LON SLEPICKA and DAVE J. IANNONE
Firehouse.Com News
The Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act made it through the Senate as an amendment (S.AMDT.3753) to the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (S2549) which was passed by the Senate , today.
Although it is now lighter by $1.9 billion and is spread out in its spending for an additional year, the Act is a major effort by fire safety groups to get federal attention in the funding area they feel has been neglected.
The Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 now goes to conference as the House passed version of the Defense Authorization Act does not include the FIRE Act amendment.
George Burke, spokesman for International Association of Firefighters, said, "this is a major, major step forward".
But Congressman Curt Weldon's [R-Pa.] office warns that the money is far from a sure
thing to stay alive because it was included as part of the Department of Defense spending, rather than under an Interior or Labor department package, which are most closely aligned to
the fire service programs.
"It's going to be a touch battle to keep that funding in there," said Pete Peterson,
a spokesperson for Weldon's office. "With a lot of military personnel on food stamps and personnel flying 50-year-old helicopters it's going to be difficult for members [of Congress] to cut funding from the defense budget [for the fire service]."
Only a few weeks ago, the FIRE Act languished on both sides of Congress in committees which seemed unwilling to give them much attention. "We applaud Dodd (Senator Christopher Dodd, D-CT) for this," Burke said.
As soon as the conferees, those chosen by the House and the Senate to merge the two bills, are named, Burke said they would go to work again, lobbying the congressmen to bring out a bill that includes the FIRE Act.
Peterson said the two sides would not likely come to an agreement until after
Labor Day.
The FIRE Act as it appears in this amendment, has changed some from it original introduction. Senator Dodd produced a $3.1 billion version which is graduated in spending over six years. This contrasts with the original version of $5 billion over five years.
Otherwise the amendment looks much the same in that it is administered by FEMA and makes grants on a competitive basis to fire departments for hiring and training personnel among other things.
If the Defense Authorization Act makes it out of conference including the FIRE Act amendment, it then goes back to both the House and the Senate for final passage.
As an authorization bill, it provides congress with the description of how the money is to be spent. Appropriation of that money must again go through Congress and pass both sides as an appropriation bill.
Burke, while happy the FIRE Act has made a huge legislative leap in his eyes, was reminded, "you can't guarantee the appropriation will mirror the authorization. We are not out of the woods yet," he said.
Senator Dodd and 16 co-sponsors had the amendment introduced and handily won its attachment with the strong backing of Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner (R-VA). The authorization bill itself passed the Senate by a vote of 97-3.
Meanwhile, a Senate hearing on the FIRE Act is scheduled for Tuesday, July 25 before
the full Commerce Committee, according to Craig Sharman of the National Volunteer Fire
Council. Weldon and other supporters are also working on adding a $100 million
appropriation -- previously approved by the House in a supplemental spending bill
but bounced by the Senate -- into an Agricultural spending package.
news & reports
