THE FIRST RESPONDERS PARTNERSHIP GRANT ACT
FACT SHEET

Chief Sponsor: Sen. Patrick Leahy

• Since March 12, 2002, the federal Homeland Security Advisory System has kept the nation’s first responders – firefighters, emergency rescue personnel and law enforcement officers – on “yellow” alert, an elevated threat level of a significant risk of terrorist attacks, which requires increased surveillance of critical locations.  From Sept.10, 2002, to Sept. 24, 2002, Attorney General Ashcroft declared the nation at “orange” threat level -- a “high condition” suggesting a high probability of a terrorist attack, requiring additional precautions at public events. 
   
• The National Governors’ Association estimated that States incurred about $7 billion in security costs in the past year alone.  As a result, the national threat alerts and other federal homeland security requirements have become unfunded federal mandates on our state and local governments. 
   
• The “First Responders Partnership Grant Act of 2003” is the charter for a grant program at the Department of Justice to provide $4 billion nationwide in annual funds to support first responders in their efforts to protect homeland security and prevent and respond to acts of terrorism. 
   
• Similar to the highly successful Justice Department Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Programs, the First Responder Grants will be made directly to state and local governments for overtime, equipment, training and facility expenses to support first responders. 
   
• The First Responder Grants may be used to pay up to 90 percent of the cost of the overtime, equipment, training or facility expenses.  In cases of fiscal hardship, the Department of Justice may waive the local match requirement of 10 percent to provide federal funds for communities that cannot afford the local match. 
   
• Under the bill's small-state minimum, Vermont public safety agencies would receive at least $30 million a year in First Responder Grants when fully funded.
   
• The Professional Firefighters of Vermont, Vermont Sheriffs Association and other Vermont public safety officials have endorsed the First Responders Partnership Grant Act because of the critically needed help it offers to the state’s first responders.

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Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy
on the “First Responders Partnership Grant Act of 2003”
February 5, 2003

MR. LEAHY.  Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the First Responders Partnership Grant Act of 2003.  I thank the Democratic Leader, Senator Daschle, and Assistant Democratic Leader, Senator Reid, for joining me as original cosponsors of this legislation that will supply our nation’s first responders with the support they so desperately need to protect homeland security and prevent and respond to acts of terrorism.

I want to begin by thanking each of our nation’s brave firefighters, emergency rescuers, law enforcement officers, and other first responder personnel for the jobs they do for the American public day in and day out.  Our public safety officers are often the first to respond to any crime or emergency situation.  On September 11th, the nation saw that the first on the scene at the World Trade Center were the heroic firefighters, police officers and emergency personnel in New York City.  These real-life heroes, many of whom gave the ultimate sacrifice, remind us of how important it is to support our State and local public safety partners.

But while we ask our nation’s first responders to defend us as never before on the front lines against the dark menace of domestic terrorism, we have failed supply them with the Federal support they need and deserve to protect us, as we expect and need them to protect us.

Since March 12, 2002, the Federal Homeland Security Advisory System has kept State and local first responders on Yellow Alert, an “elevated” threat level declared when there is a significant risk of terrorist attacks, requiring increased surveillance of critical locations.  On top of this, from September 10 to September 24 last year, Attorney General Ashcroft declared our country at Orange Threat level, a “high” condition indicating a high probability of a terrorist attack and when additional precautions by first responders are necessary at public events. 

Counties, cities and towns in my home state of Vermont and across the U.S. find themselves overwhelmed by increasing homeland security costs required by the Federal government.  Indeed, the National Governors’ Association estimates that states incurred around $7 billion in security costs over the past year alone.  As a result, the national threat alerts and other Federal homeland security requirements have become unfunded Federal mandates on our State and local governments.  Rutland County Sheriff R.J. Elrick, President of the Vermont Sheriffs’ Association, recently wrote to me, “We are in dire need of financial support to keep our personnel trained and equipped to meet the challenges here at home as we continue our vigilant commitment to fight terrorism.”

Mr. President, I ask for unanimous consent to place after my remarks in the Record the letter from the Vermont Sheriffs’ Association, as well as letters from the Professional Firefighters of Vermont, the Vermont Ambulance Association, and the Vermont Association of Police Chiefs, and Chief Doug Hoyt of Montpelier, Chief Anthony Bossi of Rutland City, Chief David Demag of Essex, and Chief Jeffery Whitesell of Winhall.

When terrorists strike, first responders are and will always be the first people we think of and turn to.  We place our lives and the lives of our families and friends in the hands of these officers, trusting that when called upon they will protect and save us.

Just how, without supplying them with the necessary resources, do we expect our nation’s first responders to realistically carry out their duties?

Our State and local law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency personnel are full partners in preventing, investigating and responding to terrorist acts.  They need and deserve the full collaboration of the Federal government to meet these new national responsibilities.

Washington is buzzing about the literally hundreds of billions of additional dollars the President plans to ask Congress to provide for our military services to fight the war on terrorism abroad.  The same cannot be said for helping security here at home, which is shamefully overlooked.  For a year and a half I have been working hard to remedy that, with allies like our distinguished Democratic Leader and Assistant Democratic Leader, and New York Senators Schumer and Clinton.  As former Chair and now Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, I have made it a high priority to evaluate and meet the needs of our first responders.

For these reasons, I am proud to introduce the First Responders Partnership Grant Act to give our nation’s law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency personnel the resources they need to do their jobs.  Our legislation will establish a grant program at the Department of Justice to provide $4 billion nationwide in annual Federal funds to support State and local public safety officers in their efforts to protect homeland security and prevent and respond to acts of terrorism. 

Similar to the highly successful Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Programs, the First Responder Grants will be made directly to State and local government units for overtime, equipment, training and facility expenses to support our law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency personnel. 

The First Responder Grants may be used to pay up to 90 percent of the cost of the overtime, equipment, training or facility.  In cases of fiscal hardship, the Justice Department can waive the local match requirement of 10 percent to provide federal funds for communities that cannot afford the local match. 

In a world shaped by the violent events of September 11th, day after day we call upon our public safety officers to remain vigilant.  We not only ask them to put their lives at risk in the line of duty, but also, if need be, give their lives to protect us. 

If we take time to listen to our nation’s State and local public safety partners, they will tell us that they welcome the challenge to join in our national mission to protect our homeland security.  But we cannot ask our firefighters, emergency personnel, and law enforcement officers to assume these new national responsibilities without also providing new federal support. 

The First Responders Partnership Grant Program will provide the necessary federal support for our state and public safety officers to serve as full partners in the fight to protect our homeland security.  We need our first responders for the security and the life-saving help they bring to our communities.  All they ask is for the tools they need to do their jobs for us.  And for the sake of our own security, that is not too much to ask. 

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