The latest version of the FIRE Act, which will reauthorize the program for $900 million annually from FY 2005 through FY 2007 once signed into law, includes a provision that fire departments receiving grants under the law “shall not discriminate against, or prohibit its members from engaging in volunteer activities in another jurisdiction during off-duty hours.”

Needless to say, this provision is the most contentious of several changes to the FIRE Act. According to Bill Webb, executive director of the Congressional Fire Services Institute, “We've been in contact with Capitol Hill to discuss the language and to discuss any opportunities to propose changes in the language. There have been some very heated discussions.”

The Assistance to Firefighters Reauthorization Act of 2004, H.R. 4107, is sponsored by Reps. Sherwood Boehlert (N.Y.), Bill Pascrell (N.J.), Curt Weldon (Pa.), Steny Hoyer (Md.), Nick Smith (Mich.), Robert Andrews (N.J.), Chris Cox (Calif.) and Jim Turner (Texas).

The National Volunteer Fire Council applauded the introduction of the bill. “As written, the bill ensures that the grants will continue to be peer-reviewed and the program continues to address basic fire department needs,” said NVFC Chairman Philip Stittleburg.

The International Association of Fire Fighters, however, will not support the bill as written, according to IAFF Assistant to the General President Kevin O'Connor. “We have some concerns and issues with the proposal,” he said, “both in terms of the substance and the process by which the bill was developed.” He said the IAFF will be working with the sponsors of the bill and their staffs to work out those problems.

“All six of the principals who introduced the proposal have been very supportive of the fire service,” O'Connor said, “and we just feel we owe it to each of them to discuss the issues with them personally and with their staff…. It is obviously our desire to work through each of the issues at concern and at the end of the day to be able to support the legislation.”

The IAFC had no formal position on H.R. 4107 at presstime.

The House reauthorization bill had been referred to the House Science Committee, which scheduled a hearing on it for mid-May. Sen. Mike DeWine (Ohio) was reported to be writing a Senate version. “The big difference in the two measures will be the [volunteer] nondiscrimination language,” according to Webb. “The House bill includes the language; the Senate bill will not.”