FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 24, 2002
LARSON FIRST
RESPONDER PRIORITIES FUNDED IN DEFENSE AND HOMELAND SECURITY SPENDING BILL
WASHINGTON, D.C.- The House
of Representatives last night passed the conference report for the Defense
and Homeland Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 4775),
containing significant funding for local police and fire departments that
constitute America's first responders to acts of terrorism. The
legislation includes funding to aid first responders through programs that
are similar to those proposed in U.S. Congressman John B. Larson's (CT-01)
Municipal Preparation and Strategic Response Act (H.R. 3161), introduced
shortly after Sept. 11. It passed by a vote of 397 to 32.
Larson stated: "The
provisions in this legislation begins the effort to ensure that our
communities and first responders have the necessary equipment, training
and communications capabilities to respond to an act of terrorism. We must
meet our homeland defense needs by planning from the bottom up, focused on
the municipal level with local firefighters, police officers and emergency
medical teams, and this legislation is a strong step in the right
direction. The key components contained in the legislation will go to
ensuring that first responders have commonality and interoperability in
their communications and provides funding to communities for disaster
planning."
"The Capitol Region Council
of Governments (CRCOG), local officials, as well as fire and police chiefs
deserve a great deal of credit and thanks for the valuable input they
provided when this legislation was being written," said Larson.
The legislation includes $201
million for Department of Justice First Responder grants, $100 million for
emergency preparedness grants for state and local governments through the
Federal Emergency and Management Agency (FEMA) and $150 million for FEMA's
Fire Grant program of which $50 million is dedicated to interoperable
communications equipment for firefighters and emergency medical
responders. Another $50 million for communications interoperability
technology and equipment was included in the COPS program and Department
of Justice Assistance grants included an additional $151 million in First
Responder grants for equipment, security clearances, training and
exercises.
In October of 2001, Larson
introduced H.R. 3161 which would fund $1.5 billion for local fire and
police departments, emergency medical teams and health professionals
through the Firefighter Assistance and COPS programs, and would not
require communities to match federal funding.
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