On September 28, 2022, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee favorably reported out of committee a bill to reauthorize the AFG and SAFER grant programs, as well as the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA).
The Fire Grants and Safety Act (S. 4882), which is sponsored by Committee Chairman Gary Peters and Ranking Member Rob Portman would:
- Reauthorize AFG, SAFER, and USFA through fiscal year (FY) 2030;
- Increase the authorized funding level for USFA from the current level of $76.5 million to $95 million; and
- Extend the sunset for AFG and SAFER to September 30, 2032.
Extending the authorization period for AFG, SAFER, and USFA for seven years is a big success for the fire and emergency services, as is the approximately 25% increase in the USFA authorization.
“We thank Chairman Peters and Ranking Member Portman for their work in expeditiously moving this bill through the committee,” said Bill Webb, Executive Director of the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI). “CFSI looks forward to working with Senators Peters, Portman, and our strong supporters on the Congressional Fire Services Caucus to get this bill signed into law by the end of the year.”
