Election years bring change, and this one happened to bring some positive change into Congress from the perspective of public safety advocacy. Each and every first responder in the nation relies on the decisions made by Congress, and we must stay informed on who will be making these decisions.
The 2012 election, paired with some retirements within the Congress, will place pro- Public Safety senators Tom Coburn (R-OK ) and Patrick Lahey (D-VT) into committee leadership roles. The outlook is that in 2014 funding will be increased over 2012-2013
funding limits. Ranking Republican Coburn (of the Health and Human Services (HLS) Committee) and President Pro-Tempore Leahy (of the Senate Appropriations Committee) have both displayed their loyalty to public safety in recent years.
Current Chair of the Foreign Operations Committee, Senator Leahy's most recent pro- public safety activity includes his legislation, "Dale Long Act" which supports first responders in the case of injury or fatality. The measure was signed into law last Thursday, and will provide a crucial safety net for the families of first responders who are killed or disabled in the line of duty. This fills in the gaps of the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Act (PSOB), which leaves some injured or killed first responders without benefits. This legislation also shortens the currently lengthy appeals process for claimants an clarifies the list of eligible survivor beneficiaries. The Senate Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating federal funds.
Senator Tom Coburn authored the report "Safety at Any Price: Assessing the Impact of Homeland Security Spending in U.S. Cities," in order to use Federal funds more efficiently to aid Public Safety and Homeland Security.
Stay informed, stay engaged, and stay on the front lines of public safety advocacy by arming yourself and your organization with knowledge.
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