From FAMA/FEMSA: The Senate Appropriations Committee has reported out its Fiscal Year 2012 Department of Homeland Security funding bill, which provides $375 million for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program and $375 million for the SAFER program.



The Senate committee's funding levels for AFG and SAFER represent a $40 million increase for each program over the $335 million House-passed levels, or an $80 million increase when the programs are combined. However, the Senate Appropriations Committee's numbers still represent a 7% cut over current level funding of $405 million for each program.



The Senate bill now moves to the Senate floor for debate and passage, followed by negotiations between the House and the Senate to iron out differences in their two DHS appropriations bills.