Title: SIREN Act of 2018
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs Act of 2018 or the SIREN Act of 2018
This bill reauthorizes through FY2023 and revises the Rural Emergency Medical Service Training and Equipment Assistance Program, which is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2830 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2830

   To reauthorize the rural emergency medical services training and 
 equipment assistance program under section 330J of the Public Health 
                              Service Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 10, 2018

 Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Roberts, Ms. Baldwin, and Ms. Stabenow) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
          Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To reauthorize the rural emergency medical services training and 
 equipment assistance program under section 330J of the Public Health 
                              Service Act.

    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 and Improving Rural EMS 
Needs Act of 2018'' or the ``SIREN Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF RURAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TRAINING 
              AND EQUIPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    Section 330J of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-15) 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``in rural areas'' and 
        inserting ``in rural areas or to residents of rural areas''; 
        and
            (2) by striking subsections (b) through (g) and inserting 
        the following:
    ``(b) Eligibility; Application.--To be eligible to receive grant 
under this section, an entity shall--
            ``(1) be--
                    ``(A) an emergency medical services agency operated 
                by a local or tribal government (including fire-based 
                and non-fire based); or
                    ``(B) an emergency medical services agency that is 
                described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue 
                Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) 
                of such Code; and
            ``(2) submit an application to the Secretary at such time, 
        in such manner, and containing such information as the 
        Secretary may require.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--An entity shall use amounts received through a 
grant under subsection (a) to--
            ``(1) recruit and retain emergency medical services 
        personnel, which may include volunteer personnel;
            ``(2) train emergency medical services personnel as 
        appropriate to obtain and maintain licenses and certifications 
        relevant to service in an emergency medical services agency 
        described in subsection (b)(1);
            ``(3) conduct courses that qualify graduates to serve in an 
        emergency medical services agency described in subsection 
        (b)(1) in accordance with State and local requirements;
            ``(4) fund specific training to meet Federal or State 
        licensing or certification requirements;
            ``(5) develop new ways to educate emergency health care 
        providers through the use of technology-enhanced educational 
        methods;
            ``(6) acquire emergency medical services equipment; or
            ``(7) acquire personal protective equipment for emergency 
        medical services personnel as required by the Occupational 
        Safety and Health Administration.
    ``(d) Grant Amounts.--Each grant awarded under this section shall 
be in an amount not to exceed $200,000.
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `emergency medical services'--
                    ``(A) means resources used by a public or private 
                nonprofit 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).
            ``(2) 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).
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each fiscal years 
        2019 through 2023.
            ``(2) Administrative costs.--The Secretary may use not more 
        than 10 percent of the amount appropriated pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) for a fiscal year for the administrative expenses 
        of carrying out this section.''.
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