On Saturday, December 17, the U.S. Senate passed the conference report to H.R. 2055, the so-called "megabus" appropriations bill that will fund the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security, Agriculture, and Interior for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012. The legislation passed the House of Representatives on Friday, so it now goes to the President for his expected signature.
Some highlights of the legislation include:
- The U.S. Fire Administration would receive $44.04 million, which is an approximately $1.55 million cut. This cut is less than the President and the House of Representatives proposed.
- The waivers for the requirements to the SAFER grant program were extended for both FY 2011 and FY 2012, so that fire departments also can re-hire and retain firefighters.
- The FIRE and SAFER grants would be funded at $337.5 million each, which is a cut of $67.5 million for each program.
- Funding for all of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s homeland security grants, including the Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS), the State Homeland Security Grant Program, the Urban Areas Security Initiative, Citizen Corps, and the Interoperable Communications Grant would be a combined $1.350 billion, allocated at the Secretary’s discretion.
- The Urban Search and Rescue teams would receive $41.25 million, an increase of approximately $6 million.
- The combined funding for the FLAME funds at the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior would be $407.89 million, an increase of $55.89 million.
The charts below provide more detail on how the FY 2012 appropriations compare to past years. All figures in charts are in millions.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
|
Program
|
FY 2012
|
FY 2011
|
FY 2012
(President's Budget)
|
FY 2012
(House-passed)
|
FY 2012
(Senate Approps)
|
FY 2012
Conference Report
|
|
USFA
|
45.59
|
45.59
|
42.54
|
42.54
|
45.04
|
44.04
|
|
FIRE
|
390
|
405
|
250
|
335
|
375
|
337.5
|
|
SAFER
|
420
|
405
|
420
|
335
|
375
|
337.5
|
|
UASI
|
887
|
725
|
920
|
**
|
400
|
^
|
|
SHSGP
|
950
|
725
|
1,050
|
**
|
430
|
^
|
|
Interoperable Comm. Grants
|
50
|
0
|
0*
|
**
|
0***
|
^
|
|
MMRS
|
41
|
35
|
0*
|
**
|
0***
|
^
|
|
US&R
|
32.5
|
35.18
|
29.11
|
35.25
|
41.25
|
41.25
|
* The President’s FY 2012 budget proposed the elimination of the Interoperable Emergency Communications and the Metropolitan Medical Response System grant programs, but recommended allowing initiatives formerly funded by these programs to become allowable expenses under the State Homeland Security Grant Program.
** The House bill (H.R. 2017) would provide a $1 billion pool for these programs and let the Secretary of Homeland Security fund them based on her discretion.
*** The Senate follows the President’s recommendation to eliminate the Interoperable Emergency Communications and the Metropolitan Medical Response System grant programs, but allow activities funded by these programs in FY 2011 to become allowable expenses under the State Homeland Security Grant Program.
^ The conference report uses the House’s approach and would create a $1,349,681,000 for all of the homeland-security-related grant programs and directs that the funding be distributed by threat, vulnerability, and consequence.
Federal Funding for Wildland Fire Programs
Department of the Interior
|
Program
|
FY 2010 (Enacted)
|
FY 2011 (Enacted)
|
FY 2012 (President's Budget)
|
FY 2012 House Interior Draft
|
FY 2012 Senage Draft
|
FY 2012 Conference Report
|
|
Wildland Fire Management (Total)
|
795
|
718.057*
|
729.5
|
574 (763 with directed use of existing funds)
|
No bill
|
566.495**
|
|
Fire facility renovations/construction
|
6.137
|
6.137
|
6.137
|
6.137
|
No bill
|
6.137
|
|
Rural Fire Assistance
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
No bill
|
Secretary's Discretion
|
|
FLAME Wildland Suppression Reserve Fund
|
61
|
61
|
92
|
92
|
No bill
|
92
|
* Rescinds $125 million from FY 2009 wildfire suppression balances and $200 million from FY 2010 wildfire suppression balances.
** The Secretary can spend the Wildland Fire Management funds on fire preparedness, suppression operations, fire science and research, emergency rehabilitation, hazardous fuels reduction, and rural fire assistance.
Department of Agriculture
|
Program
|
FY 2010 (Enacted)
|
FY 2012 (Enacted)
|
FY 2012 (President's Budget)
|
FY 2012 House Interior Draft
|
FY 2012 Senate Interior Draft
|
FY 2012 Conference Report
|
|
Wildland Fire Managment (Total)
|
2,104 (2,011 total, from other accounts)
|
2,172.387*
|
1,707
|
1,805
|
No bill
|
1,737.6***
|
|
FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund
|
413
|
291**
|
316
|
290.4
|
No bill
|
315.886
|
|
State Fire Assistance
|
71.25
|
65
|
40
|
Eligible under Wildland Fire Management
|
No bill
|
55.5
|
|
Volunteer Fire Assistance
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Not explicit
|
No bill
|
6.366
|
|
Wildland Fire Programs/Hazardous Fuels Reduction
|
206
|
206
|
157
|
183.5
|
No bill
|
317.5****
|
|
Forest Service, Capital Improvement and Maintenance
|
457
|
459.6
|
337
|
374
|
No bill
|
394.7
|
* Rescinds $75 million from FY 2009 wildfire suppression unobligated balances.
** Rescinds $200 million from FY 2010 FLAME unobligated balances.
*** Allows for $7.262 million for fire science research authorized by the Joint Fire Science Program.
**** $21.7 million of hazardous fuels reduction is for research activities and to make competitive research grants pursuant to the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act (16 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.)