Veterans, emergency-preparedness measures advance out of Pennsylvania House committee; several move to the floor

The House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee on an unspecified date voted unanimously to send two resolutions and four bills to the full House for consideration, moving measures on volunteer firefighters, junior ROTC, workplace veterans benefits information, a veteran-owned business logo, emergency small-business aid and a temporary tax exclusion forward.

The committee advanced several largely noncontroversial items and one amended bill. The measures move to the House floor for further consideration; committee members repeated support for recognizing volunteers, supporting veterans transitioning to business ownership, and delivering targeted aid to small businesses affected by a recent plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia.

House Resolution 14, introduced by Representative Benninghoff and brought up by a motion from Representative Craig Williams and seconded by Representative Brown, designates April 12, 2025, as Volunteer Firefighter Day in Pennsylvania. "We have a great debt of gratitude to our volunteer firefighters," Chairman Gillan said during discussion, and the committee passed the resolution unanimously.

House Resolution 93, sponsored by Representative Webster and brought forward by motion of Representative Stender with a second from Representative Dougherty, asks for analysis of junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs in Pennsylvania high schools and where participation has fallen. Representative Webster said, "this is an effort to make sure we're doing the background, the analysis, and figure out how we…