June 11, 2012 – The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation funding federal homeland security programs, including fire fighter grants and the Urban Search and Rescue Response System. The FY 2013 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act, H.R. 5855, passed by a vote of 234-182. The bill includes the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) waivers that allow federal funds to be used to rehire laid-off fire fighters.

The bill’s passage capped off a successful week that also saw the passage of two IAFF-backed amendments to the bill restoring funding for the Urban Search and Rescue Response (US&R) system and the SAFER and Assistance to Firefighters (FIRE Act) grant programs.

H.R. 5855 had originally cut funding for US&R, SAFER and the FIRE Act. The underlying bill had funded US&R at $27.513 million, a reduction of nearly $14 million from the previous year. The bill also reduced funding for SAFER and FIRE Act grants by $5 million, to $335 million each.

With the support of the IAFF, Representative Michael Grimm (R-NY) joined with Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) to restore $7.667 million to the Urban Search and Rescue teams. Meanwhile, Representatives Jon Runyan (R-NJ) and Larry Kissell (D-NC) partnered on an amendment to restore the $5 million cut from the SAFER and FIRE Act grants. Both amendments were approved unanimously by the House.

“The House recognized the vital importance of the Urban Search and Rescue program as well as the SAFER and FIRE Act grants,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “In these times of fiscal austerity, it is a tremendous accomplishment and demonstrative of the respect IAFF members garner that our congressional allies were be able to win additional funds for these important programs.”

The bill also extends the SAFER waivers for FY 2013. Representative David Price (D-NC) joined with Representatives Nita Lowey (D-NY), Tom Latham (R-IA) and Charlie Dent (R-PA) to add the waivers to the bill in the Appropriations Committee before the bill came to the full House.

Although the Grimm amendment did not fully restore cuts made to US&R, his amendment puts the IAFF in a better position to lobby for additional funds as the bill moves to the Senate.

The Senate is expected to consider the bill in the coming months.