The Improving Police Critical Aid for Responding to Emergencies Act (S. 1595 RS)

Introduced on May 5, 2025, this bill aims to establish standards for trauma kits purchased using funds provided under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.

Section 1: Short Title

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving Police Critical Aid for Responding to Emergencies Act’’ or the ‘‘Improving Police CARE Act’’.

The bill was reported by Mr. G Rassley on May 20, 2025, without amendment.

Section 2: Trauma Kit Standards

In this subsection, the term ‘trauma kit’ means a first aid response kit, which includes a bleeding control kit that can be used for controlling a life-threatening hemorrhage.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a grantee may only purchase a trauma kit using funds made available under this part if the trauma kit meets the performance standards established by the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance under paragraph (3)(A).

The Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance is required to develop and publish performance standards for trauma kits that are eligible for purchase using funds made available under this part.

Performance Standards and Optional Best Practices

The Director, in consultation with organizations representing trauma surgeons, emergency medical response professionals, emergency physicians, other medical professionals, relevant law enforcement agencies of States and units of local government, professional law enforcement organizations, local law enforcement labor or representative organizations, and law enforcement trade associations, shall:

Develop and publish performance standards for trauma kits that are eligible for purchase using funds made available under this part that, at a minimum, require the components described in paragraph (4) to be included in a trauma kit;
Develop and publish optional best practices for law enforcement agencies regarding:

Training law enforcement officers in the use of trauma kits;
The deployment and maintenance of trauma kits in law enforcement vehicles;
The deployment, location, and maintenance of trauma kits in law enforcement agency or other government facilities.

Components of a Trauma Kit

The components of a trauma kit described in this paragraph are:

A tourniquet recommended by the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care;
A bleeding control bandage;
A pair of nonlatex protective gloves and a pen-type marker;
A pair of blunt-ended scissors;
Instructional documents developed under the ‘Stop the Bleed’ national awareness campaign of the Department of Homeland Security, or any successor thereto;
By the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma; or by the American Red Cross; or by any partner of the Department of Defense;
A bag or other container adequately designed to hold the contents of the kit;
Any additional trauma kit supplies that are approved by a State, local, or Tribal law enforcement agency or first responders;

The bill was reported on May 20, 2025, with an amendment.

Direct link: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/BILLS-119s1595rs