[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 157 (Sunday, November 9, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H10548-H10550]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2145
 UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEARS 
                             1998 AND 1999

  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the Senate bill (S. 1231) to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 
1998 and 1999 for the United States Fire Administration, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1231

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``United States Fire 
     Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1998 and 
     1999''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 17(g)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control 
     Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2216(g)(1)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (E);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (F) 
     and inserting a semicolon; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(G) $29,664,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
     1998; and
       ``(H) $30,554,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
     1999.''.

     SEC. 3. SUCCESSOR FIRE SAFETY STANDARDS.

       The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 
     U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 29(a)(1), by inserting ``or any successor 
     standard to that standard'' after ``Association Standard 
     74'';
       (2) in section 29(a)(2), by inserting ``, or any successor 
     standard to that standard'' before ``, whichever is 
     appropriate,'';
       (3) in section 29(b)(2), by inserting ``, or any successor 
     standard to that standard'' after ``Association Standard 13 
     or 13-R'';
       (4) in section 31(c)(2)(B)(i), by inserting ``or any 
     successor standard to that standard'' after ``Life Safety 
     Code)''; and
       (5) in section 31(c)(2)(B)(ii), by inserting ``or any 
     successor standard to that standard'' after ``Association 
     Standard 101''.

     SEC. 4. TERMINATION OR PRIVATIZATION OF FUNCTIONS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days before the 
     termination or transfer to a private sector person or entity 
     of any significant function of the United States Fire 
     Administration, as described in subsection (b), the 
     Administrator of the United States Fire Administration shall 
     transmit to Congress a report providing notice of that 
     termination or transfer.
       (b) Covered Terminations and Transfers.--For purposes of 
     subsection (a), a termination or transfer to a person or 
     entity described in that subsection shall be considered to be 
     a termination or transfer of a significant function of the 
     United States Fire Administration if the termination or 
     transfer--
       (1) relates to a function of the Administration that 
     requires the expenditure of more than 5 percent of the total 
     amount of funds made available by appropriations to the 
     Administration; or
       (2) involves the termination of more than 5 percent of the 
     employees of the Administration.

     SEC. 5. NOTICE.

       (a) Major Reorganization Defined.--With respect to the 
     United States Fire Administration, the term ``major 
     reorganization'' means any reorganization of the 
     Administration that involves the reassignment of more than 25 
     percent of the employees of the Administration.
       (b) Notice of Reprogramming.--If any funds appropriated 
     pursuant to the amendments made by this Act are subject to a 
     reprogramming action that requires notice to be provided to 
     the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House 
     of Representatives, notice of that action shall concurrently 
     be provided to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science of 
     the House of Representatives.
       (c) Notice of Reorganization.--Not later than 15 days 
     before any major reorganization of any program, project, or 
     activity of the United States Fire Administration, the 
     Administrator of the United States Fire Administration shall 
     provide notice to the Committees on Science and 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and 
     Appropriations of the Senate.

     SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE YEAR 2000 PROBLEM.

       With the year 2000 rapidly approaching, it is the sense of 
     Congress that the Administrator of the United States Fire 
     Administration should--
       (1) give high priority to correcting all 2-digit date-
     related problems in the computer systems of the United States 
     Fire Administration to ensure that those systems continue to 
     operate effectively in the year 2000 and in subsequent years;
       (2) as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, assess the extent of the risk to the operations of 
     the United States Fire Administration posed by the problems 
     referred to in paragraph (1), and plan and budget for 
     achieving compliance for all of the mission-critical systems 
     of the system by the year 2000; and
       (3) develop contingency plans for those systems that the 
     United States Fire Administration is unable to correct by the 
     year 2000.

     SEC. 7 ENHANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS PROGRAMS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator, means the 
     Administrator of the United States Fire Administration.
       (2) Educationally useful federal equipment.--The term 
     ``educationally useful Federal equipment'' means computers 
     and related peripheral tools and research equipment that is 
     appropriate for use in schools.
       (3) School.--The term ``school'' means a public or private 
     educational institution that serves any of the grades of 
     kindergarten through grade 12.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--
       (1) In general.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
     Administrator should, to the greatest extent practicable and 
     in a manner consistent with applicable Federal law (including 
     Executive Order No. 12999), donate educationally useful 
     Federal equipment to schools in order to enhance the science 
     and mathematics programs of those schools.
       (2) Reports--
       (A) In general--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
     Administrator shall prepare and submit to the President a 
     report that meets the requirements of this paragraph. The 
     President shall submit that report to Congress at the same 
     time as the President submits a budget request to Congress 
     under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code.
       (B) Contents of report.--The report prepared by the 
     Administrator under this paragraph shall describe any 
     donations of educationally useful Federal equipment to 
     schools made during the period covered by the report.

                      sec. 8. report to congress.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the United States 
     Fire Administration (referred to in this section as the 
     ``Administrator'') shall prepare and submit to the Committee 
     on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 
     the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives a 
     report that meets the requirements of this section.
       (b) Contents of Report.--The report under this section 
     shall--

[[Page H10549]]

       (1) examine the risks to firefighters in suppressing fires 
     caused by burning tires;
       (2) address any risks that are uniquely attributable to 
     fires described in paragraph (1), including any risks 
     relating to--
       (A) exposure to toxic substances (as that term is defined 
     by the Administrator);
       (B) personal protection;
       (C) the duration of those fires; and
       (D) site hazards associated with those fires;
       (3) identify any special training that may be necessary for 
     firefighters to suppress those fires; and
       (4) assess how the training referred to in paragraph (3) 
     may be provided by the United States Fire Administration.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Lazio of New York). Pursuant to the 
rule, the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Sensenbrenner] and the 
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Barcia] each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. 
Sensenbrenner].


                             General Leave

  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks on H.R. 1231.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Wisconsin?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Senate bill 1231, an act to authorize appropriations for 
the United States Fire Administration for the fiscal years 1998 and 
1999, is nearly identical to H.R. 1272, a bill favorably reported by 
voice vote by the Committee on Science on April 16, 1997, and which was 
later passed by the full House by voice vote on April 23, 1997.
  Senate bill 1231 is the result not only of a bipartisan effort, but 
also a bicameral effort to craft legislation that is in the national 
interest. This bill reauthorizes the programs and activities of the 
United States Fire Administration, a small but important organization 
within the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
  The U.S. Fire Administration was created by Congress in 1974 in 
response to a report by the President's National Commission on Fire 
Prevention and Control entitled America Burning, which presented a 
dismal assessment of the Nation's fire problem. The report found that 
nearly 12,000 lives were lost to fire annually in this country. In 
addition, fire was found responsible for more than 300,000 injuries and 
over $3 billion of economic losses annually.
  Congress reacted to the report by declaring a Federal role for 
reducing fire losses, and created the United States Fire Administration 
and the National Fire Academy. The U.S. Fire Administration provides 
vital assistance to the Nation's fire and emergency services 
communities which helps them to save lives and property. The Fire 
Administration is able to perform this service through four primary 
missions: First, fire service training; second, fire-related data 
collection and analysis; third, public education and awareness; and 
fourth, research and technology development.
  The National Fire Academy provides management-level training and 
education to fire and emergency service personnel and fire protection 
and control activities. The Fire Academy, located in Emmitsburg, 
Maryland, trains tens of thousands of fire and emergency personnel a 
year through its on- and off-campus programs.
  Annually during budget authorization hearings held by the Committee 
on Science, witnesses from the volunteer and paid fire services as well 
as emergency services have testified as to the important and 
indispensable role the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Fire 
Academy play in their ability to perform their job.
  Senate 1231 establishes funding levels sufficient to preserve all the 
missions and functions of the Fire Administration and the Academy. 
Specifically, this bill authorizes just over $29.6 million for the Fire 
Administration's fiscal 1998 budget, and just over $30.5 million for 
fiscal year 1999. These Senate-approved authorization levels are 
slightly higher, $64,000 and $54,000 respectively, than the previously 
approved House authorizations.
  I believe this 3-percent increase is justified and necessary in order 
to ensure that the agency can continue its current mission activities, 
as well as to perform a new and important counterterrorism training 
function. The Fire Administration's new mission, counterterrorism 
training for emergency response personnel, arose from the enactment of 
the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act passed last year by 
Congress and signed by the President.
  Counterterrorism training for first responders is an appropriate 
function of the Fire Administration, as it is frequently local fire and 
emergency departments who are first on the scene not only to battle 
fires, but also to react to acts of terrorism, such as the bombings in 
Oklahoma City and the World Trade Center in New York. In addition, 
counterterrorism training complements and supplements many of the 
traditional first responder training programs currently offered through 
the Academy.
  The other sections of S. 1231 include, first, technical changes to 
fire protection standards; second, a provision requiring that the 
administrator inform Congress in advance of any effort to privatize or 
terminate agency activities; third, a requirement that reprogramming 
notices required by the Committee on Appropriations committees must 
also be provided to the authorizing committees; and fourth, a sense of 
Congress resolution emphasizing that planning should begin immediately 
to assess and correct any computer systems affected by the year 2000 
date-related software problem; fifth, a provision allowing the 
Administrator to donate excess Federal computer equipment to schools; 
and sixth, a requirement that no later than 180 days after the 
enactment of this bill, the Fire Administration submit a report to 
Congress examining the risks faced by firefighters in suppressing tire 
fires. This report was also added by the Senate, and we agree as to its 
need.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud the efforts of the U.S. Fire Administration 
and the National Fire Academy, and I believe this bill is a reflection 
of strong bipartisan support for these agencies and will enable them to 
continue their missions and to accomplish their goals.
  In closing, I want to thank the gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. 
Schiff], chairman of the subcommittee, and the gentleman from Michigan 
[Mr. Barcia], the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Basic Research, 
for their hard work on this legislation, as well as the full 
committee's ranking member, the gentleman from California [Mr. Brown].
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, before I begin my remarks on Senate 1231, I want to say 
what a pleasure and privilege it has been to work with Chairman 
Sensenbrenner and the acting subcommittee chairman, and I want to 
commend them for, again, their bipartisan effort at producing in the 
House version of this legislation what is a great step forward in terms 
of expanding the education for firefighters and first responders of 
emergency situations so we can best cope not only with those typical 
disasters that occur around the country, but also the new focus on 
counterterrorism and associated efforts to control that new threat to 
the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1231, which authorizes 
appropriations for the U.S. Fire Administration. This bill was 
developed in consultation with the Committee on Science and contains 
acceptable amendments to House Resolution 1272, the House-passed Fire 
Administration authorization bill.
  The U.S. Fire Administration deserves the support of Congress because 
its mission is important to the safety of every American, and because 
it is an agency widely acknowledged to be doing its job well. It was 
created, as the distinguished chairman just mentioned, by the Federal 
Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 in response to a growing 
awareness that the high loss of life and destruction of property due to 
fire was a national problem that could be ameliorated by focused and 
coordinated education, training, and research efforts.
  During the past 25 years, significant progress has been made through 
programs of the Fire Administration to increase public awareness of 
fire safety measures, to improve the effectiveness of fire and 
emergency services, and to spur the wider use of home fire safety 
devices.

[[Page H10550]]

  Much has been accomplished by the Fire Administration, but the record 
of fire death rates and property loss in the Nation reveals that much 
remains to be done. I believe this bill will give the Fire 
Administration the resources needed to allow it to continue to excel.
  S. 1231 will not support just another bureaucratic program. The very 
small expenditure of funds provided by the Fire Administration will be 
used to improve the skills of firefighters and emergency response 
personnel, to increase public awareness of fire safety, and to improve 
the equipment available for suppressing fires and protecting 
firefighters.
  In short, the program, sponsored by the Fire Administration, will 
increase the level of excellence of a national service that is critical 
to every one of us. The Fire Administration has long enjoyed the 
bipartisan support of Congress because of the recognition of its vital 
mission to increase public safety.
  I would like to commend the majority members of the Committee on 
Science once again for working in a bipartisan way with the minority to 
develop the House companion bill to S. 1231. Mr. Speaker, I fully 
support S. 1231, and recommend the measure to the House for its 
favorable consideration.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Lazio of New York). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Sensenbrenner] 
that the House suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 1231.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________