II 111th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 822 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 2, 2009 Mr. Sanders introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs A BILL To support the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Support Act of 2009.

2.

Findings

Congress makes the following findings: (1)Volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel are a vital component of the first responders across the United States. (2)The 800,000 volunteer firefighters and emergency medical service personnel in the United States save lives and property everyday. (3)The national financial savings resulting from volunteer firefighting and emergency medical services has been calculated at more than $37,000,000,000 each year. (4)Many volunteer fire stations and emergency medical services organizations in the United States face growing challenges as volunteers contend with increased competition for their time from their jobs, families, and other responsibilities. (5)Some State and local governments provide financial incentives to volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, such as retirement benefits and tuition assistance. Unfortunately, many communities that rely on volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, especially rural and low-income communities, do not have the resources to provide such incentives. (6)There is an important role for the Federal Government and the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration in supporting volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, including providing funds to contribute to incentives for the recruitment and retention of volunteers.

3.

Assistance for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel

The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 33 the following new section:

33A.

Assistance for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel

(a)

Establishment

The Secretary shall establish a program to provide funds to a State or local government, non-profit firefighter association, or governmental or nongovernmental emergency medical services organization, that carries out a volunteer firefighter incentive program in accordance with the provisions of this section. (b)

Definitions

In this section: (1)

Approved benefit or incentive

The term approved benefit or incentive means a benefit or incentive that has been approved by the Administrator and is provided to a volunteer firefighter, including— (A)a retirement benefit; (B)reimbursement for travel and training; (C)health insurance or other health benefits; (D)life insurance; (E)tuition or school loan forgiveness; (F)a tax reduction; and (G)any other benefit or incentive approved by the Administrator. (2)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Homeland Security. (3)

Volunteer firefighter

The term volunteer firefighter means an individual who provides firefighting service or emergency medical service to a State or local government or a governmental or nongovernmental organization without pay. A volunteer firefighter may receive benefits or incentives for firefighting service or emergency medical service, including benefits and incentives described in subparagraphs (A) through (G) of paragraph (1). (4)

Volunteer firefighter incentive program

The term volunteer firefighter incentive program means a program carried out by a State or local government, a non-profit firefighter association, or a governmental or nongovernmental emergency medical services organization to provide approved benefits or incentives. (c)

Matching payments to States

(1)

Requirement

For each fiscal year in which a State or local government, non-profit firefighter association, or governmental or nongovernmental emergency medical services organization carries out a volunteer firefighter incentive program, the Secretary shall pay such government, association, or organization, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated for such fiscal year, an amount equal to the total amount of expenditures of funds not received from the Federal Government made by such government, association, or organization for such fiscal year to carry out the volunteer firefighter incentive program. (2)

Entitlement

Paragraph (1) constitutes budget authority in advance of appropriations Acts and represents the obligation of the Federal Government to provide payment to a State or local government, non-profit firefighter association, or governmental or nongovernmental emergency medical services organization of any amount provided for under such paragraph. (d)

Regulations

The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section. (e)

Reports

(1)

Reports from recipients

A State or local government, non-profit firefighter association, or governmental or nongovernmental emergency medical service organization that receives funds under this section to carry out a volunteer firefighter incentive program for a fiscal year shall submit to the Secretary a report on— (A)the use of such funds; and (B)the programs to recruit or retain volunteer firefighters carried out by the government, association, or organization during that fiscal year. (2)

Reports from the Secretary

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Support Act of 2009, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on— (A)the activities carried out under this section during the previous year; and (B)the status of programs to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters in the United States.

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