June 2, 2011 – The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to pass two amendments to the Fiscal Year 2012 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, restoring funds to the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and Assistance to Firefighters (FIRE Act) grant programs and extending the SAFER waivers to save fire fighter jobs.

In an overwhelming vote on June 1, the House voted to restore a portion of the funds that had been slashed from the SAFER and FIRE Act grant programs. As originally written, the Homeland Security Appropriation bill funded the fire service grant programs at $350 million, a cut of nearly 60 percent from the current funding level. An amendment offered by Representatives Steve LaTourette (R-OH) and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) brought the funding levels for the two programs up to $670 million.

The LaTourette-Pascrell amendment was adopted by a vote of 333-87, with every Democrat and a strong majority of Republicans voting for the bill.

Subsequently, the House voted 264-157 to extend the waivers for the SAFER grant program by adopting an amendment offered by Representative David Price (D-NC). The SAFER waivers, which were first enacted in 2009 but have since expired, enable SAFER grants to be used to bring back laid-off fire fighters or prevent layoffs. Had the amendment failed, SAFER grantees would have been limited to only using funds to add new, additional fire fighters.

IAFF local leaders throughout the nation had lobbied their elected officials in the days preceding the vote, leading to the lopsided tally.

“These votes are a tremendous victory for the IAFF and another sign that members of Congress of both parties recognize the importance of supporting their local fire fighters,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger.

The Appropriations bill will now move to consideration in the United States Senate. The IAFF will continue lobbying on behalf of the SAFER and FIRE grants as the process continues.