A U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee has approved legislation that would cut funding for both the FIRE Act and SAFER program. The spending bill, sponsored by Subcommittee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), provides more money for the programs than the budget proposed by President George W. Bush but reduces funding below current levels.

Several members of the subcommittee expressed concerns with the cuts to the FIRE Act and SAFER program. They pledged to begin crafting an amendment for when the bill reaches the full Appropriations Committee next week.

The subcommittee rejected the president’s recommendation to abolish the SAFER Act but provided only $40 million for the program, a cut of $70 million. In addition, the bill provides $500 million for the FIRE Act, which is $45 million less than current funding levels but $207 million more than the president requested.