If you have ever had to drive 30 minutes with your child in respiratory distress in order to reach a hospital equipped for pediatric emergencies, then you may want to keep your eyes and ears open about the Wakefield Act. H.R. 479 was first introduced during the 110th Congress, but the bill has been revived.

H.R. 479 is would amend the Public Health Service Act for the sake of improving emergency medical services for children.

The Wakefield Act authorizes funding for improvements such as increasing the training of medical professionals in dealing with children's physical and psychological needs in emergency situations, research, and for medical technology that is child-centered.

If you would like to support the bill (or not), you may contact legislators at Thomas.loc.gov, which you can navigate to by clicking on the word "contact" at the end of the bill (lower left).

To read a detailed summary of the bill, or to link to the bill and read it yourself, go here:
(After you're finished reading and commenting here, of course!)
http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/111_HR_479.html