[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1515 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1515
To provide a pay incentive for border patrol agents to complete
emergency medical technician and paramedic training, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 29, 2021
Mr. Heinrich (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, and Ms. Sinema) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide a pay incentive for border patrol agents to complete
emergency medical technician and paramedic training, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLES.
This Act may be cited as the ``Remote, Emergency, Medical, Online
Training, Telehealth, and EMT Act'' or the ``REMOTE Act''.
SEC. 2. MEDICAL TRAINING FOR U.S. BORDER PATROL AGENTS.
(a) In General.--Section 411 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
(6 U.S.C. 211) is amended--
(1) in subsection (l)--
(A) by striking ``The Commissioner'' and inserting
the following:
``(1) Continuing education.--The Commissioner''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Medical training for u.s. border patrol agents.--
``(A) In general.--
``(i) Availability.--Beginning not later
than 6 months after the date of the enactment
of the REMOTE Act, the Commissioner shall make
available, in each U.S. Border Patrol sector,
at no cost to U.S. Border Patrol agents
selected for such training, emergency medical
technician (referred to in this paragraph as
`EMT') and paramedic training, including
pediatric medical training, which shall utilize
nationally recognized pediatric training
curricula that includes emergency pediatric
care.
``(ii) Use of official duty time.--A U.S.
Border Patrol agent shall be credited with work
time for any EMT or paramedic training provided
to such agent under clause (i) in order to
achieve or maintain an EMT or paramedic
certification.
``(iii) Obligated overtime.--A U.S. Border
Patrol agent shall not accrue any debt of
obligated overtime hours that the agent may
have incurred, pursuant to section 5550(b) of
title 5, United States Code, in order to
achieve or maintain a paramedic certification.
``(iv) Lodging and per diem.--Lodging and
per diem shall be made available to U.S. Border
Patrol agents attending training described in
clause (i) if such training is not available at
a location within commuting distance of the
agent's residence or worksite.
``(v) Service commitment.--Any U.S. Border
Patrol agent who completes a certification
preparation program pursuant to clause (i)
shall--
``(I) complete 1 year of service as
a U.S. Border Patrol agent following
the completion of EMT training;
``(II) complete 3 years of service
as a U.S. Border Patrol agent following
the completion of paramedic training;
or
``(III) reimburse U.S. Customs and
Border Protection in an amount equal to
the product of--
``(aa) the cost of
providing such training to such
agent; multiplied by
``(bb) the percentage of
the service required under
subclauses (I) and (II) that
the agent failed to complete.
``(B) Increase in rate of pay for border patrol
medical certification.--
``(i) Emt certification.--A U.S. Border
Patrol agent who has completed EMT training
pursuant to subparagraph (A)(i) and has a
current, State-issued or State-recognized
certification as an EMT shall receive, in
addition to the pay to which the agent is
otherwise entitled under this section, an
amount equal to 5 percent of such pay.
``(ii) Paramedic certification.--A U.S.
Border Patrol agent who has completed paramedic
training pursuant to subparagraph (A)(i) and
has a current, State-issued or State-recognized
certification as a paramedic shall receive, in
addition to the pay to which the agent is
otherwise entitled under this section (except
for subparagraph (A)), an amount equal to 10
percent of such pay.
``(iii) Existing certifications.--A U.S.
Border Patrol agent who did not participate in
the training made available pursuant to
subparagraph (A)(i), but, as of the date of the
enactment of the REMOTE Act, has a current
State-issued or State-recognized EMT or
paramedic certification, shall receive, in
addition to the pay to which the agent is
otherwise entitled under this section
(excluding the application of clause (i) and
(ii)), an amount equal to--
``(I) 5 percent of such pay for an
EMT certification; and
``(II) 10 percent of such pay for a
paramedic certification.
``(C) Availability of medically trained border
patrol agents.--Not later than 6 months after the date
of the enactment of the REMOTE Act, the Commissioner of
U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall--
``(i) ensure that--
``(I) U.S. Border Patrol agents
with current EMT or paramedic
certifications are stationed at each
U.S. Border Patrol sector and remote
station along the southern border to
the greatest extent possible;
``(II) not fewer than 10 percent of
all U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned
to each U.S. Border Patrol sector have
EMT certifications; and
``(III) not fewer than 1 percent of
all U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned
to each U.S. Border Patrol sector have
paramedic certifications; and
``(ii) in determining the assigned posts of
U.S. Border Patrol agents who have received
training under subparagraph (A)(i), give
priority to remote stations and forward
operating bases.
``(D) Medical supplies.--
``(i) Minimum list.--The Commissioner of
U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall
provide minimum medical supplies to each U.S.
Border Patrol agent with an EMT or paramedic
certification and to each U.S. Border Patrol
sector, including all remote stations and
forward operating bases, for use while on
patrol, including--
``(I) supplies designed for
children;
``(II) first aid kits; and
``(III) oral hydration, such as
water.
``(ii) Consultation.--In developing the
minimum list of medical supplies required under
clause (i), the Commissioner shall consult
national organizations with expertise in
emergency medical care, including emergency
medical care of children.
``(E) Motor vehicles.--The Commissioner of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection shall make available
appropriate motor vehicles to U.S. Border Patrol agents
with current EMT or paramedic certifications to enable
them to provide necessary emergency medical assistance.
``(F) GAO report.--Not later than 3 years after the
date of the enactment of the REMOTE Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall--
``(i) review the progress of the U.S.
Customs and Border Protection's promotion in
reaching the goal of up to 10 percent of all
U.S. Border Patrol agents having EMT or
paramedic certifications; and
``(ii) provide a recommendation to Congress
as to whether--
``(I) the Commissioner of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection has
effectively and vigorously undertaken
an agency-wide effort to encourage and
promote the mandate for medical
training for U.S. Border Patrol agents
under this paragraph;
``(II) additional incentive
modifications are needed to achieve or
maintain the goal, including pay
differentials; and
``(III) the 10 percent goal is
properly scoped to materially
contribute to the preservation of life
and the effectiveness and efficiency of
U.S. Border Patrol operations,
including whether the number is too
high or too low.''; and
(2) in subsection (r), by striking ``section, the terms''
and inserting the following: ``section--
``(1) the term `child' means any individual who has not
reached 18 years of age; and
``(2) the terms''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out section
411(l)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by subsection
(a).
SEC. 3. IDENTIFYING AND TREATING INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING MEDICAL
DISTRESS.
(a) Online Training.--
(1) In general.--Beginning on the date that is 90 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner
of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall require all U.S.
Border Patrol agents, including agents with EMT or paramedic
certification, to complete an online training program that
meets nationally recognized standards for the medical care of
children to enable U.S. Border Patrol agents--
(A) to identify common signs of medical distress in
children; and
(B) to ensure the timely transport of sick or
injured children to an appropriate medical provider.
(2) Contract.--In developing or selecting an online
training program under paragraph (1), the Commissioner may
enter into a contract with a national professional medical
association of pediatric medical providers.
(b) Voice Access to Medical Professionals.--
(1) In general.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and
Border Protection shall ensure that all remote U.S. Border
Patrol stations, forward operating bases, and remote ports of
entry along the southern border of the United States have 24-
hour voice access to a medical command physician whose board
certification includes the ability to perform this role or a
mid-level health care provider with pediatric training for
consultations regarding the medical needs of individuals,
including children, taken into custody near the United States
border.
(2) Acceptable means of access.--Access under paragraph (1)
may be accomplished through mobile phones, satellite mobile
radios, or other means prescribed by the Commissioner.
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