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Responsible Wildland Fire Recovery Act
To provide for cost-share waivers for projects carried out in response to wildland fires caused by certain Government actions, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill allows the Department of Agriculture to waive cost-sharing requirements for wildland fire recovery projects in areas affected by fires caused by Forest Service management activities on National Forest System land. Cost-sharing typically requires states, tribes, localities, or individuals to provide matching funds for federal recovery programs. Under this bill, affected parties would be eligible to receive 100 percent federal funding for remediation of direct and indirect damages from such fires without having to contribute matching funds. The bill covers damages from wildfires, prescribed fires, and indirect damage such as watershed impairment resulting from Forest Service management activities.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
Actions (3)
- Dec 2, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture. · house
- Nov 7, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. · house
- Nov 7, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
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Text versions (1)
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Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 7, 2025
Ms. Leger Fernandez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide for cost-share waivers for projects carried out in response to wildland fires caused by certain Government actions, 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 “Responsible Wildland Fire Recovery Act”.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to ensure that parties affected by wildland fires resulting from management activities conducted by the Department of Agriculture on National Forest System land are eligible to receive 100 percent funding for the cost of remediating direct and indirect damages under authorized Federal recovery programs.
SEC. 3. COST-SHARE WAIVER FOR REHABILITATION FROM WILDLAND FIRES.
(a) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Covered matching requirement.—The term “covered matching requirement” means a requirement under a program of the Secretary for wildland fire recovery for a State, Indian Tribe, locality, or individual to provide matching funds, in cash, for a project.
(2) Covered wildland fire.—The term “covered wildland fire” means a wildland fire that the Secretary determines to be a result of management activities conducted by the Secretary on National Forest System land.
(3) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture.
(4) Wildland fire.—
(A) In general.—The term “wildland fire” means any non-structure fire that occurs in vegetation or natural fuels.
(B) Inclusions.—The term “wildland fire” includes wildfire, prescribed fire, and any direct or indirect damage resulting in watershed impairment.
(b) Waiver.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may waive any covered matching requirement for a project in response to a covered wildland fire that is in an area affected by that covered wildland fire. <all>
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