Dewine Increases Funding For Firefighter Grant Programs In Homeland Security Bill

[DellroyVFD08]

The press release is on his website. I'm thinking this was an expected increase, but I haven't heard much about it. What has everyone else heard?

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

The House and Senate both passed funding increases in their respective bills prior to breaking for August. After a meeting at some point they joint committee decided to use the Senate numbers because they were higher than the House's. About $140 mil total increase across AFG & SAFER. I forget the exact votes on the individual bills but they passed something like 100-0 in the Senate and 391-3 in the House. We have the support of Congress in this program, make sure the candidates that are up for re-election in November are also supporters. Incumbents and challengers that is.

[onebugle]

Just recieved this IAFC Memeber Alert.

Congress Passes FY 2007 DHS Appropriations Bill Includes Increased Funding for USFA, FIRE and SAFER Grant and FEMA Reform Legislation

Fairfax, VA, October 1, 2006... On September 29, 2006, both the U.S. House and Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2007 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. This bill funds the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2007. The president is expected to sign the bill into law.

The legislation includes a number of successes for America's fire service, including an increase of more than $2 million for the U.S. Fire Administration, an increase of $5 million for the SAFER grant program, an increase of $2 million for the FIRE grants and a $30 million increase for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grants. The bill also includes legislations to reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency and grant it greater autonomy within the Department of Homeland Security.

This comprehensive legislation will play a major part in fixing many of the problems identified in the after-action reports from Hurricane Katrina and funding America's national emergency preparedness system, said IAFC President Chief Jim Harmes. It demonstrates the effectiveness of Americas major fire service organizations when they work together in a coordinated effort on Capitol Hill.

Here are some of the highlights of the legislation.

Funding – The bill includes the following funding levels:

$46.8 million for the U.S. Fire Administration
$547 million for the FIRE grant program
$115 million for the SAFER grant program
$30.6 million for the Under Secretary of Preparedness
$770 million for the UASI grants
$900 million for state and local assistance grants and law enforcement terrorism prevention grants
$200 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants
$2.51 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
$25 million for Urban Search and Rescue teams

[Diane E]

We have the support of Congress in this program, make sure the candidates that are up for re-election in November are also supporters. Incumbents and challengers that is.

www.firefightersforweldon.com -- show your support for the founder of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus and one of the biggest supporters behind the grant program (which, for some of you who don't know, was started prior to 9/11/2001)! Congressman Curt Weldon is also a former fire chief.