Congressman Hoyer has been a champion for firefighters, law enforcement and other first responders. He has fought to ensure that these brave men and women are provided with adequate resources to keep our communities safe and has worked to address the quality of life issues that are unique to those who protect us.
Working closely with firefighters from Maryland and around the country, Congressman Hoyer helped establish the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, which helps equip and train local fire and EMS departments throughout the country. Over $15 million has been awarded to Fifth District fire departments since the program's creation in 2001. He also helped establish the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program, which enables career and volunteer fire departments to hire new firefighters, recruit and retain volunteers, and provide relief to the thousands of local fire stations across the country short of staff.
He has also worked to ensure our local police departments have the equipment necessary to fight crime and protect our communities. Working with his Washington Metropolitan Area colleagues, Congressman Hoyer has spearheaded the effort to combat the gang problem in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties by helping establish and fund the Joint County Task Force. Congressman Hoyer also supported the COPS Hiring Recovery Program, which has strong support from Fifth District Police Departments.
Our law enforcement community has played a central role in bringing crime rates in Prince Georges County to a historic low last year and keeping our neighborhoods safe.
Im pleased I could meet with representatives of the Professional Fire Fighters of Maryland to discuss issues important to the brave fire fighters who put their lives on the line everyday to keep our communities safe.
Today, I met with Lieutenant Akers from the Fifth District to discuss efforts we can take to prevent gun violence in our community and throughout our country.
When I cosponsored the original Act in 1994 we had strong bipartisan support in both Houses of Congress. There is no reason and the Senate is a perfect demonstration of this why that shouldnt be the case today.
Today, the Senate once again passed a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act with a strong bipartisan vote of 78-22, and it is now up to the House to follow suit.
As you conference with the Senate to reach an agreement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2013, we urge you to retain provisionsin the Senate passed bill to reauthorize funding for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG), Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) and U.S. Fire Administration (USFA).
Congratulations to Career Recruit School Forty-six. I was honored to join them today to mark the end of their training, and the beginning of exciting and rewarding careers as firefighters and emergency responders.
During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we must recommit ourselves to ending violence against women and improving the support we provide to its victims here in Maryland and across the country.
Thanks to this SAFER grant awarded to the Prince Georges County Fire Department, our community will have 18 additional firefighters on the job, responding to emergencies and keeping our residents safe.
I rise today in support of the amendment offered by Mr. Runyan and Mr. Kissell and others, which seeks to ensure that our nations fire stations areadequately staffed and that firefighters have the tools they need to protect our communities safely and effectively. Specifically, this amendment willrestore the successful FIRE and SAFER grant programs to last years funding level of $337.5 million each.