EMS Counts Act

Bill Number

H.R. 3791

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Labor and Employment

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-05: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Last Updated

2026-03-31T08:05:26Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The "EMS Counts Act" (H.R. 3791) aims to improve the accuracy of how the U.S. government tracks emergency medical services (EMS) workers. It requires the Secretary of Labor to update a federal job classification system to better count EMS practitioners, including those who also work as firefighters, ensuring reliable data for emergency planning and policy decisions.

Key Provisions

• Short Title: The bill is named the "EMS Counts Act."
• Findings Section: Outlines the critical role of EMS personnel (such as paramedics, emergency medical technicians or EMTs, and dual-role firefighter/EMTs) in responding to over 22 million emergency calls annually, including disasters like hurricanes, shootings, and disease outbreaks. It notes that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) uses the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system—a tool to categorize jobs for data collection—but currently undercounts EMS workers by excluding dual-role firefighters. Accurate counts are essential for government planning on disasters, public health, and terrorism.
• Revision of SOC System (Section 3): Within 120 days of enactment, the Secretary of Labor must update the SOC description for the "Firefighters" category (code 33-2011) to explicitly include:
• Firefighters.
• Firefighter/EMTs.
• Firefighter/Paramedics.
• All other firefighters.

This change recognizes dual-role workers as EMS practitioners.

• Report to Congress (Section 4): Within 270 days of enactment, the Secretary must submit a report detailing:
• Actions taken in 2015 to separate EMTs and paramedics in the SOC (code 29-2040).
• How the new revisions under Section 3 were implemented.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

The bill introduces targeted updates to the 2018 SOC system maintained by the BLS, a Department of Labor agency. Currently, dual-role firefighter/EMTs and firefighter/paramedics are not fully counted as EMS workers, leading to incomplete workforce data. This legislation mandates their inclusion in the firefighters' category description, building on a prior 2015 adjustment that distinguished EMTs from paramedics. No broader overhaul of labor laws is proposed; the focus is on refining occupational data collection for better accuracy.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Provides more precise workforce data to agencies like the Department of Labor, health departments, and emergency management bodies (e.g., FEMA), aiding in resource allocation for disaster response, public health crises, and terrorism preparedness. This could lead to better-funded EMS programs and policy decisions.
• On Citizens: Enhances national emergency response capabilities by ensuring policymakers have reliable information on EMS staffing needs, potentially improving response times and services in communities affected by emergencies like heart attacks, accidents, or natural disasters.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill is focused on domestic workforce data and U.S. emergency systems.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• EMS Practitioners: Paramedics, EMTs, firefighters with dual EMS roles, and volunteers, who will benefit from more accurate representation in national statistics, potentially leading to improved support and recognition.
• Government Entities: The Department of Labor and BLS (responsible for implementation); federal agencies involved in emergency preparedness (e.g., HHS, DHS); and Congress (receiving the required report).
• EMS Agencies and Local Governments: Fire departments, ambulance services, and state/local responders, who rely on federal data for funding and planning.
• Policymakers and Researchers: Those using BLS data for studies on workforce trends, disaster readiness, and public health.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal Implications: This is an administrative mandate with clear deadlines (120 and 270 days), enforceable through congressional oversight. It does not create new rights or penalties but ensures compliance with existing data collection laws under the Paperwork Reduction Act and BLS statutes. Failure to implement could prompt congressional hearings.
• Constitutional Implications: None significant; the bill falls under Congress's authority to regulate commerce and labor (Article I, Section 8), with no challenges to free speech, privacy, or federalism apparent.
• Political Implications: Highlights bipartisan interest in EMS workforce issues (introduced by Reps. Thompson and Mannion), potentially influencing future funding bills for first responders. It underscores the need for data-driven policy in an era of increasing natural disasters and public health threats, without favoring any political ideology.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]

Cosponsors (8)

Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22], Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1], Rep. Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5], Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4], Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6], Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-05: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
• 2025-06-05: Introduced in House
• 2025-06-05: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• EMS Counts Act — issued 2025-06-05 — PDF (4 pages)