REMOTE Act

II 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 412 To provide a pay incentive for border patrol agents to complete emergency medical technician and paramedic training, to ensure that language inter- pretation services are available at all U.S. Border Patrol stations, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 7, 2019 Mr. HEINRICH (for himself, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. UDALL, and Ms. HARRIS) 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 com- plete emergency medical technician and paramedic train- ing, to ensure that language interpretation services are available at all U.S. Border Patrol stations, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLES. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Remote, Emergency, 4 Medical, Online Training, Telehealth, and EMT Act’’ or 5 the ‘‘REMOTE Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Feb 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S412.IS S412 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •S 412 IS SEC. 2. MEDICAL TRAINING FOR BORDER PATROL AGENTS. 1 (a) DEFINED TERM.—In this section, the term ‘‘chil- 2 dren’’ means individuals who have not attained 18 years 3 of age. 4 (b) MEDICAL TRAINING.— 5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 411 of the Home- 6 land Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211) is amend- 7 ed— 8 (A) in subsection (c)(17), by striking ‘‘sub- 9 section (l)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsections (l) and 10 (m)’’; 11 (B) by redesignating subsections (m), (n), 12 (o), (p), (q), and (r) as subsections (n), (o), (p), 13 (q), (r), and (s), respectively; and 14 (C) by inserting after subsection (l) the 15 following: 16 ‘‘(m) MEDICAL TRAINING FOR BORDER PATROL 17 AGENTS.— 18 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 19 ‘‘(A) AVAILABILITY.—Beginning not later 20 than 6 months after the date of the enactment 21 of this subsection, the Commissioner of U.S. 22 Customs and Border Protection shall make 23 available, at no cost to U.S. Border Patrol 24 agents selected for such training, emergency 25 medical technician (referred to in this sub- 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Feb 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S412.IS S412 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •S 412 IS section as ‘EMT’) and paramedic training in 1 each U.S. Border Patrol sector along the south- 2 ern land border of the United States. Such 3 training shall include pediatric medical training, 4 which shall utilize nationally recognized pedi- 5 atric training curricula that includes emergency 6 pediatric care. 7 ‘‘(B) USE OF OFFICIAL DUTY TIME.—A 8 U.S. Border Patrol agent shall be credited with 9 work time for any EMT or paramedic training 10 provided to such agent pursuant to subpara- 11 graph (A) in order to achieve or maintain an 12 EMT or paramedic certification. 13 ‘‘(C) LODGING AND PER DIEM.—Lodging 14 and per diem shall be made available to border 15 patrol agents attending training described in 16 subparagraph (B) if such training is not avail- 17 able at a location within commuting distance of 18 the agent’s residence or worksite. 19 ‘‘(D) SERVICE COMMITMENT.—Any U.S. 20 Border Patrol agent who completes a paramedic 21 certification preparation program pursuant to 22 subparagraph (A) shall— 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Feb 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S412.IS S412 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •S 412 IS ‘‘(i) complete 3 years of service as a 1 U.S. Border Patrol agent following the 2 completion of such training; or 3 ‘‘(ii) reimburse U.S. Customs and 4 Border Protection in an amount equal to 5 the product of— 6 ‘‘(I) the cost of providing such 7 training to such agent; multiplied by 8 ‘‘(II) the percentage of the serv- 9 ice required under clause (i) that the 10 agent failed to complete. 11 ‘‘(2) INCREASE IN RATE OF PAY FOR BORDER 12 PATROL MEDICAL CERTIFICATION.— 13 ‘‘(A) EMT CERTIFICATION.—A U.S. Bor- 14 der Patrol agent who has completed EMT 15 training pursuant to paragraph (1)(A) and has 16 a current, State-issued or State-recognized cer- 17 tification as an EMT shall receive, in addition 18 to the pay to which the agent is otherwise enti- 19 tled under this section, an amount equal to 5 20 percent of such pay. 21 ‘‘(B) PARAMEDIC CERTIFICATION.—A U.S. 22 Border Patrol agent who has completed para- 23 medic training pursuant to paragraph (1)(A) 24 and has a current, State-issued or State-recog- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Feb 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S412.IS S412 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 5 •S 412 IS nized certification as a paramedic shall receive, 1 in addition to the pay to which the agent is oth- 2 erwise entitled under this section (except for 3 subparagraph (A)), an amount equal to 10 per- 4 cent of such pay. 5 ‘‘(C) EXISTING CERTIFICATIONS.—A U.S. 6 Border Patrol agent who did not participate in 7 the training made available pursuant to para- 8 graph (1)(A), but, as of the date of the enact- 9 ment of the REMOTE Act, has a current 10 State-issued or State-recognized EMT or para- 11 medic certification, shall receive, in addition to 12 the pay to which the agent is otherwise entitled 13 under this section (except for subparagraph (A) 14 or (B)), an amount equal to— 15 ‘‘(i) 5 percent of such pay for an 16 EMT certification; and 17 ‘‘(ii) 10 percent of such pay for a 18 paramedic certification. 19 ‘‘(3) AVAILABILITY OF MEDICALLY TRAINED 20 BORDER PATROL AGENTS.—Not later than 3 years 21 after the date of the enactment of the REMOTE 22 Act, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 23 Protection shall— 24 ‘‘(A) ensure that— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Feb 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S412.IS S412 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 6 •S 412 IS ‘‘(i) U.S. Border Patrol agents with 1 current EMT or paramedic certifications 2 are stationed at each U.S. Border Patrol 3 sector and remote station along the south- 4 ern border to the greatest extent possible; 5 ‘‘(ii) 10 percent of all U.S. Border 6 Patrol agents have EMT certifications and 7 comprise not fewer than 10 percent of all 8 border patrol agents assigned to each U.S. 9 Border Patrol sector; and 10 ‘‘(iii) 1 percent of all U.S. Border Pa- 11 trol agents have paramedic certifications 12 and comprise not fewer than 1 percent of 13 all U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to 14 each U.S. Border Patrol sector; and 15 ‘‘(B) in determining the assigned posts of 16 U.S. Border Patrol agents who have received 17 training under paragraph (1)(A), give priority 18 to remote stations and forward operating bases. 19 ‘‘(4) MEDICAL SUPPLIES.— 20 ‘‘(A) MINIMUM LIST.—The Commissioner 21 of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall 22 provide minimum medical supplies to each U.S. 23 Border Patrol agent with an EMT or para- 24 medic certification and to each U.S. Border Pa- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Feb 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S412.IS S412 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 7 •S 412 IS trol sector, including all remote stations and 1 forward operating bases and for use while on 2 patrol. Such supplies shall include— 3 ‘‘(i) supplies designed for children; 4 ‘‘(ii) first aid kits; and 5 ‘‘(iii) oral hydration, such as water. 6 ‘‘(B) CONSULTATION.—In developing the 7 minimum list of medical supplies required 8 under subparagraph (A), the Commissioner 9 shall consult national organizations with exper- 10 tise in emergency medical care, including emer- 11 gency medical care of children. 12 ‘‘(5) MOTOR VEHICLES.—The Commissioner of 13 U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall make 14 available appropriate motor vehicles to U.S. Border 15 Patrol agents with current EMT or paramedic cer- 16 tifications to enable them to provide necessary emer- 17 gency medical assistance.’’. 18 (2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 19 There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as 20 may be necessary to carry out section 5550(g) of 21 title 5, United States Code, as added by paragraph 22 (1). 23 (c) IDENTIFYING AND TREATING INDIVIDUALS EX- 24 PERIENCING MEDICAL DISTRESS.— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Feb 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S412.IS S412 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 8 •S 412 IS (1) ONLINE TRAINING.— 1 (A) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on the date 2 that is 90 days after the date of the enactment 3 of this Act, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs 4 and Border Protection shall require all border 5 patrol agents and officers, including agents and 6 officers with EMT or paramedic certification, to 7 complete an online training program that meets 8 nationally recognized standards for the medical 9 care of children that will enable U.S. Border 10 Patrol agents and officers— 11 (i) to identify common signs of med- 12 ical distress in children; and 13 (ii) to ensure the timely transport of 14 sick or injured children to an appropriate 15 medical provider. 16 (B) CONTRACT.—In developing or selecting 17 an online training program under subparagraph 18 (A), the Commissioner may enter into a con- 19 tract with a national professional medical asso- 20 ciation of pediatric medical providers. 21 (2) VOICE ACCESS TO MEDICAL PROFES- 22 SIONALS.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 23 Border Protection shall ensure that all remote U.S. 24 Border Patrol stations, forward operating bases, and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Feb 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S412.IS S412 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 9 •S 412 IS remote ports of entry on the southern border have 1 24-hour voice access to a medical command physi- 2 cian whose board certification includes the ability to 3 perform this role or a mid-level health care provider 4 with pediatric training for consultations regarding 5 the medical needs of individuals, including children, 6 taken into custody near the United States border. 7 Access under this paragraph may be accomplished 8 through mobile phones, satellite mobile radios, or 9 other means prescribed by the Commissioner. 10 SEC. 3. LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION SERVICES. 11 The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Pro- 12 tection shall ensure that language interpretation services, 13 either in person or remotely through electronic technology, 14 are continuously available at all remote U.S. Border Pa- 15 trol stations, forward operating bases, and remote ports 16 of entry on the southern border for any language that is 17 commonly spoken by migrants seeking to enter the United 18 States through the southern border. 19 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Feb 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S412.IS S412 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS