Congress·In Committee·S. 3858

Emergency Warning Systems: Use of Leftover Broadband Funds

SIREN Act of 2026

Legislative Progress

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This bill allows states to take leftover money from a major federal high-speed internet program and spend it on emergency safety tools. Instead of returning the extra cash, states could use it to build or upgrade warning systems for local communities.
The money could be used for things like loud outdoor sirens, sensors that detect floods or wildfires, and the computer software needed to run these systems. This helps towns get faster warnings when a natural disaster is about to happen.
States would have to create a competition to decide which local projects get the money. Projects where the local government pays for at least 25% of the cost would be moved to the front of the line for funding.
The funds can only be used to buy and install the equipment. They cannot be used for the daily costs of running the sirens or for regular repairs and maintenance once the systems are in place.

2 milestones2 actions

Feb 12, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Feb 12, 2026

Introduced in Senate

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

SIREN Act of 2026

Bill NumberS 3858

Congress119th Congress

ChamberSenate

Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

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