Monroe County, Florida ---- Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, senior Member of the Florida Congressional Delegation, is proud to have co-sponsored the “Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Act” legislation, H.R. 943.

This legislation will allow state and local governments to have more flexibility when developing incentives for volunteer firefighters and other Emergency Medical Personnel.  Over 70% of our country’s brave firefighters are volunteers, but unfortunately the numbers are dropping fast nation wide.

The purpose of this legislation is to decrease government interference in the form of federal taxation on the volunteers. Since 2002 the IRS has taxed as income many of the volunteers’ incentives such as property tax abatements and vehicle gas allowances. Correcting this situation should help prop up overall recruitment in this vital field.

Said Ros-Lehtinen: “It makes no sense whatsoever to tax the incentives given to recruit our nation’s volunteer firefighters and first responders. In my Congressional District, there is an entire community in the Florida Keys dependent on their volunteer first responders to help them with local emergencies. If we do not approve this legislation and make it law, they and others across the country, will suffer needlessly. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting our country’s volunteer first responders.”

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