On Feb. 5, President George W. Bush released his proposed budget for fiscal year 2008. The $2.9 trillion proposal includes $46.4 billion for the Department of Homeland Security but eliminates or reduces 141 government programs, including the Staffing and Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program.

Bush is requesting $300 million for the FIRE Grant program, a 2.4% increase from his FY 2007 request. However, no money was requested for the SAFER grants. These proposed funding levels represent a significant decrease from the $547 million for FIRE and $115 million for SAFER that Congress appropriated for FY 2007.

The president’s budget also seeks to limit the programs for which fire departments may use FIRE Grant monies to training, equipment and personal protective gear. The president has proposed this change in previous fiscal years; however, each time Congress made sure the funds could be used for all hazards and for all types of programs, including wellness and fitness, fire prevention, public education, and modifications of facilities for the health and safety of personnel.

Bush’s DHS funding request is 8% increase over FY 2007. This request includes $100 million for efforts to reorganize FEMA and a total of $3.2 billion for grants to state and local entities for disaster preparedness, response, communications, training and other purposes.

Recent reforms passed by Congress have designated FEMA as a stand-alone response agency within DHS. These reforms have triggered a reorganization of several constituent components of DHS and FEMA, with a new organizational structure now under review. Beginning in March, the new structure will formally go into effect, with USFA, grants and training programs moving to FEMA.

The president also requested $43.3 million for the U.S. Fire Administration, which would mark only the third time that the USFA would receive its own funding. (Congress appropriated nearly $47 million for it in FY 2007.)

Other budget proposals include:

State and local programs. The president requested $215 million for formula-based grants, including $200 million for the Emergency Management Performance Grants, $15 million for Citizen Corps, $250 million for risk-based grants through the State Homeland Security Grant Program and $800 million for the Urban Areas Security Initiative. A portion of the security grants has been earmarked for law-enforcement terrorism-preparedness purposes.

Wildland fire programs. The president has proposed $1.65 billion for wildland fire management through the Department of Agriculture, which includes an unspecified amount for the Volunteer Fire Assistance program to fund technical, financial and related assistance to rural fire departments for organizing, training and equipping firefighters. Congress appropriated $13 million for the program in FY 2006 and has not yet settled on a final funding level for FY 2007.

Bush also proposed eliminating the Department of Interior’s Rural Fire Assistance program to help rural and volunteer fire departments that routinely help fight fires on or near land owned by the department.

Interoperable communications.The administration’s budget proposal for FY 2008 includes funding for interoperable communications programs designed to improve voice and data capabilities for emergency responders. The majority of this funding comes through a $1 billion program originally authorized in 2006, which will provide resources for the purchase of interoperable communications equipment beginning later this year. Additional assistance will be available through DHS’s SAFECOM program.