[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 22]
[House]
[Pages 30682-30686]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT of 2003

  Mr. BOEHLERT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1152) to reauthorize the United States Fire 
Administration, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1152

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

       TITLE I--UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION REAUTHORIZATION

     SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``United States Fire 
     Administration Reauthorization Act of 2003''.

     SEC. 102. RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF POSITION OF UNITED STATES FIRE 
                   ADMINISTRATOR.

       Section 1513 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
     553) does not apply to the position or office of 
     Administrator of the United States Fire Administration, who 
     shall continue to be appointed and compensated as provided by 
     section 5(b) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act 
     of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2204(b)).

     SEC. 103. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 17(g)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control 
     Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2216(g)) is amended by striking 
     subparagraphs (A) through (K) and inserting the following:
       ``(A) $63,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, of which $2,266,000 
     shall be used to carry out section 8(f);
       ``(B) $64,850,000 for fiscal year 2006, of which $2,334,000 
     shall be used to carry out section 8(f);
       ``(C) $66,796,000 for fiscal year 2007, of which $2,404,000 
     shall be used to carry out section 8(f); and
       ``(D) $68,800,000 for fiscal year 2008, of which $2,476,000 
     shall be used to carry out section 8(f).''.

            TITLE II--FIREFIGHTING RESEARCH AND COORDINATION

     SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Firefighting Research and 
     Coordination Act''.

     SEC. 202. NEW FIREFIGHTING TECHNOLOGY.

       Section 8 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 
     1974 (15 U.S.C. 2207) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (g); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
       ``(e) Assistance to Other Federal Agencies.--At the request 
     of other Federal agencies, including the Department of 
     Agriculture and the Department of the Interior, the 
     Administrator may provide assistance in fire prevention and 
     control technologies, including methods of containing insect-
     infested forest fires and limiting dispersal of resultant 
     fire particle smoke, and methods of measuring and tracking 
     the dispersal of fine particle smoke resulting from fires of 
     insect-infested fuel.
       ``(f) Technology Evaluation and Standards Development.--
       ``(1) In general.--In addition to, or as part of, the 
     program conducted under subsection (a), the Administrator, in 
     consultation with the National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology, the Inter-Agency Board for Equipment 
     Standardization and Inter-Operability, the National Institute 
     for Occupational Safety and Health, the Directorate of 
     Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland 
     Security, national voluntary consensus standards development 
     organizations, interested Federal, State, and local agencies, 
     and other interested parties, shall--
       ``(A) develop new, and utilize existing, measurement 
     techniques and testing methodologies for evaluating new 
     firefighting technologies, including--
       ``(i) personal protection equipment;
       ``(ii) devices for advance warning of extreme hazard;
       ``(iii) equipment for enhanced vision;
       ``(iv) devices to locate victims, firefighters, and other 
     rescue personnel in above-ground and below-ground structures;
       ``(v) equipment and methods to provide information for 
     incident command, including the monitoring and reporting of 
     individual personnel welfare;
       ``(vi) equipment and methods for training, especially for 
     virtual reality training; and
       ``(vii) robotics and other remote-controlled devices;
       ``(B) evaluate the compatibility of new equipment and 
     technology with existing firefighting technology; and
       ``(C) support the development of new voluntary consensus 
     standards through national voluntary consensus standards 
     organizations for new firefighting technologies based on 
     techniques and methodologies described in subparagraph (A).
       ``(2) Standards for new equipment.--
       (A) The Administrator shall, by regulation, require that 
     new equipment or systems purchased through the assistance 
     program established by the first section 33 meet or exceed 
     applicable voluntary consensus standards for such equipment 
     or systems for which applicable voluntary consensus standards 
     have been established. The Administrator may waive the 
     requirement under this subparagraph with respect to specific 
     standards.
       ``(B) If an applicant for a grant under the first section 
     33 proposes to purchase, with assistance provided under the 
     grant, new equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed 
     applicable voluntary consensus standards, the applicant shall 
     include in the application an explanation of why such 
     equipment or systems will serve the needs of the applicant 
     better than equipment or systems that do meet or exceed such 
     standards.
       ``(C) In making a determination whether or not to waive the 
     requirement under subparagraph (A) with respect to a specific 
     standard, the Administrator shall, to the greatest extent 
     practicable--
       ``(i) consult with grant applicants and other members of 
     the fire services regarding the impact on fire departments of 
     the requirement to meet or exceed the specific standard;
       ``(ii) take into consideration the explanation provided by 
     the applicant under subparagraph (B); and
       ``(iii) seek to minimize the impact of the requirement to 
     meet or exceed the specific standard on the applicant, 
     particularly if meeting the standard would impose additional 
     costs.
       ``(D) Applicants that apply for a grant under the terms of 
     subparagraph (B) may include a second grant request in the 
     application to be considered by the Administrator in the 
     event that the Administrator does not approve the primary 
     grant request on the grounds of the equipment not meeting 
     applicable voluntary consensus standards.''.

     SEC. 203. COORDINATION OF RESPONSE TO NATIONAL EMERGENCY.

       (a) In General.--Section 10 of the Federal Fire Prevention 
     and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2209) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
       ``(b) Mutual Aid Systems.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall provide 
     technical assistance and training to State and local fire 
     service officials to establish nationwide and State mutual 
     aid systems for dealing with national emergencies that--

[[Page 30683]]

       ``(A) include threat assessment and equipment deployment 
     strategies;
       ``(B) include means of collecting asset and resource 
     information to provide accurate and timely data for regional 
     deployment; and
       ``(C) are consistent with the Federal Response Plan.
       ``(2) Model mutual aid plans.--The Administrator shall 
     develop and make available to State and local fire service 
     officials model mutual aid plans for both intrastate and 
     interstate assistance.''.
       (b) Report on Strategic Needs.--Within 90 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
     United States Fire Administration shall report to the Senate 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the 
     House of Representatives Committee on Science on the need for 
     a strategy concerning deployment of volunteers and emergency 
     response personnel (as defined in section 6 of the 
     Firefighters' Safety Study Act (15 U.S.C. 2223e)), including 
     a national credentialing system, in the event of a national 
     emergency.
       (c) Report on Federal Response Plan.--Within 180 days after 
     the date of enactment of this Act, the Department of Homeland 
     Security shall transmit a report to the Senate Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Senate Committee 
     on Governmental Affairs, and the House of Representatives 
     Committee on Science describing plans for revisions to the 
     Federal Response Plan and its integration into the National 
     Response Plan, including how the revised plan will address 
     response to terrorist attacks, particularly in urban areas, 
     including fire detection and suppression and related 
     emergency services.

     SEC. 204. TRAINING.

       (a) In General.--Section 7(d)(1) of the Federal Fire 
     Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2206(d)(1)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon in subparagraph 
     (E);
       (2) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (N); 
     and
       (3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:
       ``(F) strategies for building collapse rescue;
       ``(G) the use of technology in response to fires, including 
     terrorist incidents and other national emergencies;
       ``(H) response, tactics, and strategies for dealing with 
     terrorist-caused national catastrophes;
       ``(I) use of and familiarity with the Federal Response 
     Plan;
       ``(J) leadership and strategic skills, including integrated 
     management systems operations and integrated response;
       ``(K) applying new technology and developing strategies and 
     tactics for fighting forest fires;
       ``(L) integrating the activities of terrorism response 
     agencies into national terrorism incident response systems;
       ``(M) response tactics and strategies for fighting fires at 
     United States ports, including fires on the water and aboard 
     vessels; and''.
       (b) Consultation on Fire Academy Classes.--The 
     Superintendent of the National Fire Academy may consult with 
     other Federal, State, and local agency officials in 
     developing curricula for classes offered by the Academy.
       (c) Coordination With Other Programs To Avoid 
     Duplication.--The Administrator of the United States Fire 
     Administration shall coordinate training provided under 
     section 7(d)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control 
     Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2206(d)(1)) with the Attorney General, 
     the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the heads of 
     other Federal agencies--
       (1) to ensure that such training does not duplicate 
     existing courses available to fire service personnel; and
       (2) to establish a mechanism for eliminating duplicative 
     training programs.
       (d) Courses and Training Assistance.--Section 7(l) of the 
     Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 
     2206(l)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The 
     Superintendent shall offer, at the Academy and at other 
     sites, courses and training assistance as necessary to 
     accommodate all geographic regions and needs of career and 
     volunteer firefighters.''.

     SEC. 205. FIREFIGHTER ASSISTANCE GRANTS PROGRAM.

       (a) Administration.--The first section 33 of the Federal 
     Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (b)(2) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(2) Administrative assistance.--The Director shall 
     establish specific criteria for the selection of recipients 
     of assistance under this section and shall provide grant-
     writing assistance to applicants.''; and
       (2) by striking ``operate the office established under 
     subsection (b)(2) and'' in subsection (e)(2).
       (b) Maritime Firefighting.--Subsection (b)(3)(B) of the 
     first section 33 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control 
     Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229(b)(3)(B)) is amended by inserting 
     ``maritime firefighting,'' after ``arson prevention and 
     detection,''.
       (c) Firefighting in Remote Areas.--The first section 33 of 
     the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 
     U.S.C. 2229) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``equipment for fighting fires with foam 
     in remote areas without access to water, and'' after 
     ``including'' in subsection (b)(3)(H); and
       (2) by inserting ``Of the amounts authorized in this 
     paragraph, $3,000,000 shall be made available each year 
     through fiscal year 2008 for foam firefighting equipment.'' 
     at the end of subsection (e)(1).

     SEC. 206. NATIONAL FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS FOUNDATION.

       (a) Members.--Section 151303(b) of title 36, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``9'' in paragraph (2) and inserting 
     ``12'';
       (2) by striking ``six'' in subparagraph (D) of paragraph 
     (2) and inserting ``nine''; and
       (3) by striking ``3 members'' in paragraph (3) and 
     inserting ``4 members''.
       (b) Compensation.--Section 151304(b)(3) of title 36, United 
     States Code, is amended by inserting ``15 percent above'' 
     after ``more than''.
       (c) Period of Authorized Assistance.--Section 151307 of 
     title 36, United States Code, is amended in subsection 
     (a)(1), by striking ``During the 10-year period beginning on 
     the date of the enactment of the Fire Administration 
     Authorization Act of 2000, the'' and inserting ``The''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Boehlert) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert).


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOEHLERT. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on S. 1152, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of the U.S. Fire Administration Reauthorization 
Act, which began life in the House as H.R. 2692, introduced by the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith), subcommittee chairman. Most 
Americans have never heard of the U.S. Fire Administration, but it has 
enhanced the protection of all of our communities, our neighborhoods; 
and firefighters know the agency well.
  The funds we are authorizing in this bill will continue to train our 
local firefighters both at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg and 
in State and local training centers. These funds will also help promote 
residential fire sprinklers, fire prevention activities, and other 
activities that save lives. The U.S. Fire Administration has also 
administered the FIRE program, which helps our local fire departments 
purchase desperately needed fire equipment. It is one of the most 
successful Federal assistance programs devised by this Congress or any 
previous Congress.
  One of the great things about this program is that the politicians, 
and I have fondness for politicians, but the politicians are sort of 
taking a back seat. It is the people involved, the firefighters 
themselves in every day protecting our homes and our neighborhoods and 
communities that established the criteria for this massive grant 
program and do the actual evaluating. It is a program with unquestioned 
integrity. I say that because I have watched it in operation, and all 
of our congressional districts across the country are taking advantage 
of it, not for selfish reasons but to protect our people in their 
homes, in their neighborhoods, in their communities, where they live.
  I will tell my colleagues a personal experience in my own 
congressional district. Utica, New York, had an arson rate three times 
the national average. It was a serious problem in New York. I sat down 
with the previous administrator of FEMA and said, let's work with this 
community because this is a serious problem and it has to be addressed 
and it is far beyond the ability of the individual community to come to 
grips with it in any meaningful way without some added guidance and 
inspiration and, quite frankly, some financial support from beyond our 
borders. FEMA did it. We did it. Collectively, Utica has enjoyed its 
best day in the last couple of years. The arson rate is down 
dramatically. People feel

[[Page 30684]]

more comfortable and safer in their homes. It is all because of some 
work that came out of the U.S. Fire Administration.
  I would say for a whole lot of the right reasons, I urge approval of 
this bill which will help our localities in very tangible ways, 
meaningful ways that touch the lives of individual families. We owe it 
to our firefighters both paid and volunteer. Incidentally, let me just 
stress, paid and volunteer. I have heard some people suggest on 
occasion that we have professional firefighters and we have volunteer 
firefighters. There is no such differential. We have paid and unpaid 
but those volunteers from coast to coast are some of the most 
dedicated, professional, able, committed people we will find anyplace. 
Thank God for the volunteer firefighters of America. That is not to 
indicate I do not appreciate what the paid firefighters do day in and 
day out or making a professional career of it, but those volunteers in 
communities all across this land do outstanding work, give of their 
time and their talent and their energy to protect us and our 
communities. I want to salute them, and I want to dedicate passage of 
this bill to them.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of S. 1152, the United States Fire Administration 
Reauthorization Act. I want to thank all the Members who had a part, 
including the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert). The gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) is on her way. I know she has 
worked on this very diligently.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I want to add something here. There was some confusion about section 
204(c) of this bill regarding coordination of firefighting training 
activities. I want to clarify that the reference to ``other Federal 
agencies'' in this section includes the Office of Domestic Preparedness 
and does not conflict with the counterterrorism training provisions in 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
  I also would like to place in the Record at this juncture an exchange 
of letters between me as chairman of the Committee on Science and 
Chairman Young of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. I 
also serve on that committee, too, so in some respects I am writing to 
myself. This is an exchange of letters that further clarifies it.

         House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and 
           Infrastructure,
                                Washington, DC, November 21, 2003.
     Hon. Sherwood, L. Boehlert,
     Chairman, Committee on Science,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to you concerning the 
     jurisdictional interest of the Transportation and 
     Infrastructure Committee in matters contained in S. 1152, the 
     United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 
     2003.
       Our Committee recognizes the importance of S. 1152 and the 
     need for the legislation to move expeditiously. Therefore, 
     while we have a valid claim to jurisdiction over certain 
     provisions of the bill, I agree not to request a referral and 
     allow the bill to be considered in the House under suspension 
     of the rules. This, of course, is conditional on our mutual 
     understanding my decision to forego a sequential referral 
     waives, reduces or otherwise affects the jurisdiction of the 
     Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and that a copy 
     of this letter and of your response acknowledging our 
     jurisdictional interest will be included as part of the 
     Congressional Record during consideration of this bill by the 
     House.
       Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                        Don Young,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                         Committee on Science,

                                Washington, DC, November 21, 2003.
     Hon. Don Young,
     Chairman Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter concerning the 
     jurisdictional interest of the Transportation and 
     Infrastructure Committee over matters contained in S. 1152, 
     the United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 
     2003.
       I appreciate your not requesting a referral of this bill 
     and allowing it to be considered by the House under 
     suspension of the rules. Specifically, I acknowledge that 
     your Committee has a valid claim to jurisdiction over certain 
     provisions of the bill as drafted. I agree that by forgoing a 
     sequential referral you do not waive, reduce, or otherwise 
     affect the jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation 
     and Infrastructure.
       I also agree that a copy of this letter and of your letter 
     will be included as part of the Congressional Record during 
     consideration of this bill by the House.
       Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                             Sherwood L. Boehlert,
                                                         Chairman.

  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I want to take this opportunity to commend the gentlewoman from Texas 
(Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) on this specific legislation. I know that 
she has been working on this diligently. We recognize that there are a 
great number of deaths as a result of fire. We need to continue to work 
in this area. We know we have had natural disasters also in this area. 
I want to take this opportunity to thank the Members that have played a 
role.
  Madam Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) and ask unanimous consent that she be 
permitted to control that time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 
such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, let me apologize for being late. I was told to be here 
by 12, and I was in a briefing, so I came running.
  Let me thank the chairman of the Subcommittee on Research of the 
Committee on Science, the staff and the other leadership of the 
committee for working on this bill. I rise in support of Senate bill 
1152, the United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 
2003.
  This legislation is closely related to H.R. 2692, which I joined 
Research Subcommittee Chairman Smith in introducing and which was 
ordered reported by the Committee on Science on July 22. I would like 
to thank Chairman Smith for working with me in a collegial way in the 
development of the fire authorization bill. The version of the 
authorization bill before the House preserves the key features of H.R. 
2692.
  The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, which created 
the U.S. Fire Administration, was intended to address a serious problem 
affecting the safety of all Americans. Much progress has been made as a 
result of this legislation to advance public education about fire 
safety, to improve the effectiveness of the fire services throughout 
the Nation, and to foster the wider use of home fire safety devices.
  Nevertheless, the United States still has one of the highest fire 
death rates among advanced nations, and fire deaths exceed the loss of 
life from all natural disasters combined. Clearly, much work remains to 
be done in order to make needed improvements in the Nation's fire 
safety record. I believe that S. 1152 will ensure that the U.S. Fire 
Administration has the resources and policies in place to help achieve 
this goal.

                              {time}  1145

  One matter of concern is that the effectiveness of the U.S. fire 
administration could suffer due to its submersion in the new Department 
of Homeland Security, which understandably must concentrate its efforts 
on combating threats from terrorism. The legislation seeks to preserve 
the status and visibility of the fire administration and its vital 
programs to advance fire safety within the Department of Homeland 
Security.

[[Page 30685]]

  To achieve this result, the bill reestablishes the position of fire 
administrator as a Presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed post. 
This is appropriate given the role of the Fire Administrator as the 
lead advocate for fire services within the Federal Government.
  Another important function of the U.S. Fire Administration is to 
support research and development and testing of new firefighting 
technologies. This bill reemphasizes this role and authorizes new 
funding to help carry it out, including support for the process for 
developing consensus standards for the performance of new fire 
protection and control technologies.
  Consistent with supporting the development of appropriate voluntary 
consensus standards for new firefighting equipment, the bill requires 
that equipment provided under the fire grants program conform to such 
standards where they exist. Fire grants provide fire departments across 
the Nation with the equipment and training they need to meet their 
important responsibilities in protecting the public from fire hazards. 
The Fire Administrator is given flexibility in applying the standards 
requirement for these grants so that the fire departments may propose 
solutions that make the most sense for their particular circumstances. 
Provision for this flexibility in the bill is in accordance with the 
recommendations received during the Committee on Science hearing on the 
legislation. The bill makes an additional modification to the statute 
creating the Fire Grants Program by specifying that awards to support 
training may include training firefighting personnel and maritime 
firefighting. The need for such training was ably advocated by the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), championed this provision.
  Madam Speaker, this bill is a bipartisan piece of legislation that 
authorizes the activities of a small, but extremely valuable, Federal 
agency that contributes to the safety of all Americans. I am pleased to 
commend the measure to my colleagues and ask for their support in the 
passage of this bill in the House.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith), the chairman of the Research 
Subcommittee and a real friend of the firefighters.
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for being 
one of the original congressional leaders for first responders and 
firefighters. And to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice 
Johnson), who is the vice chairman or ranking member of our Research 
Subcommittee, I thank her for her help.
  We have come a long way in this Congress helping first responders, 
and I think it has struck all of us after 9/11, the tremendous 
contribution that first responders add to the security of this country. 
So we are now asking even more of our firefighters and medical 
personnel. I would like to also commend Administrator Paulison, who has 
done an excellent job in terms of increasing the productivity and the 
efficiency of the United States Fire Administration.
  This legislation is consistent with the President's request of a 3 
percent increase in funding for the U.S. Fire Administration, but still 
at the same time with the help of the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 
Hoyer) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) on that side, 
certainly the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) and the chairman 
of this committee and myself and many others on the Republican side of 
the aisle, we worked together to make sure that we try to give 
firefighters the kind of training and support that they need to more 
effectively and efficiently conduct their business.
  I would also like to commend the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Camp) 
for initiating the standards requirement that allows different fire 
departments to know the quality of some of the equipment and the 
machinery and the items that they might buy in that fire department to 
make sure that they do not, for lack of a better expression, get ripped 
off with equipment that is not as good as it seems.
  Let me conclude by saying this is the bill I introduced and we passed 
in the House. It is a good bill. This Congress and America have 
increased our understanding that first responders and firefighters are 
very important to this country. Eighty percent of our firefighters in 
the United States are volunteers, but the full-time firefighter 
represents 80 percent of the people. So we have got to continue to 
support both the full-time firefighters and the volunteers, and that is 
what this bill does.
  Madam Speaker, the legislation before us today would reauthorize the 
United States Fire Administration, which is charged with helping to 
prevent and control fire-related losses through leadership, advocacy, 
education, and support. This bill has been endorsed by a number of 
leading fire organizations including the Congressional Fire Services 
Institute, International Association of Fire Fighters, National Fire 
Protection Association, and National Volunteer Fire Council.
  S. 1152, which is companion legislation to a bill that the 
distinguished Ranking Member of the Research Subcommittee and I 
introduced earlier this year, adheres to the Administration's budget 
request and provides 3 percent increases each year from 2005-2008. It 
would also restore the position of U.S. Fire Administrator as a 
Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed position, after it was 
inadvertently eliminated by the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
  USFA coordinates federal fire service training, public education, 
research, and data collection and analysis activities. In addition, 
USFA has administered the fire grant program, which supports fire 
departments by providing them with the tools and resources necessary to 
protect the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel. 
USFA Administrator David Paulison has done an excellent job since being 
appointed in 2001, and I'd like to take this opportunity to publicly 
recognize his outstanding service.
  This legislation also directs USFA to develop standards for 
firefighting equipment and technology. The new standards will help to 
ensure that firefighters have access to the highest quality equipment 
available. Equipment purchased through the fire grant program must meet 
the new standards, although under unique circumstances, the 
Administrator is given flexibility to waive this requirement.
  There was an effort to attach language similar to Representative Bob 
Etheridge's bill H.R. 919, the Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefit Act, to 
the bill before us today. I am one of 281 cosponsors of H.R. 919, which 
would ensure that the family of a public safety officer who suffers a 
fatal heart attack or stroke in the line of duty receives survivor 
benefits. These families are often forced to wrangle with the Justice 
Department to obtain compensation. In the interest of passing the USFA 
reauthorization expeditiously the language was eventually dropped. 
However, I would like to express my commitment to continuing to work 
for passage of H.R. 919.
  In closing, I am pleased that we were able to work closely with 
members of the minority as well as members of the fire services 
community in drafting this bipartisan legislation. I urge every Member 
to support S. 1152 so that we can insure the long-term viability of 
this important program.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes 
to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the United 
States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act. And I want to commend 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) and the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Hall) not only for bringing this important legislation to the 
floor, but for their exemplary leadership they have displayed on behalf 
of the fire community over these many years.
  Providing firefighters with the training and equipment they need to 
protect our communities is about as important a job as the Congress is 
charged with. This Congress and the previous Congress have risen to the 
occasion. And I am heartened by the advancement of this goal in recent 
years. So to the Chair and ranking members, they have done a 
spectacular job.
  We started with the passage of the FIRE Act in 2000, to provide 
Federal grants directly to local fire departments to help address 
equipment and training and other firefighter-related needs. Since then 
communities have received close to 13,000 awards nationwide. There are 
32,000 fire departments. Figure out the math. This has been an amazing 
achievement.

[[Page 30686]]

  Two weeks ago we were able to pass the ``Staffing for Adequate Fire 
and Emergency Response,'' the SAFER program. That authorizes $7.6 
billion through 2010 to combat the dangerous crisis of inadequate 
staffing in our Nation's career fire departments and volunteer 
departments at a time when it is more crucial than ever. We have come a 
long way. We have come a long way, indeed.
  America's fire death rate is still one of the highest per capita in 
the industrial world. Fire kills 3,700 people per year, injures 20,000, 
and approximately 100 firefighters die annually while doing their work.
  The USFA's National Fire Academy offers educational opportunities for 
firefighters in fire prevention and life safety activities, and, of 
course, we want it also to deal with the terrorist threat that is at 
hand. As a member of the Select Committee on Homeland Security, I find 
nothing to be more important than the defense of our families and our 
streets.
  Through research, testing, and evaluation, USFA works with the public 
and private entities to promote and improve fire and life safety. 
Additionally, the data collection of the National Fire Safety Data 
Center is absolutely critical to identify problem areas for which 
prevention and mitigation strategies are needed. Firefighters, whose 
bravery and valor protect our Nation every day, deserve all that we can 
give them, and a strong, flourishing Fire Administration will assist in 
this regard.
  And again, in conclusion, Madam Speaker, I think this is a great day 
for the fire services throughout the United States and a great day for 
our firefighters. They have earned it, and we are glad to participate 
in getting this legislation through today.
  Mr. CAMP. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1152, the 
United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act. This bill 
appropriately recognizes the value of the United States Fire 
Administration (USFA) for its national leadership in reducing the 
threat of fires and educating Americans about fire prevention methods. 
I want to thank Research Subcommittee Chairman Nick Smith and Science 
Chairman Boehlert for their leadership on this issue and their support 
for the inclusion of a bill I introduced, H.R. 545, the Firefighting 
Research and Coordination Act. I appreciate Senator McCain's leadership 
on this bill and for his hard work getting it passed last night in the 
Senate.
  The Firefighting Research and Coordination Act helps address current 
policy questions on how the federal government can most effectively 
provide firefighters with the training and equipment necessary to 
protect lives. The bill gives appropriate weight to top fire service 
needs: the development of voluntary consensus standards for 
firefighting equipment and technology; establishing nationwide and 
State mutual aid systems for dealing with national emergencies; and 
authorizing the National Fire Academy to train firefighters to respond 
to acts of terrorism and other national emergencies.
  This legislation enjoys wide bipartisan support and the endorsement 
of many national fire groups including the Congressional Fire Services 
Institute, National Fire Protection Association, and the International 
Association of Firefighters and Fire Chiefs, among others. With the 
tools this bill provides, I am confident the USFA will continue to be 
recognized as the preeminent authority in fire education and fire 
prevention. I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation.
  Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support S. 1152, bipartisan 
legislation to reauthorize the important work done by U.S. Fire 
Administration R. David Paulison and his dedicated staff in 
Emmittsburg, MD and Washington, DC.
  The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 established the 
United States Fire Administration and its National Fire Academy to 
reduce life and economic losses due to fire and related emergencies, 
through leadership, advocacy, coordination and support.
  Since that time, through data collection, public education, research 
ad training efforts, USFA has helped reduce fire deaths by at least 
half--making our communities and our citizens safer. For the past three 
years, the Fire Administrator has been tasked with administering the 
Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, created by Congress to 
adequately train and equip our career and volunteer firefighters across 
the country.
  This $750 million program is vital to our firefighters, too many of 
whom risk their lives on a daily basis to protect our homes and our 
families without the modern equipment and advanced training they 
deserve. The Fire Grant program has succeeded at getting much-needed 
dollars to fire departments in fair, efficient manner, and USFA has 
been widely praised for its work in administering the program.
  Authority for the Fire Grant program has now been moved to the 
Department of Homeland Security, and Members of the Fire Caucus, and 
all supporters of the fire community, will closely monitor the 
administration of the Grant program to guarantee that it continues to 
meet the needs of our fire departments.
  Madam Speaker, this legislation also contains provisions important to 
the National Fallen Firefighters Foundations, which was established 
more than a decade ago through the leadership of Senator Paul Sarbanes 
to create an organization that would properly honor all of America's 
fallen fire heroes--and take care of the surviving families and loved 
ones as they cope with their grief and attempt to move on after their 
loss.
  The Foundation carries out this mission with great compassion and 
dedication, and they have achieved a tremendous record of assisting the 
families of our fallen firefighters through the many programs, projects 
and activities they promote throughout the year. The provisions 
included in this legislation will allow the Foundation to continue, and 
to improve upon, the important work we have charged them to do.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this legislation, and urge my 
colleagues to do the same.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I have no further 
requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 1152.
  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.

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