Washington Watch: December 16, 2025

📌FEMA Review Council Meeting Cancelled. On December 11, the planned meeting of the FEMA Review Council to discuss its draft report was cancelled. The meeting has not yet been rescheduled and an official draft of the report has not yet been released.

📌 Chief Brian Fennessy to Lead New U.S. Wildland Fire Service. Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy announced he’s retiring as he has been tapped to serve as the first director of the newly created United States Wildland Fire Service, pending federal onboarding. This move would be part of a federal restructuring effort to consolidate wildland fire management into a single service to improve national wildfire response.

📌 Next Generation 9-1-1 Hearing. Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy announced he’s retiring as he has been tapped to serve as the first director of the newly created United States Wildland Fire Service, pending federal onboarding. This move would be part of a federal restructuring effort to consolidate wildland fire management into a single service to improve national wildfire response.

📌Federal Legislative Calendars for 2026. The House and Senate legislative calendars have both been released for 2026. As 2026 is an election year, both calendars reflect the typical longer state work period in October, in addition to August.

➡️Click here to see the House calendar 

➡️Click here to see the Senate calendar

⭐The House and Senate are both scheduled to be in session during #CFSI2026. Get your tickets today and join us in Washington DC!

➡️Register today!

Here’s how you can take action today:

✅ If your members of Congress are not on the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, ask them to join!

Stay engaged. Stay informed. And together, let’s keep making a difference.