Dear Chairman Shelby, Vice Chairman Leahy, Chairman Blunt, and Ranking Member
Murray,
As you prepare the Fiscal Year 2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and
Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we respectfully request the inclusion of $11.5 million
for the Military and Civilian Partnership for the Trauma Readiness Grant Program
authorized in the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act
[Public Law No. 116-22]. Fully funding this critical grant program will allow us to enhance
trauma training for our military health care personnel while simultaneously bolstering
civilian trauma care and saving lives.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, trauma is the leading cause of
death for children and adults under age 44. Additionally, fatal traumatic injuries result in
$130 billion in total lifetime medical and work loss costs each year. A June 2016 report
from National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) entitled “A
National Trauma Care System: Integrating Military and Civilian Trauma Systems to Achieve Zero
Preventable Deaths After Injury” outlines a number of recommendations necessary to secure a
national trauma system and sets the goal of achieving zero preventable deaths. The Military
and Civilian Partnership for the Trauma Readiness Grant Program was borne out of one
recommendation calling for the establishment of military-civilian trauma partnerships to
help further reduce the number of preventable traumatic deaths.
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