Bill would reimburse volunteer fire and EMS services

U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire and U.S. Senator Bob Casey Have introduced similar legislation to their respective legislative bodies. Their bills are know as the SAVES act or The Supporting America's Volunteer Emergency Services Act. The bill would provide volunteer fire and EMS agency's with a reimbursement of %75 of the difference between what they spend on gas as compared to what they would have spent in 2007. 2007 will be the base year price that will determine the amount of reimbursement the volunteer organizations will get. The two bills are identical except for one part. The two politicians could not agree on where the funding should come from. Senator Casey wants the bill to be operated out of Housing and Urban Development or HUD, and Congressman Altmire wants the bill to go to FEMA. Congressman Altmire says he does not see this bill failing to pass because many politicians from across the country have constituents whose only emergency response services are volunteer services.