WASHINGTON D.C. – International Association of Fire Fighters General President Harold Schaitberger issued this statement today on a House subcommittee’s decision to double funding for the SAFER Act:
“The House did the right thing by doubling funding for the SAFER Act. An estimated two-thirds of all jurisdictions currently do not meet safe staffing levels, and this funding will help address that problem,” Schaitberger said.
The bill provides $230 million for the SAFER Act in fiscal 2008, twice the $115 million allocated for fiscal 2007. The bill also boosts FIRE Act grants by $23 million over current funding levels to $570 million for fiscal 2008.
A House Appropriations Subcommittee approved legislation funding the Department of Homeland Security, doubling funding for the SAFER grant program. Subcommittee Chairman David Price (D-NC) sponsored the spending bill.
“I thank and congratulate Chairman Price and the entire subcommittee for their hard work on behalf of our nation’s first responders. This bill is a clear rejection of the president’s budget and I pledge to work with the chairman and our friends in the House to ensure that this bill is passed as soon as possible. I hope the Senate follows Chairman Price’s lead,” Schaitberger said.
“Earlier this year, the president proposed slashing funds for first responder grants. His annual budget proposal cut funding for the FIRE Act by 45 percent and eliminated the SAFER program. The president has also threatened to veto any spending bill that exceeds his budgetary proposals,” he said.
The IAFF and its members have been working with Chairman Price, Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) and other Appropriations Committee members to craft a strong funding bill. President Schaitberger testified before the Subcommittee in March, telling the members of the panel that SAFER grants “present the federal government with its best opportunity to assure a strong, emergency response component in every community in America.”