Lifeline for First Responders Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4819 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4819

To amend title 23, United States Code, to establish an EMS and First Responder Wellness Grant Program, and for other purposes.

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 17, 2026

Mr. Whitehouse (for himself, Mr. Hawley, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. King, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Coons, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Bennet, and Mrs. Shaheen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

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A BILL

To amend title 23, United States Code, to establish an EMS and First Responder Wellness Grant Program, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Lifeline for First Responders Act''.

SEC. 2. EMS AND FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--Chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 408 the following: ``Sec. 409. EMS and First Responder Wellness Grant Program ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (referred to in this section as the `Secretary'), shall establish a grant program, to be known as the `EMS and First Responder Wellness Grant Program' (referred to in this section as the `program'), to support first responder mental health, stress reduction, family services, and suicide prevention. ``(b) Placement.--The program shall be carried out through the Office of Emergency Medical Services of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. ``(c) Eligible Entities.--An entity eligible to receive a grant under the program is-- ``(1) a Federal, State, Tribal, or local fire service that supplies emergency medical services; ``(2) an EMS agency; and ``(3) a dispatch center. ``(d) Authorized Uses.--A grant provided under the program may be used for-- ``(1) evidence-based stress reduction and mental health services; ``(2) suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention services; ``(3) confidential counseling, peer support, and behavioral health services; ``(4) family support services for spouses and children; and ``(5) outreach, stigma reduction, education, training, and technical assistance. ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the program $7,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2032.''. (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 408 the following:

``409. EMS and First Responder Wellness Grant Program.''. <all>