Learn Our Issues

Message from AEMS President-Winter 2011

We finished 2010 with a flourish with the introduction of H.R. 6528 the Walz-Myrick Field EMS Quality, Innovation and Cost-Effectiveness Improvement Act on December 16, 2010.  Advocates for EMS is extraordinarily appreciative of all the work many organizations and individuals contributed to the yearlong effort that went into the formulation of this legislation. It is historic in that it is the first comprehensive federal EMS legislation since the EMS Act of 1973 was enacted.

We now will work hard to reintroduce this legislation in the 112th Congress with both House and Senate Bills. As we work to do that we need your suggestions as to how to further improve and refine the legislation and most importantly we will need your help in building a grassroots EMS movement to advocate for the passage of the provisions we find in this legislation. Please refer to the AEMS website to get the legislative language and summary of the bill as well as talking points for requesting sponsorship of this legislation by your members of Congress.

One important way we can build the movement to pass this legislation is to participate in the 2nd EMS Day on the Hill on May 3 and 4 sponsored by NAEMTs and supported by AEMS. Please sign up now and encourage your friends and colleagues to do so as well. The link to the registration is on the AEMS website.

Much discussion will occur in Washington, D.C. about a variety of issues affecting EMS.  The  Obama Administration continues implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act while the Congress considers repeal or modification of it.  Given the struggling economy, growing budget deficit and debt and new Republican majority in the House, there is likely to be a very serious discussion about reducing the deficit akin to the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. We anticipate many opportunities for EMS to get engaged in various meetings and hearing that will be held over the next few months. AEMS will be monitoring these and working to make sure EMS is at the table on EMS related issues.

Again, thank you for your support. We need for you to financially support Advocates and get your organizations to support our efforts as well. We are excited about the fact that we have opened the Board up to new members as well as we continue to build the nations EMS coalition.

Kurt Krumperman
President, Advocates for EMS