[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 136 (Friday, July 31, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E718]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




FIREFIGHTER EXCESS PERSONAL PROPERTY IN H.R. 6395, THE NATIONAL DEFENSE 
                       AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2021

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KIM SCHRIER

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 31, 2020

  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I am pleased that my amendment to assess 
the Firefighter Property Program (FFP) and the Federal Excess Personal 
Property Program (FEPP) implementation and best practices was included 
in final passage of H.R. 6395, the National Defense Authorization Act 
of 2021.
  I would also like to include in the Record a letter of support for my 
amendment from the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC).
  The Department of Defense (DOD) Firefighter Property Program (FFP) 
and the Federal Excess Personal Property Program (FEPP) transfer excess 
equipment like hoses, trucks, and aircraft and vehicle parts to the 
U.S. Forest Service to be distributed to states. As the National 
Volunteer Fire Council notes, ``many of the fire departments that take 
advantage of FFP and FEPP are located in rural areas that have 
relatively small tax bases and therefore lack the resources to afford 
new specialized equipment and vehicles to respond to wildland fires and 
other unique vulnerabilities in the communities that they serve.''
  The FFP and FEPP programs currently offer excess equipment on a 
first-come, first-served basis. As the nation is facing increasing 
threats of extreme fire events, states are not acquiring equipment in 
an equitable manner. This is due to a multitude of factors. My 
amendment requests an assessment of FFP and FEPP implementation and 
best practices, taking into account community need and risk, including 
whether a community is an at-risk community.
  It additionally requires consultation with state implementers and 
program recipients which will allow us to understand how these programs 
are operating on-the-ground, and more importantly, how we can improve 
access for volunteer and small fire and emergency service providers in 
rural communities.
  I am thankful to have the National Volunteer Fire Council's support 
for this amendment. I want to emphasize their request that the agencies 
carrying out the assessment required by this amendment ``establish a 
process for volunteer fire departments and state and national 
organizations representing the interests of volunteer fire departments 
to provide input into the assessment as part of consulting with 
`participants in the programs.' ''
  As the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act moves to conference, 
I ask that my colleagues work to include this important amendment in 
the final bill.


                              National Volunteer Fire Council,

                                     Greenbelt, MD, July 22, 2020.
     Hon. Kim Schrier, MD,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Schrier: On behalf of the National 
     Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), which represents the interests 
     of the nation's volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services, I 
     am writing regarding your amendment to the National Defense 
     Authorization Act of 2020 directing the Department of Defense 
     (DoD), acting through the Director of the Defense Logistics 
     Agency (DLA), jointly with the Secretary of Agriculture, 
     acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to assess the 
     Firefighter Property Program (FFP) and the Federal Excess 
     Personal Property Program (FEPP).
       As you know, the FFP and FEPP programs provide critical 
     assistance to thousands of volunteer fire departments across 
     the country each year by allowing them to acquire excess DoD 
     property, including equipment and vehicles. Many of the fire 
     departments that take advantage of FFP and FEPP are located 
     in rural areas that have relatively small tax bases and 
     therefore lack the resources to afford new specialized 
     equipment and vehicles to respond to wildland fires and other 
     unique vulnerabilities in the communities that they serve. 
     These programs are extremely important to the volunteer fire 
     service and I thank you for your interest in developing an 
     assessment to evaluate ways that they can be improved.
       One issue that I hope can be examined as part of the 
     assessment is the extent to which additional resources could 
     increase access to and participation in the FEPP and FFP 
     programs by volunteer fire departments. Based on anecdotal 
     evidence from our members I believe that more assistance 
     devoted to helping process applications to acquire surplus 
     property and transport surplus property from where it is 
     stored to the fire department requesting it would make it 
     easier for some agencies to take full advantage of these 
     programs.
       I am pleased that your amendment explicitly directs the 
     agencies carrying out the assessment to ``. . . consult with 
     State foresters and participants in the programs . . .'' 
     State foresters play an important role in facilitating the 
     acquisition of surplus property by fire departments in their 
     states. Additionally, differences in state statutes 
     authorizing fire department participation in the FEPP and FFP 
     programs contribute to some of the variations we can observe 
     in acquisition rates between states. All of these are 
     important issues to be examined in the assessment. I would 
     also encourage the Committee to direct the agencies carrying 
     out the assessment to establish a process for volunteer fire 
     departments and state and national organizations representing 
     the interests of volunteer fire departments to provide input 
     into the assessment as part of consulting with ``participants 
     in the programs.''
       Finally, I question the central role that DoD and DLA would 
     play in developing the assessment under the amendment 
     language. As you know, while DoD/DLA along with the General 
     Services Administration are responsible for managing and 
     disposing of a vast array of excess federal property, none of 
     those agencies has anything to do with the management or 
     administration of the FEPP or FFP programs, specifically. I 
     encourage the Committee to clarify that each agency tasked 
     with carrying out the assessment focus on aspects of the 
     programs that are appropriate given the scope of their actual 
     role in administering the programs.
       Thank you for your support for the FEPP and FFP programs, 
     as well as the volunteer fire service generally. If you have 
     any questions please feel free to contact me.
           Sincerely,
     Ron Roy,
       Chair, NVFC Wildland Committee, Division Chief, Douglas 
     County Fire District #2, East Wenatchee, WA.

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