{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.schmitt.senate.gov/media/press-releases/senator-schmitts-bipartisan-bill-to-construct-memorial-honoring-ems-professionals-passes-u-s-senate-heads-to-presidents-desk/", "Senator Schmitt\u2019s Bipartisan Bill to Construct Memorial Honoring EMS Professionals Passes U.S. Senate, Heads to President\u2019s Desk", "2026-08-13", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "MO", "Eric Schmitt", "S001227", "www.schmitt.senate.gov", "schmitt", "https://www.schmitt.senate.gov/media/press-releases/", "scraper", "U.S. SENATE \u2014 Today, U.S Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) celebrated the passage of his bipartisan bill to extend the National Emergency Services Memorial Foundation\u2019s authority to construct a national memorial in Washington, D.C. paying tribute to the heroism, courage, and enduring sacrifice of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals who have fallen in the line of duty and honoring those who continue to serve. This extension gives the Foundation additional time to complete the memorial, ensuring that EMS professionals are permanently recognized in our nation\u2019s capital with the respect they deserve.\n\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t about politics\u2014it\u2019s about honor. EMS professionals in Missouri, and across the United States work tirelessly, often putting themselves in harm\u2019s way for the communities they serve. Thanks to this bipartisan legislation, the United States is keeping our promise that their fallen brothers and sisters, their courage, and their sacrifices are permanently dignified with a monument deserving of the heroism they\u2019ve shown,\u201d said Senator Schmitt. \u201cI\u2019m proud to have led this effort to ensure that future generations of Americans will never forget the brave men and women who ran towards danger, not away from it.\u201d\n\nThe original bill, titled the National Emergency Medical Services Commemorative Work Act, was signed into law by President Trump in 2018 and authorized the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work on federal land in D.C. within seven years of enactment. Instead of using taxpayer dollars, the memorial is fully funded by Foundation, with any surplus funds returned to the federal government once the project is complete.\n\nSenator Schmitt led this bipartisan legislation alongside Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) to extend the authorization\u2019s deadline, which expired in 2025, through 2032.\n\nSenators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) co-sponsored this legislation. A companion bill in the House of Representatives was led by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) and Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.).\n\nThe bill was endorsed by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), the American Ambulance Association (AAA), and the International Association of EMS Chiefs (IAEMSC).\n\nRead the full bill HERE.\n\nStatements of Support:\n\n\u201cOur country\u2019s paramedics, EMTs and emergency medical service professionals provide patients with life-saving medical care and deserve to be recognized with a memorial in our Nation\u2019s Capital. We profoundly appreciate the successful efforts of Senators Schmitt and Coons in steering the passage of legislation to reauthorize the National EMS Memorial. With this victory, we now look forward to the next steps in making the memorial a reality,\u201d said Jamie Pafford-Gresham, President of American Ambulance Association.\n\n\u201cThis is great news. We are thankful for Senator Schmitt\u2019s and Senator Coons\u2019 strong leadership and support in our effort to reauthorize the National EMS Memorial Foundation. This reauthorization allows us to continue the important work to establish a permanent memorial in the nation\u2019s capital to honor the commitment, service and sacrifice of all of us in EMS. It is an honor to serve our fellow Americans, and we are proud to have maintained their trust as we work through the next steps in the processes outlined in the Commemorative Works Act,\u201d said Bob Morley, President of the National Emergency Medical Service Memorial Foundation.\n\n\u201cNAEMT applauds Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) for securing passage of a foundational bipartisan bill (S. 2546/H.R. 2196) extending the deadline for the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a national memorial in Washington, D.C. honoring America\u2019s EMS professionals. This critical extension ensures the nation\u2019s EMS workforce \u2014 whose courage, sacrifice, and service have protected communities for generations \u2014 receives the long-overdue recognition it deserves in the nation\u2019s Capital. Every year, more than 850,000 EMS professionals respond to over 30 million emergency calls and care for approximately 22 million patients nationwide, often at the most critical moments in people\u2019s lives. As a cornerstone of the nation\u2019s emergency response system, EMS personnel stand on the front lines of public safety and national preparedness, responding without hesitation to local emergencies, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and other large-scale crises. Serving in both the public and private sectors as career and volunteer providers, these men and women are an indispensable part of America\u2019s healthcare system, homeland security infrastructure, and national security readiness. Their unwavering commitment to saving lives deserves permanent recognition and honor,\u201d said Chief Chris Way, President of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT).\n\n\u201cOur country\u2019s paramedics, EMTs and emergency medical service professionals provide patients with life-saving medical care and deserve to be recognized with a memorial in our Nation\u2019s Capitol. We profoundly appreciate the successful efforts of Senators Schmitt and Coons in steering the passage of legislation to reauthorize the National EMS Memorial. With this victory, we now look forward to the next steps in making the memorial a reality,\u201d said Jamie Pafford-Gresham, President of the American Ambulance Association.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-14T06:13:05Z", "2026-08-14T06:14:08Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.schmitt.senate.gov/media/press-releases/senator-schmitts-bipartisan-bill-to-construct-memorial-honoring-ems-professionals-passes-u-s-senate-heads-to-presidents-desk/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1379490606486797, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}