As the Congressional election season heats up, candidates will use all media outlets from television, radio, newspapers and all forms of digital media to get their message out to prospective voters. While you might hear a lot about what your elected officials do or do not support, will you learn what their positions are on emergency medical services?
As an EMS practitioner, you provide an essential public function. Your communities and patients rely on you to be fully trained, equipped and available to respond to medical emergencies. Which congressional candidates support legislation that will help fund your agency’s ability to serve your patients and community?
Find out if your current House Representative and Senators, and the candidates running against them support emergency medical services. Here’s how:
- Visit the EMS Legislation page on ENGAGE! Click on the legislation marked ‘support’. View the original sponsor and co-sponsors list and see if your Member of Congress is listed.
- Visit the web site of your Member of Congress and their opponent. Each Member of Congress and their opponent have web sites identifying the areas in which they focus their attention and support.
- Call your Member of Congress at his/her D.C. or district office and their opponent’s election headquarters to inquire about their support of emergency medical services. You can find their contact information on their web sites. You can also use the elected official search function on the ENGAGE! homepage to find your Member of Congress’ contact information.
During the month of August, Congress is on recess from their legislative work in D.C. and back in their home states to engage their constituents. This is another great opportunity to learn more about your current Members of Congress and their opponents. Many congressional leaders will conduct town meetings and debate their opponents during this time. Contact their district office to obtain a schedule of these events.
