Bill Cuts USFA, Grants; USAR Funding Raised

A recent Firehouse.com article discussed a new bill working its way through congress that will affect members of the fire service. 

Drastic cuts to the USFA, SAFER and AFG were included in the conference report to the "megabus" appropriations bill passed by the Senate on Saturday.

The measure - now awaiting President Obama's signature – was the last thing Senators had to do before heading home for the holidays.

The bill, which is 1,221 pages long, includes an increase in funding for Urban Search and Rescue Teams.

Despite the $67.5M cut to SAFER, the IAFF said they were pleased.

"This is a significant victory for IAFF affiliates across the nation, because it will provide substantial funding to hire, rehire and retain fire fighters and paramedics," IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger said in a prepared statement. "This funding will improve public safety and translate into thousands of jobs."

For more details and features of the measure, according to the IAFC, check out the full article on Firehouse.com.