“I am pleased that we could come together to adequately fund our homeland security needs,” Ross said.  “I am particularly pleased that this bill includes more than $20 billion in aid for first responders.  Last month I released the First Responder Preparedness Survey which highlighted the need for funding, equipment, and training for firefighters, police officers, and other first responders in our district.  This money will help to fund grant programs to help them, and our office will do whatever we can to secure proper grant funding so that our local first responders can continue to protect people and property and take on the added task of serving as front line troops for hometown security.” 

Aid to first responders in H.R.2555 includes: 

$1.9 billion for the Office for Domestic Preparedness’ basic formula grant program 
$500 million for state and local law enforcement terrorism prevention grants 
$200 million for Infrastructure Grants 
$750 million for Firefighter Grants 
$168 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants 
$35 million for a new competitive grant program for Centers for Emergency Preparedness 
$125 million for the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium 
$134 million for technical assistance, national exercises, standards, and testing 
 

H.R.2555 was approved by a vote of 425-2, and will move next to the Senate for action.  For more information, visit www.house.gov/appropriations.