Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-550
Sponsor: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT]
Introduced: 2011-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Department of Homeland Security
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Fires
Health programs administration and funding
Housing industry and standards
Licensing and registrations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-10
text: 
Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to reauthorize through FY2016 the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program. 

Authorizes the Administrator of FEMA to award: (1) AFG grants on a competitive basis to fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical services (EMS) organizations, and state fire training academies; and (2) fire prevention and safety grants to fire departments for fire prevention programs and research to improve firefighter health and life safety. 

Establishes grant funding requirements and limitations for emergency medical services, awards to nonaffiliated EMS organizations, fire prevention and safety grants, state fire training academies, and purchasing firefighting vehicles.

Requires the Administrator to: (1) appoint fire service and EMS personnel to conduct peer reviews of grant applications; and (2) publish guidelines in the Federal Register describing the grant application process and criteria for selecting grant recipients.

Amends SAFER program provisions to: (1) reduce the period of SAFER grants from four to three years; (2) limit to 75% the portion of the cost of hiring firefighters provided by a grant in any fiscal year; and (3) allow a waiver, based upon economic hardship, of certain firefighter hiring and cost requirements.

Terminates amendments made by this Act on October 1, 2016.

action_date: 2011-06-29
text: 
Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2011 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (Act) to modify various definitions in such Act, including changing the title of the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from Director to Administrator (the current title).
 
(Sec. 3) Modifies provisions of the Act authorizing the Administrator to award Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG grants) and Fire Prevention & Safety Grants (FP&S grants). 
 
Sets forth new terms and conditions for awarding AFG and FP&S grants, including limits on grant amounts based upon the population of a jurisdiction receiving grants and permissible uses of grant funds. Prohibits any grant recipient from receiving more than 1% of the total available grant funding.
 
Directs the Administrator to appoint fire service personnel and personnel from nonaffiliated emergency medical service (EMS) organizations to conduct peer reviews of grant applications. Sets forth criteria for prioritizing and allocating grant awards based upon the degree to which an award will reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage. Establishes funding limits for emergency medical services, nonaffiliated EMS organizations, FP&S grants, state fire training academies, and for purchasing fire fighting vehicles.
 
Sets forth matching fund requirements for AFG and FP&S grants.
 
Requires the Administrator to: (1) publish guidelines in the Federal Register describing the grant application process and the criteria for selecting grant recipients, and (2) convene a meeting of qualified members of national fire service and EMS organizations to obtain recommendations on the criteria for awarding grants.
 
Authorizes the Administrator to audit grant recipients to ensure that grant amounts are expended for the intended purposes. Directs the Administrator to develop and implement a performance assessment system, including quantifiable metrics, to evaluate the effectiveness of grants. Requires grant recipients to submit annual reports to the Administrator describing their use of grant funds. Requires the Administrator to submit annual reports through 2016 to Congress evaluating the effectiveness of AFG and FP&S grants awarded under this Act.
 
Authorizes appropriations through FY2016.
 
Terminates the authority for making AFG and FP&S grants on October 1, 2016.
 
(Sec. 4) Amends Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program provisions to: (1) reduce the term of SAFER grants from four to three years; (2) limit to 75% the portion of the cost of hiring firefighters provided by a grant in any fiscal year; and (3) allow a waiver, based upon economic hardship, of certain firefighter hiring and cost requirements. Directs the Administrator to establish a performance assessment system, including quantifiable performance metrics, to evaluate the effectiveness of SAFER grants. Requires the Administrator to report to specified congressional committees by September 30, 2015, on the effectiveness of the SAFER grant program in meeting its objectives. Authorizes appropriations through FY2016.
 
Terminates the authority to award SAFER grants and provide technical assistance on October 1, 2016. 
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Comptroller General to report by September 30, 2015, on the effect of this Act, including: (1) an assessment of this Act's effect on the effectiveness, relative allocation, accountability, and administration of grants awarded under the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974; and (2) an evaluation of the extent to which the changes made by this Act have enabled recipients to mitigate fire, fire-related, and other hazards more effectively.
 
 (Sec. 6) Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to report to Congress, within 180 days after the enactment of this Act, on the grant programs administered by the Administrator, including: (1) whether and to what degree such programs provide duplicative or overlapping assistance, (2) the cost of each program, and (3) recommendations for consolidation and elimination of programs to reduce duplication of assistance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-29
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 89.
action_date: 2011-06-29
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 112-28.
action_date: 2011-06-29
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 112-28.
action_date: 2011-05-18
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2011-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1551-1555)
action_date: 2011-03-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1551)
action_date: 2011-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate