PARA–EMT Act of 2025

This bill aims to keep ambulance and emergency care available by tackling the shortage of EMTs and paramedics, a problem made worse by the pandemic and high turnover. It would set up a pilot grant program to help EMS agencies hire and train staff. Money could be used to recruit and keep workers (including volunteers), pay for training and licenses, run courses and apprenticeships, use new tech for learning, support wellness and mental health, and train crews to handle mental health and substance use crises. The program would favor agencies that focus on youth (especially high school students, rural youth, and youth from low‑income backgrounds), support veterans entering civilian EMS, and serve rural areas; at least 20% of grants must go to rural EMS. Each grant could be up to $1,000,000, and the program is authorized at $50 million per year for 2026–2030.

The bill would also fund state programs that help veterans with military EMT or paramedic training move into civilian EMS jobs by covering training, testing, and licensing costs, with $20 million per year authorized for 2026–2030 and an annual report to Congress. Finally, the Labor Department, with Health and Human Services, would study EMS job needs from 2025 to 2034 and report back within one year with recommendations to address shortages.

• Who is affected: EMTs, paramedics, EMS agencies, veterans, rural communities, and youth (including high school students and those from low‑income backgrounds).
• What changes: New grants to hire/train EMS staff; state grants to help veterans transition to civilian EMS; a federal study on workforce needs.
• When: Grant funding is authorized for fiscal years 2026–2030; the workforce report is due within one year of enactment.