[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 26086]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   DEPARTMENTS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT 
                             APPROPRIATIONS


                VERMONT RURAL FIRE PROTECTION TASK FORCE

  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I first thank Senator Bond for all of 
his hard work on the FY 2000 Departments of Veterans Affairs and 
Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, and the attention he 
paid to priorities in my home State of Vermont. I would like to briefly 
discuss with the Senator from Missouri the $600,000 provided in the 
Conference Report for the Vermont Rural Fire Protection Task Force.
  It is my understanding that the funds provided are for the purchase 
of personal safety equipment that includes, but is not limited to the 
following: self-contained breathing apparatus, fire resistant turn out 
gear (helmets, coats pants, boots, hoods, gloves, and the like), 
personal pagers, personal accountability system to fulfill requirements 
of OSHA's two in two out rule, portable radios and personal hand 
lights. The need for new firefighting equipment is great in Vermont, 
because of the new OSHA regulations. I hope that the funds provided in 
this bill will be matched 50 percent with non-federal funds.
  Further, it is my understanding that the funds will be administered 
by the Vermont Rural Fire Protection Task Force supported by the George 
D. Aiken and the Northern Vermont Resource Conservation and Development 
Council.
  Mr. BOND. The Senator from Vermont has accurately described the 
intentions of the Conference Report accompanying the FY 2000 
Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development 
Appropriations bill.

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