Nursing Home Fire Safety Act of 2006

Mr. President, I rise to introduce bipartisan legislation with my colleague from North Carolina, Senator Burr, that seeks to protect nursing home residents, staff, and visitors from the dangers associated with fire.

In February, 2003, a multialarm fire at a nursing home in Hartford, CT, took the lives of 16 residents. It was the worst nursing home fire in Connecticut's history. The tragic loss of life was made worse by the fact that the nursing home lacked an automatic sprinkler system--a defect disturbingly present in many nursing homes across the country.

I believe many Americans--especially those with a loved one in a nursing home facility--would be shocked to learn that, according to the Government Accountability Office, GAO, between 20 and 30 percent of the country's 17,000 nursing homes lack an automatic sprinkler system. In its 2004 report, the GAO found that ``the substantial loss of life in the [Hartford fire] could have been reduced or eliminated by the presence of properly functioning automatic sprinkler systems.'' Furthermore, the report concluded that ``the Federal oversight of nursing home compliance with fire safety standards is inadequate.''

Responding to the fire in Hartford and a similar tragedy in Nashville, TN, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, required that nursing homes without automatic sprinkler systems install battery-operated smoke detectors. While this new requirement was viewed as a positive step, it was largely criticized by fire and patient- safety advocates because smoke detectors are often not wired to a central alarm system or a fire department.

I believe it is safe to assume that nursing home directors do not choose freely to operate their facilities without automatic sprinkler systems. According to the GAO and American Health Care Association, most nursing homes simply cannot afford the cost incurred by installing an automatic sprinkler system. Furthermore, almost all of these facilities cannot afford the cost because of forces beyond their control. Today, nursing homes--including many in Connecticut--are financially strained by inadequate reimbursement rates from Medicare and Medicaid, rising insurance premiums, rising energy costs, and the general cost of care for some of our country's sickest patients.

That is why Senator Burr and I are introducing this legislation. The Nursing Home Fire Safety Act of 2006 contains two principal components.

First, the legislation includes a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that, within 5 years, every nursing home facility in the United States should be equipped with an automatic sprinkler system. The resolution also urges CMS to adopt the National Fire Protection Association's Life Safety Code, a nationally-renowned set of criteria addressing ``construction, protection, and occupancy features necessary to minimize danger to life from fire, including smoke, fumes, or panic.''

Second, the legislation provides low-interest loans and grants to nursing homes in proven need of financial assistance. The larger loan initiative assists nursing homes that cannot afford the upfront costs of installing automatic sprinkler systems but can afford to pay back a low-interest Government loan. The smaller grant initiative would assist qualified nursing homes that lack any ability to pay for the installation of an automatic sprinkler system. Together, these initiatives would provide critical resources to prevent tragedies like those seen in Hartford and Nashville from occurring again.

I thank my colleague from North Carolina, Senator Burr, for introducing this bipartisan measure with me. I also thank Congressmen John Larson from Connecticut and Peter King from New York for spearheading companion legislation in the House. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues to protect nursing home residents, staff, and visitors from the dangers associated with fire.

I ask unanimous consent that the full text of the legislation be printed in the Congressional Record.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce bipartisan legislation with my colleague from North Carolina, Senator Burr, that seeks to protect nursing home residents, staff, and visitors from the dangers associated with fire.

In February, 2003, a multialarm fire at a nursing home in Hartford, CT, took the lives of 16 residents. It was the worst nursing home fire in Connecticut's history. The tragic loss of life was made worse by the fact that the nursing home lacked an automatic sprinkler system--a defect disturbingly present in many nursing homes across the country.

I believe many Americans--especially those with a loved one in a nursing home facility--would be shocked to learn that, according to the Government Accountability Office, GAO, between 20 and 30 percent of the country's 17,000 nursing homes lack an automatic sprinkler system. In its 2004 report, the GAO found that ``the substantial loss of life in the [Hartford fire] could have been reduced or eliminated by the presence of properly functioning automatic sprinkler systems.'' Furthermore, the report concluded that ``the Federal oversight of nursing home compliance with fire safety standards is inadequate.''

Responding to the fire in Hartford and a similar tragedy in Nashville, TN, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, required that nursing homes without automatic sprinkler systems install battery-operated smoke detectors. While this new requirement was viewed as a positive step, it was largely criticized by fire and patient- safety advocates because smoke detectors are often not wired to a central alarm system or a fire department.

I believe it is safe to assume that nursing home directors do not choose freely to operate their facilities without automatic sprinkler systems. According to the GAO and American Health Care Association, most nursing homes simply cannot afford the cost incurred by installing an automatic sprinkler system. Furthermore, almost all of these facilities cannot afford the cost because of forces beyond their control. Today, nursing homes--including many in Connecticut--are financially strained by inadequate reimbursement rates from Medicare and Medicaid, rising insurance premiums, rising energy costs, and the general cost of care for some of our country's sickest patients.

That is why Senator Burr and I are introducing this legislation. The Nursing Home Fire Safety Act of 2006 contains two principal components.

First, the legislation includes a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that, within 5 years, every nursing home facility in the United States should be equipped with an automatic sprinkler system. The resolution also urges CMS to adopt the National Fire Protection Association's Life Safety Code, a nationally-renowned set of criteria addressing ``construction, protection, and occupancy features necessary to minimize danger to life from fire, including smoke, fumes, or panic.''

Second, the legislation provides low-interest loans and grants to nursing homes in proven need of financial assistance. The larger loan initiative assists nursing homes that cannot afford the upfront costs of installing automatic sprinkler systems but can afford to pay back a low-interest Government loan. The smaller grant initiative would assist qualified nursing homes that lack any ability to pay for the installation of an automatic sprinkler system. Together, these initiatives would provide critical resources to prevent tragedies like those seen in Hartford and Nashville from occurring again.

I thank my colleague from North Carolina, Senator Burr, for introducing this bipartisan measure with me. I also thank Congressmen John Larson from Connecticut and Peter King from New York for spearheading companion legislation in the House. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues to protect nursing home residents, staff, and visitors from the dangers associated with fire.

I ask unanimous consent that the full text of the legislation be printed in the Congressional Record.