005 

Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. FEINGOLD) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To establish a Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency 

Medical Services and a Federal Interagency Committee 

on Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council, 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’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON EMER2 GENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Transpor4 tation and the Secretary of Homeland Security, through 

5 the Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Re6 sponse, and in consultation with the Secretary of Health 

7 and Human Services, shall establish a Federal Inter8 agency Committee on Emergency Medical Services (re9 ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Interagency Committee on 

10 EMS’’) to improve coordination and enhance support of 

11 emergency medical services. 

12 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Interagency Committee on 

13 EMS shall consist of the following officials, or their des14 ignees: 

15 (1) The Administrator of the National Highway 

16 Traffic Safety Administration. 

17 (2) The Director of the Office for Domestic 

18 Preparedness of the Department of Homeland Secu19 rity. 

20 (3) The Administrator of the Health Resources 

21 and Services Administration of the Department of 

22 Health and Human Services. 

23 (4) The Director of the Centers for Disease 

24 Control and Prevention of the Department of Health 

25 and Human Services. 
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1 (5) The Administrator of the United States 

2 Fire Administration of the Department of Homeland 

3 Security. 

4 (6) The Administrator of the Centers for Medi5 care & Medicaid Services of the Department of 

6 Health and Human Services. 

7 (7) The Undersecretary of Defense for Per8 sonnel and Readiness. 

9 (8) The Assistant Secretary for Public Health 

10 Emergency Preparedness of the Department of 

11 Health and Human Services. 

12 (9) The Director of the Indian Health Service 

13 of the Department of Health and Human Services. 

14 (10) The Bureau Chief of the Wireless Tele15 communications Bureau of the Federal Communica16 tions Commission. 

17 (11) A representative of any other Federal 

18 agency identified by the Secretary of Transportation 

19 or the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the 

20 Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and 

21 Response and in consultation with the Secretary of 

22 Health and Human Services, as having a significant 

23 role in relation to the purposes of the Interagency 

24 Committee on EMS. 
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1 (c) LEADERSHIP.—The members of the Interagency 

2 Committee on EMS shall annually select an individual 

3 from among the members of the Committee to serve as 

4 chairperson of the Committee. 

5 (d) ACTIVITIES.—The Interagency Committee on 

6 EMS shall carry out the following activities: 

7 (1) Ensuring coordination among the Federal 

8 agencies represented on the Interagency Committee 

9 on EMS with State, local, tribal, or regional emer10 gency medical services and 9–1–1 systems. 

11 (2) Identifying State, local, tribal, or regional 

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

13 (3) Ensuring that emergency medical services 

14 are appropriately integrated with homeland security 

15 and other emergency response programs. 

16 (4) Recommending new or expanded programs, 

17 including grant programs, for— 

18 (A) improving State, local, tribal, or re19 gional emergency medical services; and 

20 (B) implementing improved interoperable 

21 voice and data emergency medical services and 

22 communications technologies, including wireless 

23 9–1–1. 
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1 (5) Identifying ways to streamline the process 

2 through which Federal agencies support State, local, 

3 tribal, or regional emergency medical services. 

4 (6) Assisting State, local, tribal, or regional 

5 emergency medical services in setting priorities 

6 based on identified needs. 

7 (7) Advising, consulting, and making rec8 ommendations on matters relating to the implemen9 tation of the coordinated State emergency medical 

10 services programs. 

11 (e) MEETINGS.—The Interagency Committee on 

12 EMS shall meet as frequently as is determined necessary 

13 by the chairperson of the Committee, but no less fre14 quently than quarterly. 

15 (f) ADMINISTRATION.—The Administrator of the Na16 tional Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in coopera17 tion with the Director of the Office for Domestic Pre18 paredness of the Department of Homeland Security, shall 

19 provide administrative support to the Interagency Com20 mittee on EMS, including scheduling meetings, setting 

21 agendas, keeping minutes and records, and producing re22 ports. 

23 (g) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Interagency Committee 

24 on EMS shall prepare and submit an annual report to 

25 Congress on the Committee’s activities, actions, and rec-
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1 ommendations, and shall include in such report a descrip2 tion of respective Federal agency responsibility, support, 

3 and coordination of emergency medical services systems. 

4 SEC. 3. FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON EMER5 GENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY COUN6 CIL. 

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a Fed8 eral Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Serv9 ices Advisory Council (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Advi10 sory Council’’) that shall consist of not more than 13 indi11 viduals with an interest or expertise in emergency medical 

12 services selected by the Interagency Committee on EMS. 

13 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—In selecting members of the Ad14 visory Council, the Interagency Committee on EMS shall 

15 ensure that the Advisory Council represents— 

16 (1) both urban and rural areas; and 

17 (2) all sectors of the emergency medical services 

18 community. 

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

20 shall annually select an individual from among the mem21 bers of the Council to serve as chairperson of the Advisory 

22 Council. 

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

24 recommendations to the Interagency Committee on EMS 

25 on topics including the following: 
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1 (1) Improved coordination and support of emer2 gency medical services systems among Federal pro3 grams. 

4 (2) Development of a national emergency med5 ical services plan. 

6 (3) Standards, guidelines, benchmarks, and 

7 data collection on emergency medical services. 

8 (4) Guidelines for conducting needs assessments 

9 for improving community-based emergency medical 

10 services systems at State and local levels. 

11 (5) Creation of new, or the expansion of exist12 ing, grants or other programs for improving commu13 nity-based emergency medical services. 

14 (6) Consolidation or realignment of Federal 

15 agency or program responsibility for emergency med16 ical services. 

17 (7) Strengthening emergency medical services 

18 systems through enhanced workforce development, 

19 education, training, exercises, equipment, medical 

20 oversight, and other areas. 

21 (8) Issues or topics to be addressed in the an22 nual report of the Interagency Committee on EMS. 

23 (e) ANNUAL REPORT.—Before the Interagency Com24 mittee on EMS submits the annual report required under 

25 section 2(g) to Congress, the Advisory Council shall review 
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1 the report and include independent information or rec2 ommendations for inclusion in the report, as deemed ap3 propriate by the Advisory Council. 

4 (f) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Council— 

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

6 the Interagency Committee on EMS, when such 

7 Committee meets; and 

8 (2) may conduct independent meetings to re9 ceive public comment and collect data and informa10 tion. 

11 (g) COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT.— 

12 (1) COMPENSATION.—The members of the Ad13 visory Council shall receive no pay by reason of their 

14 service as a member of the Advisory Council. 

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

16 Advisory Council shall be allowed travel expenses, in17 cluding per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates au18 thorized for employees of agencies under subchapter 

19 1 of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while 

20 away from their homes or regular places of business 

21 in the performance of services for the Advisory 

22 Council. 

23 (h) ADMINISTRATION.—The Administrator of the 

24 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in co25 operation with the Director of the Office for Domestic 
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1 Preparedness of the Department of Homeland Security, 

2 shall provide administration support to the Advisory 

3 Council. 

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