Supporting Our First Responders Act
Bill: H.R.8994 | Sponsor: Rep. Kim, Andy (D-NJ)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Supporting Our First Responders Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants on a competitive basis to nongovernmental or governmental entities that provide medical transport and emergency medical services (EMS). Grant recipients may use funds to, for example, support the EMS workforce (e.g., by providing salaries and stipends or covering certification costs) and purchasing vehicles, personal protective equipment, and other resources.

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the 
   Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Grant Program through which the 
Secretary may make grants to EMS organizations, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Our First Responders 
Act''.

SEC. 2. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Emergency Medical Services Grant Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
        shall establish a program, to be known as the ``Emergency 
        Medical Services (EMS) Grant Program'' (in this section 
        referred to as the ``Program''), through which the Secretary 
        shall award grants on a competitive basis to EMS organizations.
            (2) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under the 
        Program, an EMS organization shall submit to the Secretary of 
        Health and Human Services an application at such a time, in 
        such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
        may require, including the following:
                    (A) A description of the financial need of the EMS 
                organization.
                    (B) An analysis of the costs and benefits, with 
                respect to improving medical transport and emergency 
                medical services, of the activities to be carried out 
                through the grant.
            (3) Joint applications.--An EMS organization may submit a 
        joint application with one or more other EMS organizations 
        under this subsection.
            (4) Peer review of grant applications.--The Secretary of 
        Health and Human Services, after consultation with national EMS 
        organizations, shall appoint representatives of volunteer, 
        municipal, for-profit, and nonprofit EMS organizations and 
        entities to conduct peer review of applications.
            (5) Prioritization of grant awards.--In awarding grants 
        under the Program the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
        shall consider each of the following:
                    (A) The findings and recommendations of the peer 
                reviews carried out under paragraph (4).
                    (B) The degree to which an award will improve the 
                coverage, response times, and ability of EMS 
                organizations to provide medical transport and 
                emergency medical services.
                    (C) The extent of the need of an applicant for a 
                grant under this subsection and the need to protect the 
                United States as a whole.
                    (D) Whether an EMS organization has previously 
                received Federal funding.
    (b) Purposes.--Grants made under the Program may be used by 
recipient EMS organizations for the following purposes:
            (1) Maintaining, or, if appropriate, increasing, the number 
        of trained front-line EMS responders, including providing 
        salaries and stipends, providing wellness and fitness programs 
        for EMS organization personnel, and covering or reimbursing 
        costs associated with certification and recertification 
        courses.
            (2) Obtaining resources, including purchasing EMS vehicles, 
        personal protective equipment, uniforms, medicine, and medical 
        supplies.
            (3) Modifying facilities.
            (4) Any other activity the Secretary determines 
        appropriate.
    (c) Allocation of Grant Awards.--
            (1) Limitation.--Not more than two percent of grants 
        awarded under the Program may be made available to EMS 
        organizations that operate for profit or to otherwise support 
        efforts to establish or provide emergency medical services, or 
        medical transport, for profit. A grant under the Program to 
        such a for-profit EMS organization (if singly) or to such EMS 
        organizations (if a result of a joint application) or to 
        otherwise so support such efforts shall be in an amount not to 
        exceed $100,000.
            (2) Further limitation.--A grant under the Program to a 
        not-for-profit EMS organization or a joint application shall be 
        in an amount not to exceed $300,000.
            (3) Reservation.--Not less than 20 percent of grants 
        awarded under the Program shall be made available to EMS 
        organizations in rural areas.
    (d) Metrics.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
develop metrics to assess the effectiveness of the Program in improving 
the coverage, response times, and ability of EMS organizations to 
provide medical transport and emergency medical services.
    (e) Claw Backs.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
make every available effort to recover grant funds in case of 
noncompliance. To carry out this subsection, the Secretary shall 
establish a process through which notification is conveyed to EMS 
organizations determined to be in noncompliance, and such organizations 
are provided an opportunity to respond to such notification prior to 
the recovery of such funds.
    (f) Assessments; Reports.--Not later than two years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than biennially 
after, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall--
            (1) conduct an assessment of the Program based on the 
        metrics developed pursuant to subsection (d); and
            (2) submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
        House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, 
        Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report 
        summarizing the findings of the assessment and recommendations 
        to strengthen the overall program.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services--
            (1) $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027 
        to carry out the Program; and
            (2) $5,000,000 for each of such fiscal years to provide 
        technical assistance to EMS organizations completing and 
        submitting applications.
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) EMS organization.--The term ``EMS organization'' means 
        a nongovernmental or governmental entity that provides medical 
        transport and emergency medical services.
            (2) Emergency medical services.--The term ``emergency 
        medical services''--
                    (A) means resources used by a licensed entity to 
                deliver medical care outside of a medical facility 
                under emergency conditions that occur as a result of 
                the condition of the patient; and
                    (B) includes services delivered (either on a 
                compensated or volunteer basis) by an emergency medical 
                services provider or other provider that is licensed or 
                certified by the State involved as an emergency medical 
                technician, a paramedic, or an equivalent professional 
                (as determined by the State).
            (3) Rural area.--The term ``rural area'' means--
                    (A) a nonmetropolitan statistical area;
                    (B) an area designated as a rural area by any law 
                or regulation of a State; or
                    (C) a rural census tract of a metropolitan 
                statistical area (as determined under the most recent 
                rural urban commuting area code as set forth by the 
                Office of Management and Budget).

SEC. 3. REPORTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in 
consultation with the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services, the Administrator of the Health Resources and 
Services Administration, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and 
Response, and EMS stakeholders, shall submit to Congress a report 
that--
            (1) details the challenges, disparities, and inadequacies 
        in providing Federal, State, and private (including commercial 
        insurers) reimbursement for medical transport and emergency 
        medical services; and
            (2) provides recommendations for improvement with respect 
        to providing such reimbursement.
    (b) EMS Organizations.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
in consultation with the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services, the Administrator of the Health Resources and 
Services Administration, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and 
Response, and EMS stakeholders, shall submit to Congress a report 
that--
            (1) describes the challenges specific to EMS organizations, 
        including with respect to Federal, State, and private 
        (including private insurers) reimbursement rates and policies; 
        and
            (2) contains an action plan to address such challenges 
        through grants and other administrative action.
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