Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - March 15, 2005)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

By Mr. SCHUMER:

S. 625. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a $1,000 refundable credit for individuals who are bona fide volunteer members of volunteer firefighting and emergency medical service organizations; to the Committee on Finance.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I am pleased to come to the floor today and introduce legislation that would allow a $1,000 refundable tax credit for the true heroes in our society: those brave and dedicated Americans who serve as volunteer firefighters and volunteer emergency medical service personnel.

I am introducing today a companion bill to H.R. 934, a bill introduced in the House of Representatives by a fellow New Yorker, Congressman MAURICE HINCHEY. His bill is cosponsored by six other New York Members of Congress: TIM BISHOP, STEVE ISRAEL, NITA LOWEY, MIKE MCNULTY, JERROLD NADLER, and MAJOR OWENS.

Many communities around New York State rely on volunteer firefighters and EMTs for much-needed public services, but it is getting harder and harder to find people to fill the slots because middle-class families have increasing demands on their time, or financial concerns that preclude their participation. This bill is designed to offer an additional incentive for people to get involved in their communities in this vitally important way.

In 1736, Benjamin Franklin organized the Union Fire Brigade in Philadelphia, PA, and ever since, thousands of American municipalities have depended on civilians to protect lives and property from the ravages of fire. The ``volunteer firefighter'' is a true American invention, and its tremendous success for over 200 years has been rooted in the spirit of volunteerism that Alexis de Tocqueville was so taken with when he visited this country in the 1800s.

That spirit is still alive today, yet it is becoming increasingly hard for municipalities to recruit and retain enough volunteer firefighters. Many people simply have less time to devote to community service. Families in which both parents work have become commonplace, and what little free time is left is often spent on organized activities such as youth sports and school functions. At the same time, the science of firefighting has evolved, and the mission of fire departments has diversified. This has caused the amount of required training to increase exponentially. While this is good for safety, it greatly increases the overall time commitment that volunteer firefighters must make. Twenty-five years ago, a volunteer could join and respond to a call in the same day. Today, that same volunteer must complete months of training before they can truly participate at an emergency.

The situation has reached a crisis stage in many of our communities. According to the Fireman's Association of the State of New York, fewer young people are joining the ranks. Many departments are having a hard time filling crews, especially during the day when most people are working. All across the country, fire departments are depending on ``mutual aid'' from neighboring departments to supplement their own crews. This leads to increased response time, which in turn, places further risk on life and property.

While many local governments understand the need for a recruitment incentive, most simply do not have the resources to implement one. At the same time, we all understand that our firefighters are often on the front lines of the War on Terror, and essential to our homeland security. Moreover, every single day we rely on volunteer firefighters to save residential and commercial property, and to clean up accidents and reopen our highways, all of which protects the economic prosperity of many of our communities.

Let me offer a few examples from my State of how difficult the problems of recruitment and retention have become.

In Duchess County, former fire chief Harold Ramsey is a current member of the volunteer corps. His company is 100 percent volunteer, with about 30 to 35 current members. When Mr. Ramsey joined the department in the mid 1980s, there were 60 to 75 members. They have significant suffered a loss of members in the past five years. He believes that a tax credit would be a major incentive to younger members and would help to recruit new members.

In Orange County, Jeff Hunt is the President of Dikeman Engine and Hose Company in Goshen. His company currently has 55 active members. They are getting a new member next month, which will be their first new member in five years. In an effort to improve their numbers, they have been visiting area schools to recruit, with little success. The company has also looked into working with the Boy Scouts of America to increase enrollment. Membership is a major concern; during the day shift Mr. Hunt says he is lucky to get four or five members to respond to calls. That is not even enough to get all of the trucks and equipment out. He believes that the $1,000 tax credit would be a ``great start in the right direction'' to attract new members.

In Westchester County, in the town of Lewisboro, Joe Posadas is the Chief of the South Salem Fire Department. His department also has severe recruitment and retention issues. In next six months, he expects to lose three of his top responders. Members of the company are moving out of Westchester because they can no longer afford to live there--an ongoing problem.

The company has approximately 35 members on paper, but for daytime calls, only four members are typically able to respond. For night calls, 10 to 15 can respond. The property tax deduction approved by the state is so small that it provides little benefit or incentive for recruitment, so Mr. Posadas believes that the $1,000 federal tax credit would help. ``Anything we get helps attract new members,'' he said.

Steve Mann is a member of my staff and a 17-year veteran of a volunteer firefighter squad. He is Captain of Engine 4 in Rensselaer, NY. His father and uncle are firefighters as well, and I guess you'd say it's ``in his blood.'' He devotes most of his spare time to the fire department--but with a young family and a demanding job, it's not always easy. He tells me that it is becoming harder and harder to find people who are willing to devote the necessary time to the fire department.

These are just a few examples.

Therefore, I believe it is appropriate for the federal government to take an active role in fixing this problem. This tax credit would give municipalities and fire departments an important tool in attracting new volunteers, and just as important, in retaining current members. The volunteer firefighters are just as important to this country today as they were in Benjamin Franklin's day, and we must do all that we can to preserve this legacy of service.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

http://thomas.loc.gov