releases: https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=788
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=788 | Frelinghuysen: Protecting our Emergency Responders | 2013-12-20 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Rodney Frelinghuysen | F000372 | frelinghuysen.house.gov | legacy | Frelinghuysen Priority: Protecting our Emergency Responders Washignton, D.C. – With thousands of volunteer fire departments, first aid squads and emergency medical technicians (EMT) across the nation facing one of the unintended effects of the Affordable Care Act, the new healthcare law, U.S. Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) has written to the new head of the Internal Revenue Service on their behalf. Due to the law’s requirements, fire departments and emergency squads must provide health insurance for volunteers working more than 30 hours a week. The current law stipulates that the ‘employer mandate’ must apply to organizations that have at least 50 employees, which can include multiple fire houses within one community. In December, Frelinghuysen wrote to Acting Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Danny Wurfel, “I am deeply concerned that subjecting fire departments and municipalities to this provision will result in services being reduced or eliminated.” He followed up today with a letter to the new Commissioner of the IRS, John Koskinen. “The vast majority of volunteers I speak with do not expect to receive health insurance from their departments. Volunteer firefighters and EMS responders do not see their work as a career or a part-time job – it’s a call to serve the community,” Rodney said. “And I know that volunteer fire and EMS departments operate on a shoe-string budget and they and their municipalities won’t have the resources to pay for health insurance for their personnel. Without this new bureaucratic burden, most groups already have difficulty making ends meet.” Rodney has cosponsored legislation that would exempt volunteer fire departments fire aid squads and emergency medical technicians (EMT) from providing health insurance to volunteers. However, until the bill is passed, fire chiefs and municipal leaders must wait to see how the situation will be resolved. Volunteers are vital in ensuring fire safety in New Jersey and across the nation. The National Volunteer Fire Council reports that there are 783,300 volunteer firefighters in the U.S. comprising 70% of firefighting force, and our nation has 20,050 volunteer departments. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |