Political Quotes

“The Internal Revenue Service on Monday issued final regulations regarding the treatment of volunteer firefighters and emergency personnel under the employer mandate provision of the President's health care law, the Affordable Care Act. The agency determined that volunteer firefighters and emergency personnel will not be treated as full-time employees under the law, which I was pleased to hear. Over 97 percent of Pennsylvania's fire departments and 90 percent nationwide are served by community volunteers. Today, by protecting these organizations from being defined as employers, they will no longer be forced to provide health insurance to their volunteers or face the threat of penalty, which would be devastating. As a firefighter and EMS volunteer since 1983, I joined friend and colleague from Pennsylvania, Congressman Lou Barletta, along with numerous colleagues in the House, to force action from the IRS on this matter. While this decision is long overdue, it is the right one. Our local emergency volunteer organizations now have the certainty knowing they will have the money to keep our communities safe. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, this is just a small fix to a massive law that is imposing economic harm on millions of businesses and families. Our work remains. ____________________”