Washington, D.C. — Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, and Congressman Gene Green (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, released the following statement after the passage of H.R. 880, the MISSION ZERO Act.

The MISSION ZERO Act would establish grant programs for eligible trauma systems and centers to incorporate full military trauma teams or individual military trauma providers into their hospitals. This mutually beneficial partnership would allow civilians the chance to learn more about military best practices and would give military trauma care providers the opportunity to utilize their cutting-edge expertise without leaving the military.

“Unfortunately no community is immune from the threat of traumatic injury. The MISSION ZERO Act will connect American patients with battle-tested trauma care and the expertise of military trauma care providers,” said Rep. Burgess. “These grants will keep our military trauma preparedness high while increasing the capacity and expertise of these domestic trauma centers across the United States. Simply put, the MISSION ZERO Act is a win for both civilian patients and military doctors.”

“As we grapple with how to best support our men and women in uniform and respond to tragedies at home, we must make certain that our trauma systems and centers are best prepared to save lives,” said Rep. Green. “This grant program will support the development of a national trauma care system that allows for the continuous and seamless exchange of knowledge across the military and civilian health care sectors, which would better provide optimal delivery of trauma care to save the lives of Americans injured within the United States or on the battlefield.

You can read the bill here.