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Brown Introduces Fire Safety Bill Named in Honor of Stephanie Tubbs Jones

[CCFS News Reporter]  [October 16, 2009 5:48 pm ]  [Views 1262]

Brown Introduces Fire Safety Bill Named in Honor of Stephanie Tubbs Jones, October 15, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced the introduction of The Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act of 2009. The late Congresswoman Tubbs Jones introduced the College Fire Prevention Act in each of the last four sessions of Congress and passed a resolution regarding Campus Fire Safety Month. Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), Tubbs Jones’ successor in Congress.

“We owe it our college students and to Stephanie to invest in fire prevention and suppression technologies,” Brown said. “This legislation will improve the safety of Ohio’s student housing and will prevent deaths. Stephanie was a champion of fire safety and a voice for young people. This legislation honors her legacy by protecting Ohio students.”

The Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act establishes an incentive program within the Department of Education (DOE) to promote the installation of fire sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention technologies, in qualified student housing or dormitories. The program will provide competitive matching grants that will fund up to half of the installation costs and priority will be given to applicants that demonstrate the greatest financial need. The legislation would reserve at least 10 percent of the funds in grant program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other minority-serving institutions and at least 10 percent of the funds for fraternities and sororities.

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