AFG/SAFER FY 2013 Funding

[SLY4420]

The U.S. Senate yesterday approved H.R. 933, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, by a vote of 73 to 26. The Senate bill funds the government through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. The bill now returns to the House for its consideration.

If H.R. 933 is passed in the House (expected today), the Assistance to Firefighters and SAFER grant programs will be funded at $675 million for FY 2013 or $337.5 million for each program. Funding levels in H.R 933 still will be subject to sequestration cuts at 5.1% for each grant, bringing the appropriations level to $320 million for each program.

However, a special provision in the H.R. 933 Senate version puts administrative expenses for the fire grants programs in a different part of the bill, meaning the 5.1% sequestration cut will be offset by a reduction in administrative expenses (approximately 5%) from the programs.

[WVFD705]

Not bad news, but I would strongly prefer for SAFER to be allowed to disappear and AFG be awarded that funding.