Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on the Senate passing bipartisan legislation that will help provide firefighters across the country with the resources they need. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:
I’m very proud to say that the Senate will send to the president’s desk bipartisan legislation to support our brave firefighters in New York, on Long Island, and across the country.
Our New York firefighters are heroes, whether its New York’s bravest at the FDNY or the smaller volunteer departments protecting suburban communities on Long Island and in Westchester, or rural communities throughout Upstate New York. Our firefighters represent the best of our community, they rush to danger every day to protect us, putting all else aside to help those in need. Now, it’s time for the Senate to be there for our firefighters.
The Fire Grants and Safety Act reauthorizes a series of important grants that help keep our fire departments up to speed with federal dollars. I was proud to help create these grants years back, and I’ve long supported this legislation to protect our firefighters with the support they need.
The federal funding in these grants goes directly to making sure that they have the lifesaving equipment and personnel they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. When it comes to protecting firefighters, we should spare no expense, and this legislation shows our firefighters that we have their backs as they rush to danger, as they risk their lives for our safety.
This is especially true in smaller, more rural areas, and more suburban areas, where there is often not enough revenue to afford more resources. Our volunteer firefighters, brave, they volunteer, they don't get paid, but they need the best equipment just like all the other firefighters, and this grant makes sure that that happens in many places.
So, this bipartisan legislation will ensure that our firefighters can continue working to keep their communities safe, in the larger cities where there are paid fire departments and in suburban and rural America where there are volunteer fire departments. It unites both of them in supporting this legislation.
I look forward to voting yes and sending this bill to the president’s desk today.