Emergency Medical Services Support Act

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Emergency Medical Services Support Act of 2004 with my colleague, Senator Russ Feingold. This legislation will strengthen Federal efforts to support community-based emergency medical services across America.

A comprehensive, coordinated emergency medical services system is essential to assure quality care and prompt response in incidents ranging from automobile crashes to catastrophic weather to terrorist attacks. The emergency medical services system is a crucial part of our health care safety net.

Unfortunately, for the past twenty years, Federal support for EMS has been both inefficient and uncoordinated. No fewer than seven Federal agencies are involved in various aspects of emergency medical services. Most, however, focus on only one segment of the EMS system and don't effectively coordinate with other agencies.

In 2001, at the request of Senator Feingold and myself, the General Accounting Office researched the status of this vital system. The GAO report, titled, ``Emergency Medical Services: Reported needs are Wide- Ranging with a Growing Focus on Lack of Data,'' exposed the need to increase coordination among Federal agencies as they address the needs of regional, State, or local emergency medical services systems.

This legislation would formally establish a Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services (FICEMS), which is currently an ad-hoc committee with little formal direction. It would require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, to provide organizational and staff support.

This legislation would enhance coordination among the Federal agencies involved with the State, local, tribal and regional emergency medical services and 9-1-1 systems. It also would help Federal agencies coordinate their EMS-related activities and maximize the best use of established funding.

The President has recognized the need for this coordination. He included a similar proposal in his reauthorization proposal for the ``Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity act of 2003'' (SAFETEA) that was transmitted by Secretary Mineta to Congress on May 12, 2003. The Senate-passed highway bill also included a similar proposal.

The legislation we introduce today builds upon the Administration's proposal by creating a more effective structure and enhancing the role of local EMS providers into Federal EMS programs. While I support the provisions in the Senate-passed bill, they fail to create a mechanism for individuals at the state and local levels to provide input into how Federal EMS programs should be coordinated.

Local, State and Federal level emergency medical services systems are extremely diverse and involve numerous different agencies and organizations. To assure a viable, responsive emergency medical services system, Federal agencies need the input and advice of their non-Federal partners and from persons regulating or providing emergency medical services systems at the state and local level.

According to Tom Judge, the Executive Director of Lifeflight of Maine, an air ambulance provider, and Jay Bradshaw, the State of Maine's EMS Director, improved coordination can help strengthen support for a wide range of emergency medical services, from rural EMS providers, to communications between EMS systems, to improving coordination between local EMS providers and their Federal partners.

Another recent GAO report made it clear that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services needs to better coordinate its reimbursement with the Department of Transportation's matching grants for equipment and vehicles. Many of Maine's rural communities, such as Rumford, are at risk of seeing their first ambulance service closures due to low- reimbursement rates. If DOT targeted assistance to the low reimbursement areas that are at risk of shutting down, we might be able to maintain service in these areas.

Decisions at the Federal Communications Commission regarding spectrum management could make most of the existing EMS and Fire radios obsolete over the next few years. In St. George, Maine, the volunteer Fire Rescue has 30 mobile and portable radios, 40 pagers, and a base station that could become obsolete. In making future decisions regarding spectrum management, the FCC must work with Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to help communities purchase interoperable radios if their old ones become obsolete.

I am pleased to have the support of Maine EMS, LifeFlight of Maine, the American Ambulance Association, the National Association of EMS Directors, and others for this legislation.

We must ensure that Federal agencies coordinate their efforts to support the dedicated men and women who provide EMS services across our Nation. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting their efforts by cosponsoring this legislation.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Emergency Medical Services Support Act of 2004 with my colleague, Senator Russ Feingold. This legislation will strengthen Federal efforts to support community-based emergency medical services across America.

A comprehensive, coordinated emergency medical services system is essential to assure quality care and prompt response in incidents ranging from automobile crashes to catastrophic weather to terrorist attacks. The emergency medical services system is a crucial part of our health care safety net.

Unfortunately, for the past twenty years, Federal support for EMS has been both inefficient and uncoordinated. No fewer than seven Federal agencies are involved in various aspects of emergency medical services. Most, however, focus on only one segment of the EMS system and don't effectively coordinate with other agencies.

In 2001, at the request of Senator Feingold and myself, the General Accounting Office researched the status of this vital system. The GAO report, titled, ``Emergency Medical Services: Reported needs are Wide- Ranging with a Growing Focus on Lack of Data,'' exposed the need to increase coordination among Federal agencies as they address the needs of regional, State, or local emergency medical services systems.

This legislation would formally establish a Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services (FICEMS), which is currently an ad-hoc committee with little formal direction. It would require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, to provide organizational and staff support.

This legislation would enhance coordination among the Federal agencies involved with the State, local, tribal and regional emergency medical services and 9-1-1 systems. It also would help Federal agencies coordinate their EMS-related activities and maximize the best use of established funding.

The President has recognized the need for this coordination. He included a similar proposal in his reauthorization proposal for the ``Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity act of 2003'' (SAFETEA) that was transmitted by Secretary Mineta to Congress on May 12, 2003. The Senate-passed highway bill also included a similar proposal.

The legislation we introduce today builds upon the Administration's proposal by creating a more effective structure and enhancing the role of local EMS providers into Federal EMS programs. While I support the provisions in the Senate-passed bill, they fail to create a mechanism for individuals at the state and local levels to provide input into how Federal EMS programs should be coordinated.

Local, State and Federal level emergency medical services systems are extremely diverse and involve numerous different agencies and organizations. To assure a viable, responsive emergency medical services system, Federal agencies need the input and advice of their non-Federal partners and from persons regulating or providing emergency medical services systems at the state and local level.

According to Tom Judge, the Executive Director of Lifeflight of Maine, an air ambulance provider, and Jay Bradshaw, the State of Maine's EMS Director, improved coordination can help strengthen support for a wide range of emergency medical services, from rural EMS providers, to communications between EMS systems, to improving coordination between local EMS providers and their Federal partners.

Another recent GAO report made it clear that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services needs to better coordinate its reimbursement with the Department of Transportation's matching grants for equipment and vehicles. Many of Maine's rural communities, such as Rumford, are at risk of seeing their first ambulance service closures due to low- reimbursement rates. If DOT targeted assistance to the low reimbursement areas that are at risk of shutting down, we might be able to maintain service in these areas.

Decisions at the Federal Communications Commission regarding spectrum management could make most of the existing EMS and Fire radios obsolete over the next few years. In St. George, Maine, the volunteer Fire Rescue has 30 mobile and portable radios, 40 pagers, and a base station that could become obsolete. In making future decisions regarding spectrum management, the FCC must work with Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to help communities purchase interoperable radios if their old ones become obsolete.

I am pleased to have the support of Maine EMS, LifeFlight of Maine, the American Ambulance Association, the National Association of EMS Directors, and others for this legislation.

We must ensure that Federal agencies coordinate their efforts to support the dedicated men and women who provide EMS services across our Nation. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting their efforts by cosponsoring this legislation.

Mr. President, I rise along with my colleagues, Senators landrieu, Lieberman, Inouye and Collins, in order to introduce S. 2352, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

As a veterinarian, I am well aware of the love that Americans have for their horses. Much of our Nation's early history and culture is associated with these animals. We think of George Washington's horses and the legend of Paul Revere's ride and the Pony Express. And more recently, we were reminded of how the Depression Era race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral raised the spirit of our Nation.

While horses in the United States are not raised for food, last year alone, almost 50,000 horses were slaughtered in the United States for human consumption abroad. Pet horses, ex-racing horses, workhorses and even some federally protected wild horses are currently being slaughtered for human consumption in Europe and Asia. A series of recent polls show that Americans overwhelmingly support a ban on the slaughter of horses for human consumption.

Often, owners who sell their horses at auction are unaware that their horses may well be on their way to one of the two remaining slaughterhouses in America where horses are killed for human consumption. These slaughterhouses are foreign owned and the product is shipped abroad as are the profits.

States have tried to be proactive in preventing this form of slaughter in the United States. Several States have already enacted state laws prohibiting the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Several other States are currently considering similar legislation. However, due to the absence of a Federal law on this subject, the two existing foreign-owned slaughterhouses, which happen to be located in Texas--a State that has passed a law banning horse slaughter for human consumption--have still been able to operate.

I know that some people have expressed concern about what will happen to horses if slaughter is banned. Many of these horses will be sold to a new owner, others may be kept longer, and still others will be humanely euthanized by a licensed veterinarian. Others will be cared for by the horse rescue community. The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act does allow fines collected under the Act to be distributed to qualified horse rescue groups caring for horses confiscated under the Act.

Some people have questioned whether this law will result in the abuse and neglect of unwanted horses. Thankfully, statistics do not support this claim at all. Recently released figures show that the number of abuse cases dropped significantly in Illinois after the State's only horse slaughtering facility was destroyed in a fire in 2002. Also, since California passed a law banning the slaughter of horses for human consumption, there has been no discernible increase in cruelty and neglect cases in the State.

Futhermore, it is currently illegal to ``turn out,'' neglect, or starve a horse, so this bill will not result in an increase in the number of orphaned horses in the United States. If a person attempts to turn his or her horses out, under current law, animal control agents will be able to enforce Federal humane laws. As I stated before, this bill seeks only to prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption. If a person wishes to put an animal down, it costs an average of $50 to $150 to have the horse humanely euthanized and disposed of--a fraction of what it costs to keep a horse as a companion or a work animal. That cost is not too big a burden to bear when no other options are available.

The time for a strong Federal law banning this practice is now. This bill does not target other forms of slaughter, rendering, or euthanasia but rather focuses solely on the slaughter of American horses for human consumption. The House version of this bill, H.R. 857, currently has two hundred cosponsors. Please join Senator Landrieu and me in cosponsoring the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

Mr. President, today I join my colleagues in introducing the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. This bill will prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption, a practice which many Americans oppose and of which many more are completely unaware. As a life-long admirer of these beautiful and noble animals, I was shocked to learn that tens of thousands of horses are slaughtered and exported each year for human consumption in other countries. Aside from the fact that there is virtually no demand for the human consumption of horse flesh in this country, the absence of humane treatment of these horses is very disappointing. We must ensure that this beloved animal is treated in an appropriate manner and that this deplorable act, which many Americans find unconscionable, is prohibited under Federal law. Therefore, I am proud to join my colleagues as a cosponsor of this legislation. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight a few issues about this important measure.

The need for the humane euthanasia of horses is a sad reality for all horse owners. Each horse's life has inherent value and it is usually with great sadness and care that horse owners face the realities of infirmity, age, or other reasons which call for the putting down of their animal. However, the current practice of horse slaughter is void of the human compassion involved with appropriate euthanasia. The export of horses for slaughter and the slaughter of horses in the United States by unskilled and careless workers increase the suffering of these animals. These slaughter houses appear uninterested in the welfare of these animals, and take little note of the objections of the millions of Americans who find the consumption of horse flesh to be inappropriate.

Throughout the development of this country, the human consumption of horse flesh has never been a widely accepted activity. This societal taboo is undoubtably due to the unique relationship enjoyed between mankind and horses for thousands of years. Horses have tread many steps with American men and women. They were there in our work, on our farms, for transportation and communication, in the taming of a vast American frontier, and on every battlefield prior to World War II. They have proven themselves loyal and gentle animals, without which the development of our country may not have been possible and certainly much more difficult. Horses demand the basic humane treatment that we should extend to all of God's creatures, and above that--our society has developed a heightened sense of respect and love for these indispensable animals. In modern times, horses have brought joy and entertainment to many. Through racing, recreation and even therapy to the handicapped, horses have touched the lives of many Americans. Clearly, they hold a special place in our lives and it is for these reasons that so many are strongly opposed to the slaughter of horses in this country for human consumption.

I am very encouraged by the leadership and hard work of Senator Ensign, who is himself a veterinarian. His expertise in this issue has brought many groups together in support of this legislation, and has facilitated understanding of the bill's provisions. Having garnered broad support in the House of Representatives, I am firmly committed to seeing that this bill is brought to the attention of all of our colleagues here in the Senate. I look forward to working with Senator ENSIGN and other colleagues, to ensure that we address these important issues and pass a common sense bill that reflects the desires of many of our constituents, who support the humane treatment of horses and the prohibition of their slaughter for human consumption.

Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague from Maine, Senator Collins, today to introduce legislation that will help improve and streamline Federal support for community-based emergency medical services. Our proposal will also provide an avenue for local officials and EMS providers to help Federal agencies improve existing programs and future initiatives.

Congress has long recognized the important role played by EMS providers. However, Federal support for EMS has been unfocused and uncoordinated, with responsibility scattered among a number of different agencies. In 2001, the General Accounting Office cited the need to increase coordination between the federal agencies involved with EMS issues but not much progress has been made since that report was issued. The Federal Government doesn't even have a good handle on how much it is spending on EMS or what the needs are for EMS. The bill we introduce today is a good first step towards addressing the deficiencies in our current EMS policies.

This legislation establishes a federal interagency committee whose purpose will be to coordinate federal EMS activities, identify EMS needs, assure proper integration of EMS in homeland security planning, and make recommendations on improving and streamlining EMS support. Although Federal law, PL 107-188, called for the establishment of a working group on EMS, this legislation goes further in detailing the role and function of the interagency committee. The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee will certainly iron out any overlap that may exist.

This legislation also establishes an advisory council for the interagency committee that includes representatives from throughout the EMS community. The advisory committee, made up of non-Federal representatives from all EMS sectors and from both urban and rural areas, will provide guidance and input to the interagency committee on a variety of issues including the development of standards and national plans, expanding or creating grant programs, and improving and streamlining Federal EMS efforts. The advisory council is a critical component of this legislation because it is the channel through which local EMS practitioners can directly impact and help reform national EMS policy.

I want to thank the American Ambulance Association, the Association of Air Medical Services, the Emergency Nurses Association, the National Association of EMS Physicians, the National Association of State EMS Directors, and the National Registry of EMTs for their support of this bill. I also want to thank all of those Wisconsinites who provided so much helpful input in coming up with this legislation. In particular, I would like to thank Dr. Marvin Birnbaum of the University of Wisconsin, Fire Chief Dave Bloom of the Town of Madison, and Dan Williams, chair of Wisconsin's EMS advisory board for their advice and guidance.

EMS providers are a critical component of our Nation's first responder network. We must act now to streamline and coordinate federal EMS support and work to better understand the needs of the EMS community. I therefore ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.