Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act of 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas and also my friend from Pennsylvania.

As you heard Congressman Barletta talk about, 90 percent of the 1,800 fire departments in Pennsylvania are all volunteer. These are men and women from the community that just come forward to serve.

When you look at what is going on right now, what we have tried to do is close a gap. This is Treasury guidance, so by no means has it been codified. I think what we are doing with this piece of legislation, with H.R. 3979, we make certain--in a time where there is so much uncertainty--that these folks will be protected, will not be looked at in a way that does not make sense to them.

Now, I have got to tell you that I was at an installation of officers back in my hometown of Butler. Ed Kirkwood, the manager of Butler Township, when asked about what could possibly happen, said:

The township has over 130 volunteer firefighters serving the community. By my calculation, if this is not fixed, the township could go bankrupt. It would require a tax increase of 13.56 mills, or an increase of over two-and-a-half times the current rate to comply.

Basically, if this is not fixed, Butler Township either doubles its taxes or loses their volunteer fire department.

Chief Mike Cadman of Jamestown, when asked about this, said: that would be political suicide.

I would venture that it is worse than political suicide. It is putting our citizens at risk when we don't have to.

Now, at a time when it is so hard and the public looks and says you guys don't get along on anything, this is something, I think, where we have come together and say let's just do something that makes sense. Let's just do something that puts into effect now--it eliminates all the guesswork that these folks are not going to be looked at in a different way under the Affordable Care Act.

And a piece of legislation, the Affordable Care Act, which is so hard to understand and so many are wondering what exactly is covered and what is not covered and how would I comply and how would I not comply, this is just commonsense legislation out of this body that makes sense for all of those volunteers that spend countless hours and time serving the needs of our communities all over our country.

But in Pennsylvania, as I said, 90 percent of our 1,800 fire departments are all volunteer--all volunteer. These folks give up their time and their hours to train, so that they can serve others.

I thank the gentleman for his legislation.

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