WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) voted to pass the bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act through the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. This legislation would reauthorize key federal programs that provide robust funding to local fire departments and help them hire more firefighters.
“Nevada’s firefighters are heroes who routinely put themselves in harm’s way to keep our communities safe,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to have helped advance this bipartisan legislation which will ensure fire departments across the nation can receive the federal funding to purchase lifesaving equipment and hire more firefighters. I will continue working to see that this bill passes the full Senate and is swiftly signed into law.”
Specifically, the Fire Grants and Safety Act would reauthorize the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program, which help provide funding for fire departments across the United States to purchase equipment and hire more firefighters. This bill would also increase the annual authorization for the U.S. Fire Administration by about $20 million while maintaining the authorized annual funding level for SAFER and AFG at $750 million.
Senator Rosen has been a leader in the effort to support firefighters. Last year, she helped deliver an historic pay raise and benefits funding for federal wildland firefighters through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Last year, Senator Rosen also co-sponsored the Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act, which advanced out of committee with a Rosen-led amendment and would exempt overtime pay caps for Forest Service and Interior Department wildland firefighters. Senator Rosen has also repeatedly pushed for the federal government to do more to support Western states affected by wildfires.
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