WASHINGTON, DC—Representative Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) is pleased to announce the House of Representatives passed the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act.  The late Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones introduced the same bill in each of the last four sessions of Congress.

The bill directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive grants to colleges, fraternities, and sororities for up to half the cost of installing and modernizing fire prevention and sprinkler systems in student and fraternal housing, with dedicated funding for minority-serving institutions and fraternities/sororities. The bill has been co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 47 lawmakers, endorsed by national fire prevention organizations and over 100 fraternities and sororities. A full list of sponsoring organizations is listed at the bottom of this release.  Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown.

In 2009, there have been six student deaths attributed to student housing fires across the country. In Ohio, there have been 13 deaths and 36 related campus incidents since 2000. When these fire prevention and sprinkler systems are present, the survival chances for students increase by 97 percent and property damage is lowered by 35 percent.

Carol Dietz, Assistant Vice President of Facilities at John Carroll University, notes that “These funds would be an important asset to our university. We are currently planning to implement these fire fighting technologies, which could cost up to $500,000 for each of our dorms. These grants could help us defray the costs of this investment in our students' safety.”

Rep. Fudge, a former National President of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, commented that “I believe college students need to be as safe in campus housing as they are at home. Fraternities and sororities have long played a leading role in cultivating the physical, social, and intellectual well-being of our college students. We must ensure that these organizations have access to all the resources that they need to protect our sons and daughters in their formative years.”

Endorsing Organizations:
American Fire Sprinkler Association, American Council on Education, Campus Firewatch, Congressional Fire Services Institute, International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters, International Association of Fire Fighters, International Code Council, International Fire Marshals Association, Michael H. Minger Foundation, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, National Association of State Fire Marshal, National Fire Sprinkler Association, National Volunteer Fire Council

Endorsing Fraternities and Sororities:
National Panhellenic Conference (Pi Beta Phi, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Alpha Phi, Delta Gamma, Gamma Phi Beta, Alpha Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Alpha Xi Delta, Chi Omega, Sigma Kappa, Alpha Omicron Pi, Zeta Tau Alpha, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Delta Pi, Delta Zeta, Phi Mu, Kappa Delta, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Alpha Sigma Tau, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Alpha Epsilon Phi, Theta Phi Alpha, Phi Sigma Sigma, Delta Phi Epsilon, Sigma Delta Tau)
North American Interfraternity Conference (Acacia, Alpha Chi Rho, Alpha Delta Gamma, Alpha Delta Phi, Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Gamma Rho, Alpha Gamma Sigma, Alpha Kappa Lambda, Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Phi Delta, Alpha Sigma Phi, Alpha Tau Omega, Beta Chi Theta, Beta Sigma Psi, Beta Theta Pi, Chi Pi, Chi Psi, Delta Chi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Delta Phi, Delta Psi, Delta Sigma Phi, Delta Tau Delta, Delta Upsilon, FarmHouse, Iota Nu Delta, Iota Phi Theta, Kappa Alpha Order, Kappa Alpha Psi, Kappa Alpha Society, Kappa Delta Phi, Kappa Delta Rho, Lambda Chi Alpha, Lambda Phi Epsilon, Lambda Sigma Upsilon, Lambda Theta Phi, Omega Delta Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Phi Gamma Delta, Phi Iota Alpha, Phi Kappa Psi, Phi Kappa Sigma, Phi Kappa Tau, Phi Kappa Theta, Phi Lambda Chi, Phi Mu Delta, Phi Sigma Kappa, Phi Sigma Phi, Pi Kappa Alpha, Pi Kappa Phi, Pi Lambda Phi, Psi Upsilon, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Alpha Mu, Sigma Beta Rho, Sigma Chi, Sigma Lambda Beta, Sigma Nu, Sigma Phi Delta, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Phi Society, Sigma Pi, Sigma Tau Gamma, Tau Delta Phi, Tau Epsilon Phi, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Theta Chi, Theta Delta Chi, Theta Xi, Triangle, Zeta Beta Tau, Zeta Psi)

Her House Floor Speech

Story on the Bill's passage on Fox 8 Cleveland