A bill from an independent
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill creates a grant program managed by FEMA to give money to career, combination, and volunteer fire departments. The goal of these grants is to help fire departments prevent falls among older adults and respond faster to in-home emergencies. Fire departments can use the funds to install lock boxes for quicker emergency access, hire community paramedicine personnel, and put in smoke detectors. Funds can also pay for minor home modifications like grab bars, medication reviews, and safety education classes for seniors. The bill sets rules requiring local matching funds, though waivers are available for communities facing economic hardship. Finally, the program is temporary and will expire on September 30, 2036.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +6
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
The bill directly funds fall prevention programs, minor home modifications, and safety devices aimed at protecting adults aged 65 and over.
- Scored +6
Would retired people be better off under this?
Retirees benefit substantially from reduced fall risks, smoke detector installations, and improved emergency medical response times at home.
- Scored +4
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill provides economic hardship waivers and safety grants that assist lower-income older adults with critical home modifications they could otherwise not afford.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Better home safety and fewer senior falls: Under Section 3(b)(1), fire departments can get direct grants to run programs that improve home safety and prevent falls for older adults, which directly helps protect seniors from serious injuries.
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Quicker emergency response times: Under Section 3(d)(1), grant money can be used to buy and install devices like lock boxes on homes, which helps emergency responders get inside much faster during an emergency.
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Help with physical home repairs: Under Section 3(d)(5), grants can pay for minor home modifications that reduce fall risks, such as installing handrails and grab bars, flattening rugs, and removing tripping hazards.
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Health checks and safety education: Under Section 3(d)(6) and Section 3(d)(7), funds can pay for risk assessments, medication reconciliations, and referrals to classes that educate older adults on how to lower their risk of falling.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Risks of losing grant funding for communities: Under Section 3(i), the FEMA Administrator has the power to suspend or revoke grants if a fire department is found not to be in compliance with the rules, which could pull away needed safety resources from a community.
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Strict funding history rules for local governments: Under Section 3(e)(2), fire departments cannot get a grant if their local municipality's annual budget for fire and emergency programs has dropped below 80 percent of its average over the previous three years, potentially punishing communities that are already struggling financially unless they qualify for a waiver.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would retired people be better off under this? — Retirees benefit substantially from reduced fall risks, smoke detector installations, and improved emergency medical response times at home. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill directly funds fall prevention programs, minor home modifications, and safety devices aimed at protecting adults aged 65 and over. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill provides economic hardship waivers and safety grants that assist lower-income older adults with critical home modifications they could otherwise not afford. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Volunteer and combination fire departments serving rural areas are among the primary eligible recipients for these community safety and response grants. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — Older veterans benefit from home safety modifications, fall prevention measures, and quicker emergency response times supported by the grants.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill provides grant funding that supports the recruitment and salaries of community paramedicine personnel and related staff.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill supports programs providing in-home safety risk assessments, medication reconciliation, and healthcare professional referrals for older adults.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — Volunteer and combination fire departments in rural communities are eligible to receive grant funding to improve emergency response and home safety.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The legislation mandates performance evaluation systems, required reporting to Congress, and thorough audit access for the FEMA Administrator.
- 9/23/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.