Today the Senate Appropriations Committee released its Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill (H.R. 2617). The bill includes mixed results for the federal fire and emergency service programs:
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant and SAFER grant program both received no changes to their funding, and they were funded at $360 million.
- The U.S. Fire Administration received an increase to $58.287 million.
- The Urban Search and Rescue system received an increase to $37.832 million.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Volunteer Fire Assistance (Rural Fire Capacity) program received a slight increase to $21 million.
- The USDA State Fire Assistance/National Fire Capacity program received a slight increase to $76 million.
- The National Firefighter Cancer Registry received an increase to $5.5 million.
- The Supporting and Improving Rural Emergency Medical Service's Needs (SIREN) received an increase to $10.5 million.
- The Public Housing Fund of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development received $65 million for competitive grants to public housing agencies to evaluate and reduce residential health hazards, including lead-based paint, carbon monoxide, mold, radon, and fire safety, of which not less than $25 million is specifically for lead hazards.
The Medicare Ground Ambulance Add-On payments were extended to December 31, 2024.
Unfortunately, the IAFC and other national fire service organizations were unable to add the Fire Grants and Safety Act (S. 4882) to the omnibus appropriations bill. The AFG and SAFER grants will be funded under this legislation, but they still will face a statutory sunset date of September 30, 2024. The IAFC will work with our allies to pass legislation to protect the AFG and SAFER programs next year.
The House and Senate are expected to vote on the legislation this week.
Ken LaSala is the IAFC’s Director of Government Relations & Policy