Congressional Fire Services Institute

Following efforts from the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and the other national fire organizations working in concert, the Senate voted 95 to 2 to pass S.870, the Fire Grants and Safety Act. This bipartisan bill would reauthorize the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) programs, as well as the U.S. Fire Administration. CFSI has been working hard to advocate for the passage of this bill through Congress.

Specifically, the bill would:

• Reauthorize AFG, SAFER, and USFA through FY2030;
• Extend the sunset for AFG and SAFER to September 30, 2032, to ensure local fire departments can continue to receive the vital federal assistance they need to keep their communities safe; and
• Provide critical funding for USFA by increasing the authorization to $95 million, allowing USFA to respond to the ever-growing needs of the fire and emergency services for training, data, research, and more.

In order to get this bill across the finish line before AFG and SAFER expire next year, members of the fire and emergency services will need to continue to work together to encourage Congress to get it done. CFSI will continue to work to advance this essential legislation.

On March 29, 2023, the Senate unanimously agreed to move forward on the path to floor consideration of the Fire Grants and Safety Act (S.870). The Senate expects to consider the bill in the coming days. CFSI and our partner organizations will continue to advocate in support of this vital legislation. We are requesting that the bill move forward without amendments to prevent undue delay in this bill becoming law. To contact your Senator to express support for the passage of S.870 without amendments, click here and search for your state.

S.870 would reauthorize the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) programs through fiscal year (FY) 2030. Without reauthorization, the programs will sunset on September 30, 2024. AFG and SAFER are a vital funding source for fire departments of all types—career, combination, and volunteer.

The Fire Grants and Safety Act would also reauthorize the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and increase the authorized funding level to $95 million. USFA is the lead federal agency for fire data collection, public safety education, fire research, and fire service training. The increased authorization will give USFA's budget room to grow in future years as the agency works to support fire and EMS personnel across the country.