[Senate Report 117-214]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                  Calendar No. 567

117th Congress}                                           { Report
                                 SENATE
  2d Session  }                                           { 117-214

======================================================================
 
                       FIRE GRANTS AND SAFETY ACT

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                OF THE

                   COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND

                          GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                          UNITED STATES SENATE

                              TO ACCOMPANY

                                S. 4882

                TO AMEND THE FEDERAL FIRE PREVENTION AND
            CONTROL ACT OF 1974 TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS
             FOR THE UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION AND
                 FIREFIGHTER ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAMS

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


               November 28, 2022.--Ordered to be printed
               
                              __________

                  U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE                    
 39-010                   WASHINGTON : 2022       
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------                  
           
        COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                   GARY C. PETERS, Michigan, Chairman
THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware           ROB PORTMAN, Ohio
MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire         RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona              RAND PAUL, Kentucky
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada                  JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma
ALEX PADILLA, California             MITT ROMNEY, Utah
JON OSSOFF, Georgia                  RICK SCOTT, Florida
                                     JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri

                   David M. Weinberg, Staff Director
                    Zachary I. Schram, Chief Counsel
         Christopher J. Mulkins, Director of Homeland Security
           Naveed Jazayeri, Senior Professional Staff Member
                Pamela Thiessen, Minority Staff Director
            Sam J. Mulopulos, Minority Deputy Staff Director
       Clyde E. Hicks Jr., Minority Director of Homeland Security
                     Laura W. Kilbride, Chief Clerk


                                                  Calendar No. 567

117th Congress}                                           { Report
                                 SENATE
  2d Session  }                                           { 117-214

======================================================================

                       FIRE GRANTS AND SAFETY ACT

                                _______
                                

               November 28, 2022.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Peters, from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
                    Affairs, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 4882]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, to which was referred the bill (S. 4882) to amend the 
Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to authorize 
appropriations for the United States Fire Administration and 
firefighter assistance grant programs, having considered the 
same, reports favorably thereon with amendments and recommends 
that the bill, as amended, do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
  I. Purpose and Summary..............................................1
 II. Background and Need for the Legislation..........................2
III. Legislative History..............................................3
 IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported.............3
  V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................4
 VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................4
VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............7

                         I. Purpose and Summary

    S. 4882, the Fire Grants and Safety Act, would reauthorize 
the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) 
grant program, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) 
program, and the United States Fire Administration (USFA). The 
current authorization of appropriations for all three entities 
expires in 2023, and SAFER and AFG have a program sunset in 
2024. The bill would extend all three authorizations until 2030 
and impose a new sunset clause of 2032 for the SAFER and AFG 
programs. It also authorizes appropriations for USFA at $95 
million for the entire time period, an increase from the 
current authorization of $76.5 million. It does not change the 
SAFER and AFG authorization amounts, which was set at $750 
million each in 2013 and is adjusted for inflation every year.

              II. Background and Need for the Legislation

    Firefighters in the United States play a critical role in 
mitigating and responding to the persistent threat of fires 
that occur at our homes, businesses, across landscapes, and 
other locations in our communities. Fires remain a persistent 
threat across the country. In 2021, there were an estimated 
1.35 million fires responded to by local fire departments in 
the United States.\1\ These fires caused 3,800 civilian deaths 
and an estimated $15.9 billion in property damage.\2\ Fire 
stations across the country rely on SAFER, AFG, and the USFA 
for critical resources and information to protect both their 
communities and firefighting personnel.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\National Fire Protection Association, Fire Loss in the United 
States During 2021 (Sept. 
2022) (https://www.nfpa.org//media/Files/News%20and%20Research/
Fire%20statistics%20and% 20reports/US%20Fire%20Problem/
osFireLoss.ashx).
    \2\Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Firefighting and the providing of fire protection services 
is generally the responsibility of local governments, with 
funding coming from a mix of state, county, and city 
resources.\3\ Due to state and local budget shortfalls in the 
1990s, and increased responsibilities such as counterterrorism, 
fire community stakeholders called for additional funding from 
the federal government.\4\ The AFG program was authorized in 
the 106th Congress to provide federal funding for equipment and 
training directly to local fire departments.\5\ After the AFG 
program was created, stakeholders in the fire services 
community argued that there remained a critical need for a 
federal program to provide grants to help fire departments 
recruit and retain firefighters, and that without federal 
assistance local fire departments would be unable to meet 
national consensus standards for minimum staffing levels. In 
response, Congress passed the SAFER Act in the 108th Congress 
which authorized the SAFER grant program to help address fire 
department staffing needs.\6\ The USFA was created after a 
report from the National Commission on Fire Prevention and 
Control, entitled America Burning.\7\ The Commission 
recommended the creation of a federal fire agency which would 
provide support to state and local governments and private fire 
organizations in their efforts to reduce fire deaths, injuries, 
and property loss.\8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \3\Congressional Research Service, Staffing for Adequate Fire and 
Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program (RL33375) (Apr. 25, 2019).
    \4\Id.
    \5\Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, Pub. L. No. 93-
498, Sec. 33 (2019).
    \6\Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, as amended, 
Pub. L. No. 93-498, Sec. 34. (2004).
    \7\Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, Pub. L. No. 95-
422.
    \8\Congressional Research Service, United States Fire 
Administration: An Overview (RS20071) (Apr. 25, 2019).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The SAFER program provides grants from the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to career, volunteer, and 
combination local fire departments for the purpose of 
increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet 
industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to 
provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related 
hazards.\9\ The AFG program provides grants from FEMA to local 
fire departments and unaffiliated Emergency Medical Services 
(EMS) organizations to help address a variety of equipment, 
training, and other firefighter-related and EMS needs.\10\ 
USFA's mission is to provide leadership, coordination, and 
support for the nation's fire prevention and control, fire 
training and education, and emergency medical services 
activities, and to prepare first responders and health care 
leaders to react to hazard and terrorism emergencies of all 
kinds.\11\ One of USFA's key objectives is to significantly 
reduce the nation's loss of life from fire, while also 
achieving a reduction in property loss and nonfatal injury due 
to fire. They work to achieve this through data collection, 
research, trainings, and public education.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \9\Id.
    \10\Congressional Research Service, Assistance to Firefighters 
Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding (RL32341) (Apr. 25, 2019).
    \11\Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Fire Administration 
Fiscal Year 2021 Report to Congress (Aug. 30, 2022).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This legislation will ensure firefighters, EMS workers, and 
other stakeholders will continue to have access to critical 
grant funding and information to help keep themselves, and 
their communities, safe. This legislation would extend all 
three authorizations until 2030 and impose a new sunset clause 
of 2032 for the SAFER and AFG programs. Additionally, the bill 
increases the authorization of appropriation for the USFA from 
the current $76.5 million to $95 million.

                        III. Legislative History

    S. 4882 was introduced on September 19, 2022 by Senators 
Peters (D-MI) and Portman (R-OH), and referred to the Senate 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 
Senators Carper (D-DE) and Collins (R-ME) joined as cosponsors 
of the bill on September 28, 2022. The Committee considered 
this bill at a business meeting on September 28, 2022. During 
the meeting, Senator Scott offered an amendment that would 
strike the repeal of the AFG and SAFER sunsets and add a sunset 
in 2030 for both programs. Senator Peters offered a second-
degree amendment to Scott's amendment that made the sunset year 
2032 instead of 2030.
    The Committee adopted Scott Amendment 1, as amended by the 
Peters second-degree amendment, and reported the bill favorably 
by voice vote, as amended. The Senators present for the vote 
were Peters, Carper, Hassan, Sinema, Rosen, Padilla, Ossoff, 
Portman, Johnson, Lankford, Romney, Scott, and Hawley.

        IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported


Section 1. Short title

    This section designates the name of the bill as the ``Fire 
Grants and Safety Act.''

Section 2. Reauthorization of the United States Fire Administration

    This section reauthorizes the authorization for 
appropriations of the United States Fire Administration (USFA) 
at $95 million for fiscal years 2024 through 2030. This section 
states that $3.42 million of the funds appropriated will be 
used to carry out technology development and standards 
development.

Section 3. Reauthorization of assistance for Firefighters grants 
        program and the Fire Prevention and Safety grants program

    Subsection (a) changes the current sunset provision from 
2024 to 2032 for the AFG program.
    Subsection (b) extends the authorization of appropriations 
for the AFG program through fiscal year 2030.

Section 4. Reauthorization of Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency 
        Response grant program

    Subsection (a) changes the current sunset provision from 
2024 to 2032 for the SAFER grant program.
    Subsection (b) extends the authorization of appropriations 
for the SAFER grant program through fiscal year 2030.

                   V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact

    Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph 11(b) of rule 
XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has 
considered the regulatory impact of this bill and determined 
that the bill will have no regulatory impact within the meaning 
of the rules. The Committee agrees with the Congressional 
Budget Office's statement that the bill contains no 
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs 
on state, local, or tribal governments.

             VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                  Washington, DC, November 9, 2022.
Hon. Gary C. Peters,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. 
        Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed table summarizing estimated budgetary 
effects and mandates information for some of the legislation 
that has been ordered reported by the Senate Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs during the 117th 
Congress.
    If you wish further details, we will be pleased to provide 
them. The CBO staff contact for each estimate is listed on the 
enclosed table.
            Sincerely,
                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

           SUMMARY ESTIMATES OF LEGISLATION ORDERED REPORTED

    The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 requires the 
Congressional Budget Office, to the extent practicable, to 
prepare estimates of the budgetary effects of legislation 
ordered reported by Congressional authorizing committees. In 
order to provide the Congress with as much information as 
possible, the attached table summarizes information about the 
estimated direct spending and revenue effects of some of the 
legislation that has been ordered reported by the Senate 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs during 
the 117th Congress. The legislation listed in this table 
generally would have small effects, if any, on direct spending 
or revenues, CBO estimates. Where possible, the table also 
provides information about the legislation's estimated effects 
on spending subject to appropriation and on intergovernmental 
and private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates 
Reform Act.

  LEGISLATION ORDERED REPORTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS ESTIMATED BUDGETARY EFFECTS AND MANDATES INFORMATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                       Increases
                                                               Direct                 Spending Subject   Pay-As-You-   On-Budget
   Bill        Title        Status      Last      Budget     Spending,    Revenues,          to              Go         Deficits    Mandates    Contact
  Number                               Action    Function    2023-2032    2023-2032    Appropriation,    Procedures    Beginning
                                                                                          2023-2027        Apply?       in 2033?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
S. 4882    Fire Grants    Ordered     09/28/22  450         0            0            Not estimated     No            No           No          Jon Sperl
            and Safety     reported
            Act
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
S. 4882 would reauthorize appropriations for the operation of the U.S. Fire Administration and two grant programs administered by the agency that
  provide assistance to state, local, and tribal fire departments. Those programs provide assistance for hiring and retaining firefighters and first
  responders as well as for training and for procuring equipment and vehicles. CBO estimates that enacting S. 4882 would not affect direct spending or
  revenues. CBO has not estimated the discretionary costs of implementing the bill. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
  defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

       VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows: (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in brackets, new matter is 
printed in italic, and existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

FEDERAL FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL ACT OF 1974

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SEC. 17. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

    (g)(1) Except as otherwise specifically provided with 
respect to the payment of claims under section 11 of this Act, 
there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the 
purposes of this Act--
          (A) $63,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, of which 
        $2,266,000 shall be used to carry out section 8(f);
          (L) $76,490,890 for fiscal year 2016, of which 
        $2,753,672 shall be used to carry out section 8(f); 
        [and]
          (M) $76,490,890 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 
        2023, of which $2,753,672 for each such fiscal year 
        shall be used to carry out section 8(f)[.]; and
          (N) $95,000,000 for each fiscal years 2024 through 
        2030, of which $3,420,000 for each such fiscal year 
        shall be used to carry out section 8(f).

SEC. 33. FIREFIGHTER ASSISTANCE.

    (q) Authorization of Appropriations.--
          (1) In general.--There is authorized to be 
        appropriated to carry out this section--
                  (A) * * *
                  (B) for each of fiscal years 2014 through 
                [2023] 2030, an amount equal to the amount 
                authorized for the previous fiscal year 
                increased by the percentage by which--
                          (i) * * *
                          (ii) * * *
          (2) * * *
          (3) * * *
    (r) Sunset of Authorities.--The authority to award 
assistance and grants under this section shall expire on 
September 30, [2024] 2032.

SEC. 34. STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE.

    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--
          (1) In general.--There are authorized to be 
        appropriated for the purposes of carrying out this 
        section--
                  (I) for each of fiscal years 2014 through 
                [2023] 2030, an amount equal to the amount 
                authorized for the previous fiscal year 
                increased by the percentage by which--
                          (i) * * *
                          (ii) * * *
                  (2) * * *
                  (3) * * *
          (k) Sunset of Authorities.--The authority to award 
        assistance and grants under this section shall expire 
        on September 30, [2024] 2032.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


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