U.S House Considers Revised Housing Bill and Restores Single-Stairway Guidelines
Next week, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to consider a bipartisan amendment to the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644). Previously, the bill passed the House on February 9, 2026. The Senate made major changes to the bill and passed the bill back to the House on March 12. 

The House-passed version of H.R. 6644 included language that would direct the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide guidelines with model code language, best practices, and technical guidance that could be used to facilitate the permitting of residential buildings not greater than six stories in height with single stairways. This language was removed by the Senate, when the bill was considered in March. As part of the bipartisan House revision of H.R. 6644 being considered on the week of May 18, the House Financial Service Committee restored this language.

The IAFC is working with the other major fire service organizations to remove this single stairway language yet again from H.R. 6644.  

Cameron Hamilton Nominated to be FEMA Administrator 
On May 11, President Trump nominated Mr. Cameron Hamilton to serve as the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Mr. Hamilton previously served as the acting FEMA Administrator in the spring of 2025. Mr. Hamilton served 10 years in the U.S. Navy as a Navy SEAL. From 2015-2020, he served as a supervisory emergency management specialist at the U.S. State Department. He then became the director of emergency services and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he oversaw 4,000 emergency medical technicians along the southern border. In 2024, Mr. Hamilton ran for Congress and came second in the primary. 

The IAFC will be monitoring Mr. Hamilton’s nomination hearing and confirmation process.

U.S House Considers Revised Housing Bill and Restores Single-Stairway Guidelines
Next week, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to consider a bipartisan amendment to the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644). Previously, the bill passed the House on February 9, 2026. The Senate made major changes to the bill and passed the bill back to the House on March 12. 

The House-passed version of H.R. 6644 included language that would direct the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide guidelines with model code language, best practices, and technical guidance that could be used to facilitate the permitting of residential buildings not greater than six stories in height with single stairways. This language was removed by the Senate, when the bill was considered in March. As part of the bipartisan House revision of H.R. 6644 being considered on the week of May 18, the House Financial Service Committee restored this language.

The IAFC is working with the other major fire service organizations to remove this single stairway language yet again from H.R. 6644.  

Cameron Hamilton Nominated to be FEMA Administrator 
On May 11, President Trump nominated Mr. Cameron Hamilton to serve as the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Mr. Hamilton previously served as the acting FEMA Administrator in the spring of 2025. Mr. Hamilton served 10 years in the U.S. Navy as a Navy SEAL. From 2015-2020, he served as a supervisory emergency management specialist at the U.S. State Department. He then became the director of emergency services and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he oversaw 4,000 emergency medical technicians along the southern border. In 2024, Mr. Hamilton ran for Congress and came second in the primary. 

The IAFC will be monitoring Mr. Hamilton’s nomination hearing and confirmation process.