The Washington Update – July 25

The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to be on in-district work periods until Labor Day. The U.S. Senate is scheduled to be in session until sometime next week and then leave town until September too.

The IAFC recommends that IAFC members use this time to advocate for our legislative priorities. Please see the IAFC Hot Sheet for the latest issues are in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Senate Vote to Confirm NTIA Administrator – IAFC-supported nominee

On July 23, the U.S. Senate voted 52 – 42 to confirm the nomination of Arielle Roth to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Technology. This role also includes the duties of the Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Previously, the IAFC submitted a letter in support of Ms. Roth’s nomination.

FEMA Reform Bill Introduced in the House

On July 23, Representatives Sam Graves (R-MO) and Rick Larsen (D-WA), the chair and ranking member of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act (H.R. 4669). The bill would create an independent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The legislation proposes retaining the U.S. Fire Administration, the National Urban Search and Rescue System, the Emergency Management Performance Grants, and the Assistance to Firefighters Grant and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grants within the new independent FEMA. The Urban Areas Security Initiative, State Homeland Security Grant, Port Security Grant, and other DHS preparedness grant programs would remain under the administration of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The bill also would reform the disaster recovery process. FEMA would have the ability to conduct assessments and emergency stabilization to protect public safety, including fire management assistance grants (FMAG). Tribal governments would be allowed to request FMAGs directly in order to expedite responses to fires on tribal lands. States would be reimbursed for the costs to shelter emergency response personnel. There also would be reforms to individual assistance, such as the creation of a universal application for receiving federal assistance.

Update on House and Senate Appropriations bills

On July 22, the House Appropriations Committee passed its Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of the bill on July 24. Both bills rejected the Trump Administration’s proposal to consolidate U.S. Forest Service’s and U.S. Department of Interior’s (DOI) wildland firefighting capabilities into one U.S. Wildland Fire Service located in the DOI. The bills would retain programs like the Volunteer Fire Assistance program and the State Fire Assistance programs.

Here is what the funding levels look like:

In Millions ($)

On July 24, the Senate Appropriations Committee also voted to advance its FY 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Appropriations Act.

The bill also sets out the following funding levels for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

In Millions ($)

The use of previously unused funds to carry out the ALERT grant was authorized under the Senate Appropriations Committee-passed bill.

Please Ask Your Senators and Representatives to Start the Application Periods for DHS Grants

There is a serious delay in the start of the application period for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 homeland security grants. The funding for the SHSGP and UASI grants must be awarded by October 1. Yet the application period has not even started yet. In fact, FEMA is discussing eliminating these grant programs next year.

The IAFC asks that you please raise this issue with your Senators and Representative. Please ask them to contact DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ask her to re-start the application period for the SHSGP and UASI program. We have a VoterVoice campaign running to help facilitate your request to start the FY 2025 SHSGP and UASI application periods.