FASTER Act
Creates FEMA grants for fire departments to prevent falls among older adults and improve emergency response in homes.
In the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee since Sept. 23, 2026, 13 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 23, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- SENATESENATE—
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
Falls at home can injure older adults, and emergency crews may need help reaching people and their health information quickly. The FASTER Act would create FEMA grants for fire departments to prevent falls and improve home safety. Departments could use the money for home modifications, safety equipment, and personnel, with the federal share dropping in the third grant year.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Create grants for fire departments
FEMA would make competitive grants to career, combination, and volunteer fire departments for programs to improve home safety and prevent falls among older adults. Each grant would last three years.
- Allow home safety and response costs
Departments could use grants for home modifications, smoke detectors, lock boxes, health-information systems, fall-risk assessments, medication reviews, referrals, and community paramedicine personnel. The activities are intended to reduce fall risks and help responders reach people and key health information in emergencies.
- Set limits on the federal share
Federal funds could cover up to 75 percent of program costs in each of the first two grant years and 35 percent in the third. Departments generally could not use grants to replace existing state or local funding, and recipients whose fire and emergency-response budgets had fallen below 80 percent of their prior three-year average generally could not receive grants; FEMA could waive or reduce these rules for demonstrated economic hardship.
- Require applications and oversight
Applicants would have to explain why they need federal help and how they plan to continue the program after federal support ends. FEMA would evaluate grant performance, could require information from recipients, and could suspend or revoke grants for substantial noncompliance.
- Require a report and end the program
FEMA would report to Congress on the grants’ experience and effectiveness within two years after enactment. The section’s authorities would end on September 30, 2036.
The bill cites CDC figures that about 14 million falls are reported each year among adults 65 and older, resulting in 38,000 deaths; it also cites approximately 3 million older adults treated in emergency departments for fall injuries each year. The bill says falls are a leading cause of injury and injury-related deaths for older adults and cites more than $80 billion a year in medical expenses.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedSEP 23, 2026SENATESEP 23, 2026By Sen. Jr.Referred to Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- SAME DAYNOWSenate committeeSEP 23, 2026HOMELAND SECURITY & GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS NOWSEP 23, 2026In committee for 13 daysNo hearing yet
- 13 DAYS SO FARPassed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- House committee—HOUSE—
- Passed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- SEP 232026SEP 23, 2026REFERREDRead twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- SEP 232026SEP 23, 2026INTRODUCEDSENATEIntroduced in Senate
At day 13, this bill is already older than 3% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
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