The House of Representatives has passed the Fiscal Year 2015 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, H.R. 240, by a vote of 236-191. The bill would fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through September 30, 2015.
The bill contains $340 million for the Assistance to Firefighter (AFG) grant program and $340 million for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. This is the same level as in Fiscal Year 2014.
Also included in the bill is $44 million for the U.S. Fire Administration and $35.18 million for the Urban Search and Rescue System (USAR). Again, these levels are the same as in Fiscal Year 2014.
The bill also contains certain provisions that would restrict the President’s Executive Order on immigration.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
As you recall, the Congress did not fund DHS through the end of Fiscal Year 2015 because certain members of Congress disagreed with the President’s Executive Order on immigration. It remains to be seen how the Senate will respond to the House bill, although Senator John Thune (R-SD), Chair of the Senate Republican Conference, has already indicated they do not have the 60 votes required to pass the House bill in its current form.
We will keep you appraised of further developments.
If you have any questions, please contact GAC Co-chairs John Granby jgranby@lionprotects.com Lee Morris lmorris@oshkoshcorp.com or GAC Sr. Advisor
Dave Gatton dgatton@dinitiatives.com