It is a true pleasure to announce that President Trump has signed into law H.R. 304 – the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017! H.R. 304 will ensure access to vital emergency medications for patients when they need it most and ensure that our care is not compromised.
 
We are very grateful for the commitment, leadership, and perseverance of House and Senate sponsors, Congressmen Richard Hudson (R-NC) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) and Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), for shepherding this bill through the legislative process and ultimately into law.

We commend the American College of Emergency Physicians and the National Association of EMS Physicians for their leadership in bringing this issue to the attention of Congress. We appreciate the support of other national EMS organizations, including the American Ambulance Association, International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Fire Fighters, and the Emergency Nurses Association for their support of H.R. 304.

Please join me in expressing a big THANK YOU to our NAEMT Advocacy Coordinators and all members who actively supported passage of this bill through emails, letters, phone calls and personal meetings with their congressional leaders and staff. Their efforts contributed greatly to this victory.

Passage of this key legislation demonstrates the value of collaboration. The EMS profession came together to work with our Congressional leaders to protect emergency patients and our ability to appropriately care for them. We should all take pride in this significant accomplishment.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Sincerely,

Dennis Rowe, EMT-P
President, NAEMT