Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2016

Floor Speech

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Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my colleague for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1818, the Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act.

As the ranking member of our committee just said, our military medics receive some of the best technical training in emergency medicine on the battlefield, and it is proven in extreme circumstances. However, when these medics return home and attempt to apply their skills to work in the civilian EMT sector, they are often forced to start back at square one. Repeating coursework isn't just a waste of time, it is also incredibly expensive. Similarly, civilian EMTs who are also in the military or in the reserves often must let their civilian certifications lapse when they are deployed.

In either circumstance, this is an unfair burden on our military men and women who have bravely defended our country. It is also so shortsighted for our communities, which could benefit from their expertise. We need these valuable medical personnel to be working in our communities, especially as we now deal with this opioid crisis.

That is why I am so pleased to have again joined with my Republican colleague, Representative Kinzinger, to introduce the Veteran EMT Support Act. The bill is a small but straightforward effort to help States streamline their EMT certification processes to take military medic training into account for civilian licensure. It is the least we can do to help ensure that our military medics' transition home is a little bit easier, and it is the least we can do to ensure that our communities have the best civilian first responder personnel working for them.

I thank Chairmen Upton and Pitts and Ranking Members Pallone and Green and their staffs for their support in getting this bill to the floor. I urge my colleagues to support it.

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