Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act of 2016

Floor Speech

I rise today in support of H.R. 921, the Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act of 2015. The bill's sponsors, Congressman Richmond and Congressman Guthrie, were able to fix a particular problem with a targeted solution in this legislation.

As amended, this bill will ensure that sports medicine professionals who contract with a team are covered by their medical professional liability insurance while they are traveling with their teams. Medical licensure is State specific, so when a provider travels with a team, they are often technically practicing without a license and without their medical liability insurance. Obviously this is a problem.

This bill solves that problem unique to sports medicine professionals since they travel around the country with their teams. The legislation provides that any medical malpractice incident occurring under the care of a traveling team sports medicine professional would be treated as if it occurred in the professional's primary State of practice rather than the State in which the game is being played. This bill does not allow these providers to practice beyond the scope of their licenses or to treat athletes anywhere other than the field or the court.

This legislation will also provide certainty to players that malpractice insurance will apply if they need to file a lawsuit after receiving improper care. I am pleased that the sponsors were able to work with the Energy and Commerce Committee and stakeholders to ensure that this bill achieves the right balance.

I want to thank Congressman Guthrie and Congressman Richmond from Louisiana for working on this bill. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' I just, again, want to thank the sponsors for fixing a problem that clearly needed fixing. I support this legislation.

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