FY 2018 Appropriations for AFG and SAFER

Yesterday the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Homeland Security marked up its Fiscal Year 2018 Department of Homeland Security bill. The subcommittee included $345 million for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program (AFG) and $345 million for SAFER (the hiring program) for a total of $690 million for fire grants. This represents level funding from FY 2017.

Other State and local Homeland Security program funding levels are:

$467 million       State Homeland Security Grant Program

$630 million       Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI)

$100 million       Public Transportation Assistance and Railroad Security Assistance

$350 million       Emergency Management Performance Grants

$100 million       National Predisaster Mitigation Fund

Most of these funding levels represent level funding from current FY 2017 levels.

The subcommittee markup will be followed by full Appropriations Committee consideration. The funding levels are not expected to change.

These actions represent the beginning of the FY 2018 funding process which is likely to result in a Continuing Resolution before the end of the fiscal year, September 30, 2017 and then an Omnibus FY 2018 appropriations bill when the agency bills are combined into a single large package for Congressional passage.

AFG/SAFER Reauthorization Hearing

The Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee held a hearing today examining the priorities and effectiveness of The U.S. Fire Administration and Fire Grant program reauthorization. The Subcommittee heard from fire chiefs, as well as U.S. Fire Administration Acting Administrator Dr. Denis Onieal and other witnesses who gave supportive testimony. Subcommittee Chair Barbara Comstock (VA- 10), Vice Chair Ralph Abraham (LA-05), and additional subcommittee members from both sides of the isle expressed support for the reauthorizations. We will keep you informed with additional updates regarding introduction of a House reauthorization package. For more information on yesterday’s hearing click on the link here.

Congratulations to FAMA and FEMSA members for their hard work in educating Congress on the importance of the AFG and SAFER programs to public safety.

We will keep you fully up-to-date on any further developments.

If you have any questions, please contact GAC Co-chairs John Granby at [email protected]; Lee Morris at [email protected]; Joe Mirabile at [email protected]; or GAC Sr. Adviser Dave Gatton at [email protected].