U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

89–010 

" ! SENATE 116TH CONGRESS

1st Session 

REPORT

2019

116–43 

Calendar No. 108 

EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE 

DESIGNATION OF OCTOBER 28, 2019, AS 

‘‘HONORING THE NATION’S FIRST 

RESPONDERS DAY’’ 

R E P O R T 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND 

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS 

UNITED STATES SENATE 

TO ACCOMPANY

S. CON. RES. 15 

JUNE 4, 2019.—Ordered to be printed 


E:\Seals\congress.#13
(II) 

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS 

RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin, Chairman 

ROB PORTMAN, Ohio 

RAND PAUL, Kentucky 

JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma 

MITT ROMNEY, Utah 

RICK SCOTT, Florida 

MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming 

JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri 

GARY C. PETERS, Michigan 

THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware 

MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire 

KAMALA D. HARRIS, California 

KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona 

JACKY ROSEN, Nevada 

GABRIELLE D’ADAMO SINGER, Staff Director 

JOSEPH C. FOLIO III, Chief Counsel 

BARRETT F. PERCIVAL, Professional Staff Member 

DAVID M. WEINBERG, Minority Staff Director 

ZACHARY I. SCHRAM, Minority Chief Counsel 

ROY S. AWABDEH, Minority Counsel 

CHRISTOPHER J. MULKINS, Minority Government Accountability Office Detailee 

LAURA W. KILBRIDE, Chief Clerk 

Calendar No. 108 

116TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 116–43 

EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF 

OCTOBER 28, 2019, AS ‘‘HONORING THE NATION’S FIRST 

RESPONDERS DAY’’ 

JUNE 4, 2019.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. JOHNSON, from the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. Con. Res. 15] 

The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, 

to which was referred the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 15) 

expressing support for the designation of October 28, 2019, as 

‘‘Honoring the Nation’s First Responders Day’’, having considered 

the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the concurrent resolution do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

I. Purpose and Summary .................................................................................. 1 

II. Background and Need for the Legislation ................................................... 2 

III. Legislative History ......................................................................................... 3 

IV. Section-by-Section Analysis .......................................................................... 3 

V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact .................................................................. 3 

VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate ................................................ 3 

VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Concurrent Resolution, as Reported .......................................................................................................... 3 

I. PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

S. Con. Res. 15 expresses support for the designation of October 

28, 2019, as ‘‘Honoring the Nation’s First Responders Day.’’ First 

responders deserve to be recognized for their commitment to safety, 

defense, and honor. First responders include all professional and 

volunteer fire, police, emergency medical technician, and paramedic 

workers in the United States. 

2 

1 Emergency Services Sector Profile, Dep’t of Homeland Sec. (Nov. 2018), available at https:// 

www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/18_0126_NPPD_emergency-services-sector-profile.pdf. 2First Responders, Dep’t of Homeland Sec., available at https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/first-responders (last visited May 20, 2019). 3Kristina Shafer et al., Characteristics of Individuals and Employment Among First Responders, Dep’t of Labor (2015), available at https://www.dol.gov/asp/evaluation/analytics-reports/ 

CharacteristicsOfIndividualsAndEmploymentAmongFirstResponders.pdf. 4 Id. 

5 2017 Hurricane Season: Oversight of the Federal Response: Hearing Before the S. Comm. On 

Homeland Sec. & Governmental Affairs, 115th Cong. (2017) (opening statement for Sen. Ron 

Johnson, Chairman), available at https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/hearings/2017-hurricane-seasonoversight-of-the-federal-response. 6 Id. 

7Transparency and Training: Preparing Our First Responders for Emerging Threats and Hazards: Hearing Before the S. Comm. on Homeland Sec. & Governmental Affairs, Subcomm. on 

Emergency Mgmt., Intergovernmental Rel., and the District of Columbia, 113th Cong. (2014), 

available at https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/emdc/hearings/transparency-and-training-preparing-our-first-responders-for-emerging-threats-and-hazards. 8Fifty Years Since the Great Alaska Earthquake: The Role of First Responders in Catastrophic 

Disaster Planning: Hearing Before the S. Comm. on Homeland Sec. & Governmental Affairs, 

Subcomm. on Emergency Mgmt., Intergovernmental Rel., and the District of Columbia, 113th 

Cong. (2014), available at https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/emdc/hearings/fiftyyears-since-the-great-alaska-earthquake-the-role-of-first-responders-in-catastrophic-disasterplanning. 9 United States Fire Administration, AFG, and SAFER Program Reauthorization Act of 2017, 

Pub. L. No. 115–98 (115th Cong.) (passed the Committee as S. 829). 

II. BACKGROUND AND THE NEED FOR LEGISLATION

There are an estimated 4.6 million first responders, comprised of 

career and volunteer professionals, in the United States.1 First responders often serve as ‘‘the primary line of defense for U.S. communities, responding to an evolving spectrum of natural and manmade threats,’’ putting themselves at risk to protect or aide others.2 They serve in critical roles across the country, with daily responsibilities that often involve ‘‘managing crisis situations or 

working in dangerous or unstable environments.’’ 3 Consequently, 

work-related incidents that cause injury or illness occur at much 

higher rates for first responders, in comparison to workers in most 

other occupations.4

This Committee has a history of working together to support first 

responders in various capacities. In 2017, for example, the Committee held a hearing regarding the Federal Government’s response to the 2017 hurricane season.5 During the hearing, the 

Committee recognized the contributions of first responders who 

worked for weeks on end to ‘‘help alleviate the suffering and begin 

the monumental task of rebuilding.’’ 6 In 2014, for example, the 

Committee held a hearing entitled, Transparency and Training: 

Preparing our First Responders for Emerging Threats and Hazards, 

to discuss challenges facing first responders from the transportation of hazardous material, and various ways to support first responders.7 In that same year, the Committee held a hearing to 

evaluate the role and coordination of first responders in catastrophic disaster planning.8 Additionally, last Congress the Committee approved and the President enacted legislation to reauthorize federal grants that help local fire departments comply with 

staffing, response, and operational standards.9

The Committee is honored to support this legislation to ensure 

that first responders are recognized for their contributions to communities across the United States. 

3 

III. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D–MA) introduced S. Con. Res. 15 on 

May 1, 2019, with Senators Tom Cotton (R–AR), Ron Johnson (R– 

WI), James Lankford (R–OK), Gary Peters (D–MI), and Jacky 

Rosen (D–NV). The concurrent resolution was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on May 1, 

2019. 

The Committee considered S. Con. Res. 15 at a business meeting 

on May 15, 2019. The concurrent resolution was ordered reported 

favorably en bloc by voice vote. Senators Johnson, Paul, Lankford, 

Scott, Peters, Carper, Hassan, and Rosen were present for the vote. 

For the record only, Senators Portman, Romney, Hawley, and 

Sinema later asked to be recorded as ‘‘yes’’ by unanimous consent. 

IV. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION, 

AS REPORTED

The resolution makes findings about first responders’ work within a variety of disciplinary areas, the size of the first responder 

community, and need to recognize their service. The resolution designates October 28, 2019, as ‘‘Honoring the Nation’s First Responders Day.’’ The concurrent resolution urges Americans to engage in 

appropriate ceremonies and activities that promote appreciation of 

the sacrifices and work of first responders on October 28, 2019. 

V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT

Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of 

the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has considered 

the regulatory impact of this concurrent resolution and determined 

that the concurrent resolution will have no regulatory impact within the meaning of the rules. The Committee agrees with the Congressional Budget Office’s statement that the concurrent resolution 

contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would 

impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

VI. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

As this is a concurrent resolution, there is no Congressional 

Budget Office cost estimate. 

VII. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION, AS REPORTED

Because this legislation would not repeal or amend any provision 

of current law, it would not make changes in existing law within 

the meaning of clauses (a) and (b) of paragraph 12 of rule XXVI 

of the Standing Rules of the Senate. 

Æ