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WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Melissa Bean’s Emergency Medic Transition (EMT) Act, which make it easier and faster for veterans who served as medics to earn certification as civilian EMTs, passed the House today with bipartisan support by a vote of 412-5.
“This legislation helps both our veterans and our communities,” Bean said. “It allows our veterans to leverage their medical skills and experience while continuing to serve our communities as emergency responders,” said Congresswoman Melissa Bean.
Bean (IL-08) joined Rep. Jane Harman (CA-36) and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL) in introducing the bill, H.R. 3199, last year. Provisions from the bill have been included in previous legislation that passed the House, though none have become law and the bill has not passed in entirety until today.
Experienced military medics are often required to begin at entry-level curricula to receive certification for civilian jobs. The EMT Act addresses this by:
- Encouraging State Health Departments through federal grants to create a fast-track EMT certification path for honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces with military EMS training, and to provide reimbursement for the cost of a certification fee.
- Giving priority to applicants who will serve in areas with high demand for emergency care.
- Providing required coursework and training to military veterans that take previous coursework and training into account, thus avoiding wasting time and expense.
- Building partnerships between states and universities, colleges, and technical schools to establish a fast-track certification path by developing appropriate curricula to build on military medical training.
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