To provide grants for fire station construction through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and for other purposes.

To provide grants for fire station construction through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and for other purposes. 1. Assistance to firefighters fire station construction grants (a) In general The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall establish a grant program to provide financial assistance to modify, upgrade, and construct fire and (EMS) department facilities. (b) Eligible applicants The Administrator may make a grant under this section to the following: (1) Career, volunteer, and combination fire departments. (2) Fire training facilities. (3) Nonaffiliated EMS organizations, combination and volunteer emergency medical stations (except that for-profit EMS organizations are not eligible for a grant under this section). (c) Applications To be eligible for a grant under this section, an entity specified in subsection (b) shall submit to the Administrator an application in such form, at such time, and containing such information as the Administrator determines is appropriate. (d) Meeting for recommendations (1) In general The Administrator shall convene a meeting of qualified members of national fire service organizations and, at the discretion of the Administrator, qualified members of emergency medical service organizations to obtain recommendations regarding the criteria for the awarding of grants under this section. (2) Qualifications For purposes of this subsection, a qualified member of an organization is a member who— (A) is recognized for expertise in firefighting or emergency medical services; (B) is not an employee of the Federal Government; and (C) in the case of a member of an emergency medical service organization, is a member of an organization that represents— (i) providers of emergency medical services that are affiliated with fire departments; or (ii) nonaffiliated EMS providers. (e) Peer review of grant application The Administrator shall, after consultation with national fire service and emergency medical services organizations, appoint fire service personnel to conduct peer reviews of applications received under subsection (c). (f) Priority of grants In awarding grants under this section, the Administrator shall consider the findings and recommendations of the peer reviews carried out under subsection (e). (g) Uses of funds (1) In general A recipient of a grant under this section may use funds received for the following: (A) Build, rebuild, or renovate fire and EMS department facilities. (B) Upgrade existing facilities to install exhaust emission control systems, install backup power systems, upgrade or replace environmental control systems (such as HVAC systems), remove or remediate mold, and construct or modify living quarters for use by male and female personnel. (C) Upgrade fire and EMS stations or build new stations. (2) Code compliant In using funds under paragraph (1), a grant recipient is required to meet 1 of the 2 most recently published editions of building codes and standards established by the National Fire Protection Association and International Code Council, including NFPA 101, Life Safety Code and NFPA 1581, Standard on Fire Department Infection Control Program. (h) Grant funding (1) In general The Administrator shall allocate grant funds as follows: (A) 25 percent for career fire and EMS departments. (B) 25 percent for combination fire and EMS departments. (C) 25 percent for volunteer fire and EMS departments. (D) 25 percent to remain available for competition between the various department types. (2) Insufficient applications If the Administrator does not receive sufficient funding requests from a particular department type specified in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph (1), the Administrator may make awards to other departments in such paragraphs. (3) Limitation on awards amounts A grant recipient may not receive more than $7,500,000 under this section. (i) Prevailing rate of wage and public contracts (1) In general All laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors in the performance of construction work financed with the assistance of any contribution of Federal funds made by the Administrator under this section shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar construction in the locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 Davis-Bacon Act 1⁄2 40 U.S.C. 276(c) (2) Public contracts In addition to the wage rate set forth in paragraph (1), contractors and subcontractors performing construction work pursuant to this section shall follow the standards identified in chapter 83 (j) Applicability of FACA The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to activities carried out pursuant to this section. (k) Definitions For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) Administrator The term Administrator (2) Career fire department The term career fire department (3) Combination fire department The term combination fire department (A) paid firefighting personnel; and (B) volunteer firefighting personnel. (4) EMS The term EMS (5) Nonaffiliated EMS organization The term nonaffiliated EMS organization (6) Volunteer fire department The term volunteer fire department (l) Reporting requirements (1) Annual report to administrator of FEMA Beginning 1 year after the date of enactment of this section and every year thereafter during the term of a grant awarded under this section, a recipient of the grant shall submit to the Administrator an annual report describing how the recipient used such grant amounts. (2) Annual report to Congress Beginning 1 year after the date of enactment of this section and every year thereafter until the rebuilding or renovation of fire facilities and stations are completed using grant funds under this section, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report that provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of the grants awarded under this section. (m) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 to carry out this section. Such funds shall remain available until expended.

Summary: This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a grant program to modify, upgrade, and construct fire and emergency medical services (EMS) department facilities. Grant recipients may use funds received to build, rebuild, or renovate fire and EMS department facilities; upgrade existing facilities to install exhaust emission control systems, install backup power systems, upgrade or replace environmental control systems (such as HVAC systems), remove or remediate mold, and construct or modify living quarters for use by male and female personnel; and upgrade fire and EMS stations or build new stations. The bill sets forth provisions regarding (1) grant fund allocations between career and volunteer fire and EMS departments, and (2) prevailing rate of wage and a requirement for using materials produced domestically for public contracts.