Why It Matters

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) is investing significant resources in federal advocacy as Congress considers legislation directly affecting firefighter safety and working conditions. The union's quarter two of 2026 lobbying filing shows continued attention to protective equipment standards, wildfire response coordination, and federal firefighter compensation, areas where legislative action could reshape how firefighters operate across the country.

Broader Context

The IAFF's legislative priorities center on several bills currently moving through Congress. Bipartisan legislation on the Protecting Firefighters and Advancing State-of-the-Art (PFAS) Alternatives Act was introduced in the Senate on June 29, aimed at funding development of PFAS-free protective gear for firefighters. The IAFF has formally endorsed the measure.

The Wildfire Emergency Preparedness Act, introduced in the House by Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA) and Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) on Aug. 1, 2025, seeks to increase structural firefighters' preparation for wildfire response and coordinate firefighting teams across all levels of government. The IAFF has endorsed this bill as well.

The Federal Firefighters Families First Act, introduced on a bipartisan basis in the Senate by Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) on July 24, 2025, would limit federal firefighters' pre-scheduled work hours to 60 per week and correct how their overtime counts toward retirement benefits. The Public Safety Officer Free Speech Act, sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), would protect firefighters and other public safety officers from retaliation for speaking publicly about job-related safety issues.

By The Numbers

The IAFF reported $196,000 in lobbying expenditures for quarter two of 2026. Spending is down from the prior year. The IAFF reported $261,473 in lobbying expenses for quarter two of 2025, making this quarter's expenditure a decrease of roughly 25 percent. The organization has maintained a consistent lobbying team structure across recent quarters, with the same core group of five in-house lobbyists handling government relations.

Congress approved a 2026 funding package in February that includes protecting health care for 9/11 responders through the World Trade Center Health Program. The Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 budget proposal, meanwhile, includes a $646 million cut to Federal Emergency Management Agency preparedness grants, while the Assistance to Firefighters Grants and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response programs would remain at $324 million each, unchanged from the previous two fiscal years.

The Bottom Line

With the PFAS Alternatives Act newly introduced and the Federal Firefighters Families First Act and Wildfire Emergency Preparedness Act still working through committee, the IAFF's reduced quarterly spending doesn't necessarily signal a scaled-back agenda. Watch the next disclosure to see whether committee action on these bills potentially drives spending back up.

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