[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 175 (Wednesday, December 11, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H7670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     PROTECTING VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS ACT

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support 
volunteer fire and emergency services organizations by cosponsoring a 
bill introduced today by Pennsylvania Congressman Lou Barletta, H.R. 
3685, the Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders 
Act.
  This bill ensures that emergency services volunteers are not counted 
as full-time employees under the employer mandate in the Affordable 
Care Act. Because of the nominal fees that at times are given to 
volunteers and the rate at which the new definition of ``full-time'' is 
calculated, many volunteer companies are concerned about having to 
provide health coverage for firefighters or face a penalty. The IRS has 
been asked to rule on this determination, yet Congress has not received 
a response.
  Having served as a firefighter and EMS volunteer since 1983, I know 
as well as anyone just how crushing this impact would be for these 
volunteer organizations. Fire department and municipality support for 
fire and EMS volunteers is important; however, incentives given to 
these community volunteers do not change the fact that these are 
volunteers serving their neighbors.
  I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join in 
support of the commonsense effort by cosponsoring H.R. 3685.

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