An act to extend for three fiscal years the authorizations of appropriations under section 789 and title XII of the Public Health Service Act relating to emergency medical services, to revise and improve the authorities for assistance under such title XII, to increase the authorizations of appropriations and revise and improve the authorities for assistance under part B of title XI of such Act for sudden infant death syndrome counseling and information projects, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-142 · S. 497 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 12, 1979 · Health
Sponsor: Sen. Alan Cranston (D-CA)
Cosponsors (5): Sen. Ted Kennedy, Sen. Harrison Williams,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment)
=Title I: Emergency Medical Services Systems Amendments= - Emergency Medical Services Systems Amendments of 1979 - Amends title VII (Health Research and Teaching Facilities and Training of Professional Health Personnel) and title XII (Emergency Medical Services Systems) of the Public Health Service Act to extend the authorization of appropriations for assistance for: (1) emergency medical services (EMS) systems (including grants for planning, initial operation, and expansion and improvement) for fiscal years 1980, 1981, and 1982 in the amount of $40,000,000 in each such year; (2) research in emergency medical services in the amount of $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1980, $3,500,000 for fiscal year 1981, and $3,500,000 for fiscal year 1982; (3) programs relating to burn, trauma, or poison injuries in the amount of $6,000,000 for fiscal year 1980, $12,000,000 for fiscal year 1981, and $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1982; and (4) training in emergency medical services in the amount of $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1980, $7,000,000 for fiscal year 1981, and $8,000,000 for fiscal year 1982.
Retains, with respect to grants and contracts for feasibility studies and planning for EMS systems, the current ceiling of five percent of total EMS appropriations, but sets new minimum levels for fiscal years 1980 through 1982.
Authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to award a third grant or contract for expansion and improvement of an EMS system (currently limited to two) under specified circumstances, but disallows such an award for equipment or facilities acquired with previous grants or contracts. Authorizes appropriations in the amount of $6,000,000 for fiscal year 1981 for such grants and contracts.
Adds a representative of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services.
Extends programs relating to burn injuries to the treatment, research, and training with respect to trauma and poison injuries. Allocates funding for such programs. Allows assistance to be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of organization arrangements as well as different methods for the treatment of such injuries.
=Title II: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Amendments= - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Amendments of 1979 - Amends title XI (Genetic Diseases, Hemophilia Programs, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) of the Public Health Service Act to establish an identifiable administrative unit within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to carry out the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) program. Requires that voluntary groups with a demonstrated interest in SIDS be appropriately represented in local SIDS projects. Establishes on an annual basis the report regarding the administration of SIDS counseling and information projects (currently required on a one-time basis). Stipulates that such report, due February 1, 1980, shall include a plan to extend counseling and information services to all States and territories by July 1, 1981.
Requires the Secretary to conduct a study on State laws and practices relating to death investigation systems, their impact on sudden and unexplained infant deaths, and means to improve such examinations, including model State laws. Directs the Secretary to report the results to Congress by December 31, 1980. Renews and revises the requirement for annual report on SIDS research (originally mandated by Public Law 93-270).
Increases the current authorization of appropriations for the SIDS programs to $5,000,000 in fiscal year 1980 and $7,000,000 in fiscal year 1981.
=Title III: Miscellaneous= - Amends title III (General Powers and Duties) of the Public Health Service Act to eliminate the requirement that public and private entities "provide health services" to qualify to receive assistance for providing primary and dental health services and demonstration projects to medically underserved populations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Dec 12, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-142.
- Dec 3, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Nov 29, 1979Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Nov 15, 1979Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment.
- Sep 28, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 3642.
- May 9, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Apr 30, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Feb 26, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.