Issue Position: Fire Service and Law Enforcement
During his tenure in Congress, Steny Hoyer has been a champion for Firefighters, Law Enforcement and other First Responders. He has fought to insure that these brave men and women are provided with adequate resources to keep Maryland's communities safe, and he continues to seek solutions to the quality of life issues that affect these men and women and their families.
As co-chair of the Congressional Fire Caucus, Congressman Hoyer was very active in helping establish and fund the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, which helps local fire departments in Maryland and across the country buy equipment and provide adequate training. Congressman Hoyer was also successful in securing $65 million in funding for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) Program in the Homeland Security funding bill last year. Funding for this historic new federal grant program will help career and volunteer fire departments hire new firefighters, recruit and retain volunteer fire fighters, and provide relief to the thousands of local fire stations across the country that are currently operating short of staff.
Congressman Hoyer is also a member of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, and has been a strong proponent of the Community Oriented Policing (COPS) program since its creation in 1994. The COPS program provides financial assistance to eligible police departments to help improve community policing efforts.