b'STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE SIX To meet the increasing demands on fire and emergency services, additional funding will need to be provided at the federal level.The fire and emergency services rely on support from all federal fire, emergency medical, emergency management, and homeland security agencies and programs. The work produced by all of our federal partners is nothing short of remarkable under challenging conditions. The United States Fire Administration and National Fire Academy budgets have not kept pace with the needs of our nation. To accomplish our basic mission, there needs to be additional federal investments that reflect our status as part of Americas critical infrastructure. The Assistance to Firefighters Grants and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response should be aligned under the United States Fire Administration with funding equal to the Office of Justice Programs within the Department of Justice. Background Public Law 93-498 was implemented in 1974, titled The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act, which created a focused national effort to eliminate or reduce the impact of unwanted and uncontrolled fires. Federal, state, and local fire and emergency services programs have never been funded at the level that was recommended by the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control in the America Burning report to the U.S. Congress. In fact, budgetary allotments have continued to dwindle over the past forty-eight years, while Americas fire problem has been considerably amplified. Considering the impact that fire and other related emergencies have on the safety and security of our society; federal, state, and local funding resources must be increased to keep up with the basic needs of the fire and emergency services organizations. All aspects of Americas fire and emergency services operations must be viewed as a part of the bedrock of our national critical infrastructure and funded accordingly. 13'