"....to educate Members of Congress about fire and life safety issues."
Whether you are a firefighter, emergency services responder, manufacturer or fire service leader, the United States Congress is more aware of your concerns because of the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI). Established in 1989 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy institute, CFSI is designed to educate members of Congress about the needs and challenges of our nation's fire and emergency services so that the federal government provides the types of training and funding needed by our first responders.
To learn about our mission on Capitol Hill please click here.
Preparing America's Fire & Emergency Services for the Next Call
What to expect in Washington in 2011?Be Prepared for Major Challenges
As of September, 2010, the federal debt was $13,433,710,591,905. . .give or take a few dollars. To erase the debt, every American would have to cut a check for $43,468 - from every newborn in hospital nurseries to every senior rounding the final corner of life's journey. Anxiety over the debt and annual federal deficits (the 2010 fiscal year deficit is projected to be $1.3 trillion) is not limited to the Tea Party activists; it looms over the heads of all Americans, particularly our elected leaders who face tough campaigns in November.
Regardless of who wins in November, Congress and the Administration hear the public outcry and will need to make some tough choices to reign in the debt. And this challenge becomes increasingly more difficult each year as the baby boomers approach retirement age and qualify for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid in increasing numbers.
Consensus is the Key to Our Success
"Legislation has been put on the fast track." That's not a term Congress often uses anymore. These days with partisan politics deeply imbedded in our political systems, it's a small wonder that the wheels of government continue to spin.
We all know that Congress and the Obama Administration are being consumed by issues of monumental significance - the recession, health care legislation, the H1N1 epidemic and the war in Afghanistan. I certainly can't recall during my lifetime when so many issues of major consequence faced our nation. It is an extraordinary time to be working in Washington, DC and seeing how our elected leaders are navigating their ways through these turbulent waters.