Hoyer Demands Funding for FIRE and SAFER Act Grants

March 12, 2007 – Fully funding the FIRE Act and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program is at the forefront of House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s (D-MD) agenda. As the longtime fire fighter supporter, Hoyer spoke to delegates attending IAFF 2007 Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. “Congress needs to support those they send out to protect this country and its citizens,” he said.

One fire fighter issue that desperately needs attention, he noted, is funding of the SAFER and FIRE Acts. “I am supporting additional financial support for our troops overseas, but I will not advocate cutting funding for those of you who defend our country here at home.”

The House Majority Leader said that without the SAFER and FIRE Act funds, public safety is at risk. “If we send out fire apparatus with only three fire fighters on it, they will be unable to contain the fire and do their jobs,” said Hoyer. “That’s what the FIRE Act and SAFER, especially SAFER, is all about. We need to protect our fire fighters. We need to protect those that we send into battle.”

Hoyer added that one of the reasons funding for these grants is hard to ensure is because “we have engaged in the most fiscally irresponsible era in our country’s history. We had a $5.6 trillion dollar surplus at the beginning of the Bush administration. Now, we have a $3.4 trillion dollar deficit.”

Hoyer also made it clear that he supports other worker issues, including: minimum wage, balancing the budget, keeping the country safe from terrorism and passing federal fire fighter presumption legislation.