II 109th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2587 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 6, 2006 Mr. Schumer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To amend the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to authorize the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration to provide assistance to firefighting task forces, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Firefighters Special Operation Task Force Act.

2.

Grants for firefighting task forces

The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

37.

Assistance for firefighting task forces

(a)

Definitions

In this section: (1)

Critical infrastructure

The term critical infrastructure has the meaning given that term in section 1016(e) of the Critical Infrastructures Protection Act of 2001 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)). (2)

Firefighting personnel

The term firefighting personnel has the meaning given that term in section 33(a). (3)

Incident response

The term incident response means a response by a task force or task force unit to— (A)a terrorist attack, including such an attack that utilizes a weapon of mass destruction; (B)a release of a hazardous material; (C)a natural disaster; or (D)any other emergency for which a response by a fire service is appropriate. (4)

Member

The term member, with respect to a task force, means a fire service that is a party to the cooperative agreement establishing the task force. (5)

Task force

The term task force means not less than 2 fire services operating pursuant to a cooperative agreement for the purpose of coordinating incident response among such fire services within a geographic area. (b)

Authority

The Administrator is authorized— (1)to award grants to a task force for the purposes set out in subsection (c); (2)if multiple task forces are formed in a metropolitan area that has a population of more than 1,000,000, to award more than one such grant for such metropolitan area; and (3)to award such grants to not more than 100 task forces in the United States. (c)

Purposes

A grant awarded to a task force under this section shall be used— (1)to provide salary and benefits to hire firefighting personnel or rehire firefighting personnel who have been laid off to provide services to the task force, including salary and benefits during a fiscal year for not more than— (A)2 individuals to serve as chief officers; (B)2 individuals to serve as captains; (C)2 individuals to serve as lieutenants; and (D)120 other firefighting personnel; (2)to pay expenses related to the participation of firefighting personnel in appropriate training courses offered by the Department of Homeland Security, the National Fire Academy, or a State or local fire academy; (3)to provide training related to incident response to firefighting personnel; (4)to obtain appropriate equipment, including firefighting vehicles, or support systems for members of the task force; or (5)to improve the ability of a member of a task force to communicate with a local police department or hospital. (d)

Application

Each task force desiring assistance under this section shall submit an application to the Administrator at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Administrator may reasonably require. (e)

Selection

(1)

In general

The Administrator shall select each task force to receive assistance under this section. (2)

Priority

In selecting a task force to receive assistance under this section, the Administrator shall give priority to task forces that serve a geographic area that is located not more than 50 miles from— (A)a facility that produces nuclear power; (B)a large facility that produces, treats, or refines chemicals or petroleum products; (C)a business district of national significance; or (D)a location with one or more critical infrastructures. (f)

Matching requirement

The Administrator may provide assistance to a task force under this section during a fiscal year only if the task force agrees to provide, for each such fiscal year, an amount of non-Federal funds that is not less than 55 percent of the amount of such assistance provided by the Administrator to the task force for such fiscal year. (g)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry out this section the following amounts: (1)$1,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2007. (2)$1,000,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2016.

.