Today, the full House voted unanimously to approve, H.R. 6378, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act (PAHPA) of 2018. TCAA joined over 50 organizations in expressing support for the bill which will strengthen national preparedness and response for public health emergencies, optimize state and local all hazards preparedness and response and accelerate medical countermeasure advanced research and development. The bill included TCAA’s top legislative priority, the Military Injury Surgical Systems Integrated Operationally Nationwide to Achieve ZERO Preventable Deaths Act or “MISSION ZERO Act” and $15 million was authorized to implement the program. TCAA led the Trauma Coalition in its efforts to build support for the legislation by meeting with Members of Congress in Washington, DC, sending letters to House and Senate leadership and facilitating conversations between TCAA members and their representatives.
The MISSION Zero Act grew from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) report, A National Trauma System: Integrating Military and Civilian Trauma Systems to Achieve Zero Preventable Deaths after Injury. The legislation facilitates the assignment of military trauma teams to civilian trauma centers to ensure military trauma readiness. The presence of military personnel will also ensure greater civilian access to trauma care through the provision of additional staffing resources. In 2016, individuals representing TCAA and other members of the trauma community testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the importance of the legislation and from there developed champions in the House and Senate.
“I am thrilled that the House has passed the MISSION ZERO Act as part of PAHPA reauthorization,” said Jennifer Ward, President of the Trauma Center Association of America. “This legislation has been a key legislative priority for TCAA and will provide a great opportunity for our members to partner with military trauma care providers to enhance capacity and improve civilian access to trauma care. I want to thank our champions in the House, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) for their hard work and leadership on this bill, and it is my hope that the Senate quickly passes the bill so it can head to the President’s desk for signature.”
H.R. 6378 also included an initiative developed by the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) called the Regional Health Care Emergency Preparedness and Response System which would help create regional systems of trauma centers, hospitals, and other public and private entities to respond to public health emergencies. TCAA is looking forward to continuing to work with ASPR on implementing this important initiative.
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