15 U.S.C. § 2221 — Arson prevention grants

(a) Definitions. (1) “Arson” includes all incendiary and suspicious fires. This section does not otherwise define “arson.” (2) “Office” means the Office of Fire Prevention and Arson Control of the United States Fire Administration. (b) Grants. The Administrator, through the Office, must run a demonstration program with no more than 10 grants to States or consortia of States for arson research, prevention, and control. (c) Goals. The Administrator must award competitive, merit-based 2-year grants to States or consortia of States for projects that advance one or more of these goals: (1) improve training by States leading to professional certification of arson investigators under nationally recognized standards; (2) provide resources for arson task forces or interagency arrangements involving police, fire departments, and other relevant local agencies, such as a State arson bureau and a State fire marshal’s office; (3) combat fraud as a cause of arson and advance research at State and local levels on fraud as a motive for setting fires; (4) improve management of arson squads, including (A) case-management training for fire departments, including standardized investigation and reporting, (B) arson-unit management guides, and (C) new public education materials; (5) combat civil unrest as a cause of arson and advance research at State and local levels on preventing and controlling arson linked to urban disorders; (6) combat juvenile arson, such as counseling and similar intervention programs, and advance research at State and local levels on preventing juvenile arson; (7) combat drug-related arson and advance research at State and local levels on its causes and prevention; (8) combat domestic violence as a cause of arson and advance research at State and local levels on preventing arson arising from domestic violence; (9) combat rural arson and improve firefighters’ ability to identify and prevent arson-initiated fires in rural areas and public forests; and (10) improve firefighters’ ability to identify and combat arson through expanded training, including (A) State fire-academy courses and (B) innovative courses developed with the Academy and made available to volunteer firefighters through regional delivery, including teleconferencing and satellite television. (d) Applications. The Administrator must help applicants structure applications so that at least one grant is awarded for each goal in subsection (c). (e) State qualifications. A State or consortium of States must assure the Administrator that it (1) will provide at least 25% of program costs, in cash or in kind, from non-Federal sources; (2) will not reduce its prior non-Federal spending on arson research, prevention, and control because of the grant; (3) will use no more than 10% of grant funds for administration; and (4) is trying to ensure that every local jurisdiction reports arson data to the National Fire Incident Reporting System or Uniform Crime Reporting program. (f) Extension. The Administrator may extend a grant for one or more additional periods if appropriations are available. (g) Technical assistance. The Administrator must provide States technical help for grant-funded programs. (h) Consultation. The Administrator must consult and cooperate with other Federal agencies to improve effectiveness and avoid duplication, including regular meetings initiated by the Administrator with agencies concerned with arson and with developing a fuller picture of the national arson problem. (i) Assessment. Within 18 months after May 19, 1994, the Administrator must report to Congress identifying the grants, grantees, and goals, and giving a preliminary assessment of the program’s effectiveness. (j) Regulations. Within 90 days after May 19, 1994, the Administrator must issue implementing regulations, including application procedures. (k) Administration. The Administrator must administer the program directly and may not contract out administration of all or part of it. (l) American-made products. (1) Congress states that grant recipients should buy American-made equipment and products when available and cost-effective. (2) When awarding grants, the Administrator must give each recipient notice of that statement.