WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) celebrated the passage yesterday of the National Emergency Medical Services Commemorative Work Act, which would allow the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work on federal land to pay tribute to the commitment and service represented by emergency medical services (EMS). The memorial would be constructed in the greater District of Columbia area.
“First responders risk their safety to serve our communities and help others, working selflessly and tirelessly to save lives,” Senator Capito said. “I’m so happy the Senate passed this legislation to honor their service with a national memorial. I’m proud to have introduced this bill and will continue working to see this project come to fruition.”
“During my time as New Castle County Executive, I worked to make sure that our EMS personnel were well-trained, responsive professionals,” Senator Coons said. “It was not only about the delivery of high-quality government services, but a matter of life and death for our community members. A memorial commemorating the service of EMS professionals is well-deserved, and I am delighted we were able to pass the bill this week. I look forward to working with our House counterparts to ensure this bill becomes law.”
Each year, 850,000 EMS first responders across the nation answer more than 30 million calls to serve 22 million patients in need of immediate life-saving care and comfort. Many of these patients are alive today because of the selfless commitment of our first responders. With little regard for their own safety and in the face of all hazards, the men and women of EMS respond to every kind of incident imaginable—from a single person’s medical emergency to naturally occurring or man-made disasters, including terrorist attacks.
The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Tom Carper (D-Del.). A companion bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass.) in February 2017. The House legislation is co-sponsored by Representatives Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.), Denny Heck (D-Wash.), William Keating (D-Mass.), Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-Mass.), Ron Kind (D-Wisc.), Peter T. King (R-N.Y.), James R. Langevin (D-RI), Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.), David Loebsack (D-Ill.), James P. McGovern (D-Mass.), Kathleen M. Rice (D-N.Y.), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), and Timothy J. Walz (D-Minn.).
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