Chris Dodd: “I am offering this amendment dealing with the SAFER Act. This is the No. 1 priority of the various firefighting…”

“I am offering this amendment dealing with the SAFER Act. This is the No. 1 priority of the various firefighting organizations of the United States, whether they be paid firefighters, volunteer firefighters, fire chiefs organizations, and others. On behalf of Senators Specter, Levin, Harkin, Kennedy, Sarbanes, Daschle, Schumer, and myself, we offer this important amendment. I want to take a few minutes, with the full recognition that my friend and colleague from Mississippi wants to move matters along. I will take as little time as I can to explain this amendment and what we are trying to do, why I think it is a worthwhile amendment, how we pay for it, and why I don't feel that the offset we are suggesting here in any way would be detrimental to the Department of Homeland Security. Our amendment will help the 33,000 fire departments across America-- paid departments, volunteer departments, and combination departments. It will help them acquire the necessary personnel they need in order to fight fires and respond to situations all across the country, particularly terrorist incidents and other large-scale emergencies that may emerge.”