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House Proposal Guts Homeland Security Funding
May 13, 2011 – The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security has
approved a Republican proposal to slash funding for first responders by more
than $1 billion, including significant cuts to the Staffing for Adequate Fire
and Emergency Response (SAFER) and Assistance to Firefighters (FIRE Act) grant
programs.
The legislation, making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security
for Fiscal Year 2012, would cut funding for the SAFER and FIRE Act grants by
more than 50 percent, providing a scant $150 million for SAFER and only $200
million for FIRE Act grants. Furthermore, the legislation fails to extend the
SAFER waivers which have helped hundreds of fire departments avoid fire fighter
layoffs and bring laid-off fire fighters back to work.
“These ridiculous and unprecedented funding cuts are a direct assault on the men
and women of our IAFF,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “Simply
put, these cuts will place communities and their citizens at significant risk,
and threaten the health and safety of every fire fighter in the country.”
In addition to the cuts made to SAFER and the FIRE Act, the proposal slashes
funding for nearly every first responder grant program, including the Urban Area
Security Initiative (UASI) and State Homeland Security (SHSGP) grants.
Specifically, the bill stipulates that $1 billion be split between UASI, SHSGP
and seven other grant programs. Combined, the programs received more than $2
billion last year.
“At a time when state and local public safety budgets are shrinking, it is
unconscionable to implement cuts of this magnitude,” says Schaitberger. “Make no
mistake, if this proposal is enacted, it would devastate local fire department
budgets and threaten public safety nationwide.”
The IAFF is working with its allies on Capitol Hill to seek to restore funding
for the FIRE Act and SAFER grant programs.
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