Michael Burgess

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger), a valuable member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and, in fact, the vice chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, this is a worthwhile bill. I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 880) to amend the Public Health Service Act to facilitate assignment of military trauma care providers to civilian trauma centers in order to maintain military trauma readiness and to support such centers, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on the bill.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, 40 years ago I was an intern and resident at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. Any intern or resident will tell you the month of July is significant in the life of an intern or resident. You were last week's medical student, and you are this week's intern managing the emergency room; or you were last year's intern, and you are this week's house officer managing perhaps a busy practice, perhaps a busy emergency room. As such, every intern and resident remembers the end of that first week of their internship or residency. It is just something that you do. You got through the first week of what was a very trying time. So I remember well July 7 of my internship, July 7 of my residency. Mr. Speaker, in 2016, July 7 also took on additional significance in Dallas, Texas. Five police officers were killed and 9 more were injured during a shooting in downtown Dallas. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, area hospitals sprang into action and activated their disaster plans. I am proud to say that the staff at Parkland Hospital, the staff at Baylor University Hospital, and other medical professionals provided excellent emergency care to the victims of the attack. Mr. Speaker, it is critical that we have people who are able to respond when called. Now, additionally, I have long believed that the American military is the arsenal of democracy and that it is critical for upholding freedom in the world. Each member of the United States Armed Forces has an important role in a collective team effort. This is especially true in a combat zone, where trauma surgeons are some of the most crucial members of the Armed Forces. These medical professionals are trained to save the lives of soldiers who sustain traumatic injuries on the battlefield, and they are some of the best in the business. However, as wars wind down and our soldiers come home, the experience that military trauma surgeons have gained overseas may be diminished or lost unless these surgeons continue to train and to prepare for their next possible deployment. To let this expertise and skill drift away would be a significant loss to trauma patients, both at home and abroad. Trauma, Mr. Speaker, is not limited to the battlefields and active conflicts. Unfortunately, no community is immune from the threat of traumatic injury, and community doctors must be prepared to give lifesaving care to trauma victims. However, there is a way that we can ensure trained combat surgeons' skills are utilized to help American patients here in the homeland who need it. The MISSION ZERO Act seeks to connect American patients with battle-tested trauma care through the craft of military trauma care providers. The bill provides grants to allow military trauma care providers and teams to offer care in our Nation's leading trauma centers and systems. Here is the bottom line: the MISSION ZERO Act is a win for both civilian patients and military trauma doctors. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that this bipartisan legislation has finally come to the floor. Along with my fellow Texan, Mr. Gene Green, I introduced this bill in 2016 following that particularly traumatic incident that struck so close to home. Texas is not unique in its need for this expertise. Over the last few months alone, our Nation has witnessed a need for trauma care hospitals across the country. One such incident was the Amtrak derailment near Dupont, Washington, on December 18, 2017. That incident resulted in 3 passenger fatalities and 70 injuries over a busy freeway. As we have seen, having access to experienced trauma care can become the difference between life and death for a critically injured patient. There is no doubt that integrating military physicians into the trauma and disaster system is beneficial not only for American patients, but also for American soldiers. I am encouraged by the bipartisan effort to support both our servicemen and our Nation's trauma system, and I thank the cosponsors from both sides of the aisle for their support of this important legislation. Quite simply, the MISSION ZERO Act is common sense, and I urge Members to join me in supporting this lifesaving legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1222) to amend the Public Health Service Act to coordinate Federal congenital heart disease research efforts and to improve public education and awareness of congenital heart disease, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, having no further speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1222, the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act, introduced by my Energy and Commerce colleague, Representative Gus Bilirakis from Florida. This important initiative will enhance current Federal efforts addressing congenital heart disease, which is the most common birth defect and leading cause of mortality in infants. This bipartisan legislation enhances research and surveillance at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, awards grants to further study congenital heart disease, and directs the National Institutes of Health to report on their current research efforts in this space. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the principal author of this bill.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2410) to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a sickle cell disease prevention and treatment demonstration program and to provide for sickle cell disease research, surveillance, prevention, and treatment.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on the bill.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2410, the Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act of 2017, introduced by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis). This reauthorizes the sickle cell disease prevention and treatment demonstration program. Sickle cell disease causes blockages of small vessels leading to various health complications. By improving research, surveillance, prevention, and treatment, along with enhancing collaboration with community-based entities focussing on sickle cell disease, this important legislation will help improve outcomes in patients suffering from this inherited blood disorder, which currently affects 1 in 500 African-American births. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I was surprised to learn at the legislative hearing that we had on this bill--and it has been now several months ago--that there had not been a new FDA-approved treatment for sickle cell in 40 year's time. Now, my understanding is that may have changed recently, but that is way too long. We do need to improve research, surveillance, prevention, and treatment, and really take care of those patients who are suffering with this disease. Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill, and I thank Mr. Davis for bringing it to our attention. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2422) to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve essential oral health care for low-income and other underserved individuals by breaking down barriers to care, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on the bill.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 2422, the Action for Dental Health Act of 2017, introduced by Representative Robin Kelly. The bill reauthorizes the oral health promotion and disease prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and permits the CDC to award grants or enter into contracts with stakeholders to develop projects to improve oral health education and dental disease prevention. This bill also reauthorizes HRSA's Grants to States to Support Oral Health Workforce Activities and permits States to establish dental homes, mobile or portable dental clinics, initiatives to reduce the use of emergency departments by patients seeking dental services, and initiatives to provide dental care to nursing home residents. Good oral health is an important component of good overall health, and this bill takes important steps to help improve the dental care in underserved communities. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill, and I urge passage. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on the resolution.