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Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act of 2025
To amend the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 to reauthorize the sale by the Department of Defense of aircraft and parts for wildfire suppression purposes, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill reauthorizes and modifies a 1996 law allowing the Department of Defense to sell military aircraft and parts to support wildfire suppression efforts. The bill extends the authorization period through October 1, 2035, and clarifies that aircraft can carry either fire retardant or water for firefighting purposes. The legislation ensures that sold aircraft and equipment are used exclusively for wildfire suppression operations. The bill does not appropriate funds but enables the existing transfer authority to continue.
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)
- Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4] (R-WA)
17 cosponsors
- Rep. Bentz, Cliff [R-OR-2] (R-OR)
- Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5] (R-AZ)
- Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24] (D-CA)
- Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray, Jr. [D-CA-31] (D-CA)
- Rep. Downing, Troy [R-MT-2] (R-MT)
- Rep. Ellzey, Jake [R-TX-6] (R-TX)
- Rep. Fulcher, Russ [R-ID-1] (R-ID)
- Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9] (D-CA)
- Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51] (D-CA)
- Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1] (R-CA)
- Rep. Simpson, Michael K. [R-ID-2] (R-ID)
- Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1] (D-NM)
- Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22] (R-CA)
- Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2] (D-NM)
- Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7] (D-VA)
- Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27] (D-CA)
- Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1] (R-MT)
Actions (3)
- Mar 7, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture. · house
- Feb 4, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Agriculture, 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
- Feb 4, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
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Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 4, 2025
Mr. Newhouse (for himself, Mr. Ellzey, Mr. Carbajal, and Mr. Vasquez) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Agriculture, 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 amend the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 to reauthorize the sale by the Department of Defense of aircraft and parts for wildfire suppression purposes, 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 “Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. MODIFICATION AND REAUTHORIZATION OF AUTHORITY FOR SALE BY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OF AIRCRAFT AND PARTS FOR WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION PURPOSES.
Section 2 of the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-307; 10 U.S.C. 2576 note) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(1)—
(A) by striking “a period” and inserting “the period”; and
(B) by inserting “or water” after “fire retardant”;
(2) in subsection (b), by striking “sold under subsection
(a)” and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting “sold under subsection (a) may be used only for the provision of aircraft services for wildfire suppression purposes.”;
(3) in subsection (c), by inserting “or water” after “fire retardant”;
(4) in subsection (d)(1), in the second sentence, by striking “subsection (a)(1)” and inserting “subsection
(g)”; and
(5) by striking subsection (g) and inserting the following:
“(g) Period for Exercise of Authority.—The period specified in this subsection is the period beginning on October 1, 2025, and ending on October 1, 2035.”. <all>
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