Congress is back in session after the August Recess.
IAFC Starts Grassroots Campaign to Ask Congress to Release the AFG, SAFER, and Homeland Security Grants Before October 1
The federal fiscal year (FY) 2025 ends on September 30. For federal grant programs, funds must be awarded before the end of FY 2025; otherwise, the funds will be returned to the U.S. Treasury. For example, the FY 2025 State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) and Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) funds have to be awarded before October 1. Congress has given the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) the special ability to award the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program; Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grants; and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants during a period of two fiscal years. For example, the FY 2024 AFG, FP&S, and SAFER grants must be awarded before October 1.
Even though FEMA has accepted applications for the AFG, FP&S, SAFER, SHSGP, UASI, and other homeland security grants, it has not made any awards. Now FEMA must award these grants, or their funding may expire on October 1.
It is important that you ask your Members of Congress to release these important grant funds. Congress appropriated $324 million each for the AFG and SAFER grant programs (including $32.4 million for the FP&S program). It also appropriated $468 million for the SHSGP program and $553.5 million for the UASI program in FY 2025.
The IAFC is asking its members to discuss this issue with their Senators and Representatives. We are asking members of Congress to contact FEMA and ask for release of the awards for the AFG, FP&S, SAFER, SHSGP, UASI, and other homeland security grants before October 1. These grant programs provide critical resources that fire, and EMS departments use to protect their citizens.
IAFC members can use our legislative action tool to contact their Senators and Representatives directly.
IAFC Starts Grassroots Campaign to Save Medicare Ambulance Add-On Payments
In order to reimburse the cost of EMS services more adequately, Congress authorized additional add-on payments to Medicare payments for ground ambulance transport. These payments are based on the population density of the community served by the ambulance provider: 2% for urban services, 3% for rural, and 22.6% for super rural services. These payments have allowed fire departments to be reimbursed closer to the cost of service than the standard Medicare reimbursement. Without renewal, these payments are scheduled to end on September 30, 2025.
Representatives Claudia Tenney (R-NY) and Terri Sewell (D-AL) have introduced the Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act (H.R. 2232) to extend these payments. In the Senate, Senators Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2025 (S.1643). The IAFC asks you to reach out to your Senators and Representatives to cosponsor these bills and to push for their inclusion in the upcoming government funding package for FY2026.
IAFC members can use our legislative action tool to contact their Senators and Representatives directly.
House Subcommittee Votes on Labor & Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill
On September 2, the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education voted on a bill that would provide FY 2026 appropriations to the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education. Unlike the Senate version that was marked up by committee in July, the House version includes several topline cuts that may affect the fire service.
Currently, the committee report on the bill has not been released so specific line-item funding is not available. However, the bill does include a $39.1 million cut to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Without the committee report it is not known if the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, National Firefighter Registry for Cancer, or National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory are affected by this cut.
The bill also proposes cuts to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which administers the SIREN grant program. The bill would cut $1.2 billion from SAMHSA. There are proposed cuts to substance abuse treatment and prevention block grants, but it remains unclear what the effect will be on the SIREN grants until the committee report is released.
The IAFC will keep you updated as the FY 2026 Appropriations bills progress. FY 2026 begins on October 1.
House Committee Passes FEMA Reform Bill
On September 3, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed 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 USFA; the National US&R System; the Emergency Management Performance Grants; and the AFG and SAFER grants within the new independent FEMA. The UASI; SHSGP; 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 for 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 aid, such as the creation of a universal application for receiving federal aid.
The bill still must be considered by the full House of Representatives. So far, no action has been taken in the Senate.