2011 US Code
Title 36 - Patriotic and National Observances, Ceremonies, Andorganizations
Subtitle II - Patriotic and National Organizations (§§ 10101 - 240112)
Part B - Organizations (§§ 20101 - 240112)
Chapter 1513 - NATIONAL FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS FOUNDATION (§§ 151301 - 151311)
Section 151302 - Purposes

The purposes of the corporation are—

(1) primarily—

(A) to encourage, accept, and administer private gifts of property for the benefit of the National Fallen Firefighters’ Memorial and the annual memorial service associated with the memorial; and

(B) to, in coordination with the Federal Government and fire services (as that term is defined in section 4 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2203)), plan, direct, and manage the memorial service referred to in subparagraph (A);

(2) to provide financial assistance to families of fallen firefighters for transportation to and lodging at non-Federal and Federal facilities during the annual memorial service;

(3) to assist Federal, State, and local efforts to recognize firefighters who die in the line of duty;

(4) to provide scholarships and other financial assistance for educational purposes and job training for the spouses and children of fallen firefighters;

(5) to provide for a national program to assist families of fallen firefighters and fire departments in dealing with line-of-duty deaths of those firefighters; and

(6) to promote national, State, and local initiatives to increase public awareness of fire and life safety.

(Pub. L. 105–225, Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1399; Pub. L. 106–503, title I, §113(a), Nov. 13, 2000, 114 Stat. 2303.)

Section 5201(b) of former Title 36, from which this section was derived, was amended by Pub. L. 105–276, title IV, §427(a), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2510, see section 5(a) of Pub. L. 105–225, set out as a Legislative Purpose and Construction note preceding section 101 of this title. As subsequently amended by Pub. L. 106–503, this section restated the provisions of section 5201(b) of former Title 36, as amended by Pub. L. 105–276, §427(a), with the exception that in par. (1)(B), the words “plan, direct, and manage the memorial service referred to in subparagraph (A)” were used instead of “plan, direct, and manage the memorial service referred to in subparagraph (A) and related activities”.

2000—Par. (1). Pub. L. 106–503, §113(a)(1) added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: “primarily to encourage, accept, and administer private gifts of property for the benefit of the National Fallen Firefighters’ Memorial and the annual memorial service associated with it;”.

Par. (2). Pub. L. 106–503, §113(a)(2), inserted “and Federal” after “non-Federal”.

Par. (3). Pub. L. 106–503, §113(a)(3), substituted “Federal, State, and local” for “State and local” and struck out “and” after semicolon.

Par. (4). Pub. L. 106–503, §113(a)(4), substituted semicolon for period at end.

Pars. (5), (6). Pub. L. 106–503, §113(a)(5), added pars. (5) and (6).

Pub. L. 107–51, Oct. 16, 2001, 115 Stat. 267, provided that:

“Whereas 1,200,000 men and women comprise the American fire and emergency services;

“Whereas the fire and emergency services is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States;

“Whereas fire and emergency services personnel respond to over 16 million emergency calls annually, without reservation and with little regard for their personal safety;

“Whereas fire and emergency services personnel are the first to respond to an emergency, whether it involves a fire, medical emergency, spill of hazardous materials, natural disaster, act of terrorism, or transportation accident;

“Whereas approximately one-third of all active fire and emergency personnel suffer debilitating injuries annually; and

“Whereas approximately 100 fire and emergency services personnel die annually in the line of duty: Now, therefore, be it

“Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That each year, the American flags on all Federal office buildings will be lowered to half-staff in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service in Emmitsburg, Maryland.”