PRINTER'S NO. 2955
No. 528 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY SOLOBAY, GOODMAN, BELFANTI, BRENNAN, CALTAGIRONE,
CURRY, DALEY, DALLY, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GRUCELA,
HARHAI, HARKINS, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, KING,
LEACH, LONGIETTI, MELIO, MICOZZIE, MURT, MYERS, M. O'BRIEN,
PARKER, PETRARCA, PETRONE, PYLE, READSHAW, ROAE, RUBLEY,
SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SHIMKUS, SIPTROTH, K. SMITH, WANSACZ,
J. WHITE, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD AND KULA, DECEMBER 6, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, DECEMBER 6, 2007
A RESOLUTION
1 Urging the United States Senate to pass H.R. No. 3997, referred
2 to as the HEART Act.
3 WHEREAS, Volunteer fire companies have been an important
4 facet of both the history and infrastructure of the Commonwealth
5 of Pennsylvania, beginning in 1736, when Benjamin Franklin
6 organized the nation's first volunteer fire company in the City
7 of Philadelphia; and
8 WHEREAS, The brave men and women who serve as volunteer
9 firefighters and emergency medical services personnel place
10 their lives on the line each day to protect the citizens of the
11 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
12 WHEREAS, There are more than 431,500 volunteer firefighters
13 in the United States; and
14 WHEREAS, Today there are 2,448 all-volunteer fire companies
15 in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
1 WHEREAS, Volunteer firefighters save United States taxpayers
2 more than $37.2 billion every year; and
3 WHEREAS, The number of volunteer firefighters in the United
4 States has decreased over the past 20 years, as the average age
5 of volunteer firefighters has increased; and
6 WHEREAS, H.R. No. 3997, also known as the Heroes Earnings
7 Assistance and Relief Tax (HEART) Act, was introduced to the
8 United States House of Representatives on October 30, 2007; and
9 WHEREAS, The HEART Act seeks to amend the Internal Revenue
10 Code to exclude property tax benefits and up to $360 per year,
11 paid to volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services
12 personnel, from taxable income; and
13 WHEREAS, The United States House of Representatives passed
14 the HEART Act on November 6, 2007; and
15 WHEREAS, The HEART Act is currently being considered by the
16 United States Senate Committee on Finance; and
17 WHEREAS, Volunteer firefighters and emergency medical
18 personnel provide the only line of defense from fire and other
19 emergency situations in many communities across the Commonwealth
20 of Pennsylvania; therefore be it
21 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
22 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the United States Senate to
23 agree to H.R. No. 3997, referred to as the HEART Act; and be it
24 further
25 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
26 the members of the Senate Committee on Finance, to each Senator
27 from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to the National
28 Volunteer Fire Council.
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