Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025
This bill provides statutory authority for existing wildfire response services of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and establishes new programs and collaborative efforts to improve fire forecasting and readiness.
Specifically, in addition to other efforts, the bill directs NOAA to
The bill also exempts federal wildland firefighters, fire management response officials, and accompanying incident meteorologists and management teams from certain premium pay limitations.
Finally, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office to evaluate and report on the implementation of the fire weather services program, among other topics.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 306 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 306
To establish and maintain a coordinated program within the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that improves wildfire, fire
weather, fire risk, and wildfire smoke related forecasting, detection,
modeling, observations, and service delivery, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 29, 2025
Ms. Cantwell (for herself, Mr. Sheehy, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Lujan, Mr.
Sullivan, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Murkowski, and Mr. Padilla) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish and maintain a coordinated program within the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that improves wildfire, fire
weather, fire risk, and wildfire smoke related forecasting, detection,
modeling, observations, and service delivery, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Fire Ready Nation
Act of 2025''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Establishment of fire weather services program.
Sec. 4. Fire weather testbed.
Sec. 5. Data management and technology modernization.
Sec. 6. Surveys and assessments.
Sec. 7. Incident Meteorologist Service.
Sec. 8. Emergency response activities.
Sec. 9. Submissions to Congress regarding the fire weather services
program, incident meteorologist workforce
needs, and National Weather Service
workforce support.
Sec. 10. Fire Science and Technology Working Group; strategic plan.
Sec. 11. Fire weather rating system.
Sec. 12. Government Accountability Office reports.
Sec. 13. Cooperation and coordination.
Sec. 14. General provisions.
Sec. 15. Authorization of appropriations.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
(2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
of the House of Representatives.
(3) Earth system model.--The term ``Earth system model''
means a mathematical model containing all relevant components
of the Earth, namely the atmosphere, oceans, land, cryosphere,
and biosphere.
(4) Fire environment.--The term ``fire environment''
means--
(A) the environmental conditions, such as soil
moisture, vegetation, topography, snowpack, atmospheric
temperature, moisture, and wind, that influence--
(i) fuel and fire behavior; and
(ii) the emission, chemical evolution, and
transport of wildfire smoke; and
(B) the associated environmental impacts occurring
during and after fire events.
(5) Fire weather.--The term ``fire weather'' means the
weather conditions that influence the start, spread, character,
or behavior of wildfires and relevant meteorological and
chemical phenomena, including air quality, wildfire smoke, and
meteorological parameters such as relative humidity, air
temperature, wind speed and direction, and atmospheric
composition and chemistry, including emissions and mixing
heights.
(6) Impact-based decision support services.--The term
``impact-based decision support services'' means scientific
advice and interpretative services the Administration provides
to help core partners, such as emergency personnel and public
safety officials, make decisions when the information impacts
the lives and livelihoods of the people of the United States.
(7) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' has the
meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(8) Native hawaiian organization.--The term ``Native
Hawaiian organization'' has the meaning given that term in
section 6207 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517), including the Department of Hawaiian
Home Lands and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
(9) Seasonal.--The term ``seasonal'' has the meaning given
that term in section 2 of the Weather Research and Forecasting
Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501).
(10) State.--The term ``State'' means a State, the District
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American
Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the
United State Virgin Islands, the Federated States of
Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the
Republic of Palau.
(11) Tribal organization.--The term ``Tribal organization''
has the meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
5304).
(12) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means
the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF FIRE WEATHER SERVICES PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall establish and maintain a
coordinated fire weather services program among the offices of the
Administration in existence as of the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(b) Program Functions.--The functions of the program established
under subsection (a), consistent with the priorities described in
section 101 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of
2017 (15 U.S.C. 8511), shall be--
(1) to support readiness, responsiveness, understanding,
and resilience of the United States to wildfires, fire weather,
wildfire smoke, post-fire flooding and debris flows, and
associated hazards and impacts in built and natural
environments;
(2) to collaboratively develop and disseminate accurate,
precise, effective, and timely risk communications, forecasts,
watches, and warnings relating to wildfires, fire weather,
wildfire smoke, post-fire flooding and debris flows, and other
associated conditions, hazards, and impacts, as applicable,
with Federal land management agencies;
(3) to partner with and support the public, Federal and
State government entities, Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian
organizations, and academic and local partners through the
development of capabilities, impact-based decision support
services, and overall service delivery and utility related to
fire weather;
(4) to conduct and support research and development of new
and innovative models, technologies, techniques, products,
systems, processes, and procedures to predict and improve
understanding of wildfires, fire weather, related air quality,
post-fire flooding and debris flows, and the fire environment;
(5) to develop processes to transition research into
operational use and inform additional areas of research to
deliver fire weather products, services, and decision support
tools to operational users and platforms;
(6) to develop communications networks and strategies to
ensure parity of fire forecasts, warning services, and
information about current fire location, for remote, isolated,
and rural communities, including communities where the public
acts as the first responder to wildfire; and
(7) to develop, in coordination with Federal land
management agencies, impact-based decision support services
that operationalize and integrate the functions described in
paragraphs (1) through (6) in order to provide comprehensive
impact-based decision support services that encompass the fire
environment.
(c) Program Priorities.--In developing and implementing the program
established under subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall
prioritize--
(1) development of a fire weather-enabled Earth system
model and data assimilation systems that--
(A) are capable of prediction and forecasting
across relevant spatial and temporal scales;
(B) include variables associated with fire weather
and the fire environment;
(C) improve understanding of the connections
between fire weather and modes of climate variability;
(D) incorporate emerging techniques such as
artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud
computing; and
(E) use a rapidly deployable network of rain gauges
for post-fire hazard monitoring;
(2) advancement of existing and new observational
capabilities, including satellite-, airborne-, air-, and
ground-based systems and technologies, and social networking
and other public information-gathering applications that--
(A) identify--
(i) high-risk pre-ignition conditions;
(ii) conditions that influence fire
behavior and spread including those conditions
that suppress active fire events; and
(iii) fire weather threat levels;
(B) support real-time notification and monitoring
of ignitions;
(C) support observations and data collection of
fire weather and fire environment variables, including
vegetation state and profiles of wildfire smoke, winds,
temperature, and humidity, for development of the model
and systems under paragraph (1); and
(D) support forecasts and research that mitigate
the impacts of wildfires on human life, health, and the
economy;
(3) development and implementation of advanced and user-
oriented impact-based decision tools, science, and technologies
that--
(A) ensure real-time and retrospective data,
products, and services are findable, accessible,
interoperable, usable, inform further research, and are
analysis- and decision-ready;
(B) provide targeted information throughout the
fire lifecycle including pre-ignition, detection,
forecasting, post-fire, and monitoring phases; and
(C) support early assessment of post-fire hazards,
such as air quality, debris flows, mudslides, and
flooding; and
(4) ensuring the parity of access to and support from the
tools, science, and technologies developed under this
subsection for remote, isolated, and rural communities.
(d) Program Activities.--In developing and implementing the program
established under subsection (a), the Under Secretary may--
(1) conduct relevant physical and social science research
activities in support of the functions described in subsection
(b) and the priorities described in subsection (c);
(2) conduct relevant activities, in coordination with
Federal land management agencies and Federal science agencies,
to assess fuel characteristics, including moisture, loading,
and other parameters used to determine fire risk levels and
outlooks;
(3) support and conduct research that assesses impacts to
marine, riverine, watershed, and other relevant ecosystems,
which may include forest and rangeland ecosystems, resulting
from activities associated with mitigation of and response to
wildfires;
(4) support and conduct attribution science research
relating to wildfires, fire weather, fire risk, wildfire smoke,
and associated conditions, risks, and impacts;
(5) develop wildfire smoke and air quality forecasts,
forecast guidance, and prescribed burn weather forecasts, and
conduct research on the impact of such forecasts on response
behavior that minimizes health-related impacts from wildfire
smoke exposure;
(6) use, in coordination with Federal land management
agencies, wildland fuels information and fire resource
intelligence to inform fire environment impact-based decision
support services and products for safety;
(7) work with Federal agencies to provide data, tools, and
services to support the implementation of mitigation measures
by such agencies;
(8) provide training and support to ensure effective media
utilization of impact-based decision support services and
products to the public regarding actions needing to be taken;
(9) provide comprehensive training to ensure staff of the
program established under subsection (a) is properly equipped
to deliver the impact-based decision support services and
products described in paragraphs (1) through (6); and
(10) acquire, through contracted purchase, private sector-
produced observational data to fill identified gaps, as needed.
(e) Parity for Remote, Isolated, and Rural Communities.--In
developing and implementing the program established under subsection
(a), the Under Secretary shall ensure parity of coverage and
programmatic activity for remote, isolated, and rural communities,
including communities where the public acts as the first responder to
wildfire.
(f) Collaboration.--The Under Secretary shall, as the Under
Secretary considers appropriate, collaborate with partners in the
weather and climate enterprises, academic institutions, States, Indian
tribes, Tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, local
partners, and Federal agencies in the development and implementation of
the program established under subsection (a).
(g) Agreements.--In carrying out the activities under this Act and
the amendments made by this Act, the Under Secretary may provide
support to non-Federal entities by making funds and resources available
through--
(1) competitive grants;
(2) contracts under the mobility program under subchapter
VI of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code (commonly
referred to as the ``Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility
Program'');
(3) cooperative agreements; and
(4) co-location agreements as described in section 502 of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Commissioned Officer Corps Amendments Act of 2020 (33 U.S.C.
851 note prec.).
(h) Program Administration Plan.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit to
the appropriate committees of Congress a plan that details how
the program established under subsection (a) will be
administered and governed within the Administration.
(2) Elements.--The plan required by paragraph (1) should
include a description of--
(A) how the functions described in subsection (b),
the priorities described in subsection (c), and the
activities described in subsection (d) will be
distributed among the line offices of the
Administration; and
(B) the mechanisms in place to ensure seamless
coordination among those offices.
SEC. 4. FIRE WEATHER TESTBED.
(a) Establishment of Fire Weather Testbed.--The Under Secretary
shall establish a fire weather testbed that enables engagement across
the Federal Government, State and local governments, academia, private
and federally funded research laboratories, the private sector, and
end-users in order to evaluate the accuracy and usability of
technology, models, fire weather products and services, and other
research to accelerate the implementation, transition to operations,
and use of new capabilities by the Administration, Federal and land
management agencies, and other relevant stakeholders.
(b) Uncrewed Systems.--
(1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall--
(A) establish and carry out a research and
development program to support the application of
uncrewed systems technologies to improve data
collection in support of modeling, observations,
predictions, forecasts, and impact-based decision
support services, and for other purposes of the
Administration;
(B) transition uncrewed systems technologies from
research to operations as the Under Secretary considers
appropriate; and
(C) coordinate with other Federal agencies that may
be developing uncrewed systems and related technologies
to meet the challenges of wildland fire management.
(2) Pilots required.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
Under Secretary shall conduct pilots of uncrewed systems for
fire weather and fire environment observations, including--
(A) testing of uncrewed systems in approximations
of real-world scenarios;
(B) assessment of the utility of meteorological
data collected from fire response and assessment
aircraft;
(C) input of the collected data into appropriate
models to predict fire behavior, including coupled
atmosphere and fire models; and
(D) collection of best management practices for
deployment of uncrewed systems and other remote data
technology, including for communication and
coordination between the stakeholders described in
subsection (a).
(3) Savings clause.--
(A) In general.--In carrying out activities under
this subsection, the Under Secretary shall ensure that
any testing or deployment of uncrewed systems follow
procedures, restrictions, and protocols established by
the heads of the Federal agencies with statutory or
regulatory jurisdiction over any airspace in which
wildfire response activities are conducted during an
active wildfire event.
(B) Consultation and coordination.--The Under
Secretary shall consult and coordinate with relevant
Federal land management agencies, Federal science
agencies, and the Federal Aviation Administration to
develop processes for the appropriate deployment of the
systems described in subparagraph (A).
(c) Additional Pilot Projects.--The Under Secretary shall establish
additional pilot projects relating to the fire weather testbed that may
include the following elements:
(1) Advanced products to detect fire from satellites.
(2) Procurement and use of commercial data.
(3) Investigation and evaluation of information needs of
users and decision makers.
(d) Report.--Section 108(a)(5) of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (15 U.S.C.
8520(a)(5)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (C), by adding ``and'' at the end; and
(2) in subparagraph (D)--
(A) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'';
(B) in clause (iii), by adding ``and'' at the end;
and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(iv) a description of the research that
has been transitioned into operations,
including research at the fire weather testbed
established under section 4(a) of the Fire
Ready Nation Act of 2025;''.
SEC. 5. DATA MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION.
(a) Data Availability and Management.--Section 301 of the Weather
Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8531) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections
(g) and (h), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
``(f) Data Availability and Management.--
``(1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall--
``(A) make data and metadata generated or collected
by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
that the Under Secretary has the legal right to
redistribute fully and openly available, in accordance
with chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, and
the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of
2018 (Public Law 115-435; 132 Stat. 5529) and the
amendments made by that Act, and preserve and curate
such data and metadata, in accordance with chapter 31
of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the
`Federal Records Act of 1950'), in order to maximize
use of such data and metadata; and
``(B) manage and steward the access, archival, and
retrieval activities for the data and metadata
described in subparagraph (A) by--
``(i) using--
``(I) enterprise-wide
infrastructure, emerging technologies,
commercial partnerships, and the
skilled workforce needed to provide
appropriate data management from
collection to broad access; and
``(II) associated information
services; and
``(ii) pursuing the maximum
interoperability of data and information by--
``(I) leveraging data, information,
knowledge, and tools from across the
Federal Government to support equitable
access, cross-sectoral collaboration
and innovation, and local planning and
decision-making; and
``(II) developing standards and
practices for the adoption and citation
of digital object identifiers for
datasets, models, and analytical tools.
``(2) Collaboration.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Under Secretary shall collaborate with such Federal partners
and stakeholders as the Under Secretary considers relevant--
``(A) to develop standards to pursue maximum
interoperability of data, information, knowledge, and
tools across the Federal Government, convert historical
records into common digital formats, and improve access
and usability of data by partners and stakeholders;
``(B) to identify and solicit relevant data from
Federal and international partners and other relevant
stakeholders, as the Under Secretary considers
appropriate; and
``(C) to develop standards and practices for the
adoption and citation of digital object identifiers for
datasets, models, and analytical tools.''.
(b) Wildfire Technology Modernization.--Section 1114 of the John D.
Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (43 U.S.C.
1748b-1) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(3), by inserting ``the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,'' after ``Federal
Aviation Administration,'';
(2) in subsection (e)(2)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as
subparagraph (C); and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the
following:
``(B) Consultation.--
``(i) In general.--In carrying out
subparagraph (A), the Secretaries shall consult
with the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans
and Atmosphere regarding any development of
impact-based decision support services that
relate to wildfire-related activities of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
``(ii) Definition of impact-based decision
support services.--In this subparagraph, the
term `impact-based decision support services'
means scientific advice and interpretative
services the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration provides to help core partners,
such as emergency personnel and public safety
officials, make decisions when the information
impacts the lives and livelihoods of the people
of the United States.''; and
(3) in subsection (f)--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as
subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and moving
such subparagraphs, as so redesignated, 2 ems to the
right;
(B) by striking ``The Secretaries'' and inserting
the following:
``(1) In general.--The Secretaries''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Collaboration.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
Secretaries shall collaborate with the Under Secretary of
Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to improve coordination,
utility of systems and assets, and interoperability of data for
wildfire smoke prediction, forecasting, and modeling.''.
(c) Digital Presence.--
(1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall develop and
maintain a comprehensive, centralized, and publicly accessible
digital presence designed to promote findability,
accessibility, interoperability, usability, and utility of the
services, tools, data, and information produced by the program
established under section 3(a).
(2) Digital platform and tools.--In carrying out paragraph
(1), the Under Secretary shall seek to ensure the digital
platform and tools of the Administration integrate geospatial
data, decision support tools, training, and best practices to
provide real-time fire weather forecasts and address fire-
related issues and needs.
(d) High-Performance Computing.--
(1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall seek to acquire
sufficient high-performance computing resources and capacity
for research, operations, and data storage in support of the
program established under section 3(a).
(2) Considerations.--In acquiring high-performance
computing capacity under paragraph (1), the Under Secretary
shall consider requirements needed for--
(A) conducting research, development, and testbed
experiments;
(B) the transition of research and testbed
developments into operations;
(C) sustaining capabilities in operations;
(D) capabilities existing in other Federal agencies
and the commercial sector; and
(E) skilled workforce development.
SEC. 6. SURVEYS AND ASSESSMENTS.
(a) Post-Fire Weather Surveys and Assessments .--
(1) Annual post-fire-weather-season survey and
assessment.--
(A) In general.--During the second winter following
the date of the enactment of this Act, and each year
thereafter, the Under Secretary shall conduct a post-
fire-weather-season survey and assessment.
(B) Elements.--After conducting a post-fire-
weather-season survey and assessment under subparagraph
(A), the Under Secretary shall--
(i) investigate any gaps in weather data
collected during the assessment;
(ii) identify and implement strategies and
procedures to improve program services and
information dissemination;
(iii) update systems, processes,
strategies, and procedures to enhance the
efficiency and reliability of weather data
obtained from the assessment;
(iv) evaluate the accuracy and efficacy of
physical fire weather forecasting information
for each incident included in the survey and
assessment; and
(v) assess and refine performance measures,
as needed.
(2) Surveys and assessments following individual wildfire
events.--The Under Secretary may conduct surveys and
assessments following individual wildfire events as the Under
Secretary determines necessary.
(3) Goal.--In carrying out activities under this
subsection, the Under Secretary shall seek to increase the
number of post-wildfire community impact studies, including by
surveying individual and collective responses and incorporating
other applicable topics of social science research.
(4) Annual briefing.--Not less frequently than once each
year, the Under Secretary shall join other relevant agencies to
provide a briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress
that provides--
(A) an overview of the fire season;
(B) an outlook for the fire season; and
(C) fire weather forecasts.
(5) Coordination.--In conducting any survey or assessment
under this subsection, the Under Secretary shall coordinate
with Federal, State, and local partners, Indian tribes, Native
Hawaiian organizations, private entities, and such institutions
of higher education as the Under Secretary considers relevant
in order to--
(A) improve operations and collaboration; and
(B) optimize data collection, sharing, integration,
assimilation, and dissemination.
(6) Data availability.--The Under Secretary shall make the
data and findings obtained from each assessment conducted under
this subsection available to the public in an accessible
digital format as soon as practicable after conducting the
assessment.
(7) Service improvements.--The Under Secretary shall make
best efforts to incorporate the results and recommendations of
each assessment conducted under this subsection into the
research and development plan and operations of the
Administration.
(b) Joint Assessment and Plan for Automated Surface Observing
System.--
(1) In general.--The Under Secretary, in collaboration with
the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and
the Secretary of Defense, shall--
(A) conduct an assessment of resources, personnel,
procedures, and activities necessary to maximize the
functionality and utility of the automated surface
observing system of the United States that identifies--
(i) key system upgrades needed to improve
observation quality and utility for weather
forecasting, aviation safety, and other users;
(ii) improvements needed in observations
within the planetary boundary layer, including
mixing height;
(iii) improvements needed in public
accessibility of observational data;
(iv) improvements needed to reduce latency
in reporting of observational data;
(v) relevant data to be collected for the
production of forecasts or forecast guidance
relating to atmospheric composition, including
particulate and air quality data related to
wildfires, and aviation safety;
(vi) areas of concern regarding operational
continuity and reliability of the system, which
may include needs for on-night staff,
particularly in remote and rural areas and
areas where system failure would have the
greatest negative impact to the community;
(vii) stewardship, data handling, data
distribution, and product generation needs
arising from upgrading and changing the
automated surface observation systems;
(viii) possible solutions for areas of
concern identified under clause (vi), including
with respect to the potential use of backup
systems, power and communication system
reliability, staffing needs and personnel
location, and the acquisition of critical
component backups and proper storage location
to ensure rapid system repair necessary to
ensure system operational continuity; and
(ix) research, development, and transition
to operations needed to develop advanced data
collection, quality control, and distribution
so that the data are provided to models, users,
and decision support systems in a timely
manner; and
(B) develop and implement a plan that addresses the
findings of the assessment conducted under subparagraph
(A), including by seeking and allocating resources
necessary to ensure that system upgrades are
standardized across the Administration, the Federal
Aviation Administration, and the Department of Defense
to the extent practicable.
(2) Standardization.--Any system standardization
implemented under paragraph (1)(B) shall not impede activities
to upgrade or improve individual units of the system.
(3) Remote automatic weather station coordination.--The
Under Secretary, in collaboration with relevant Federal
agencies and the National Interagency Coordination Center,
shall assess and develop cooperative agreements to improve
coordination, interoperability standards, operations, and
placement of remote automatic weather stations for the purpose
of improving utility and coverage of remote automatic weather
stations, automated surface observation systems, wildfire smoke
monitoring platforms, and other similar stations and systems
for weather and climate operations.
(4) Report to congress.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary,
in collaboration with the Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration and the Secretary of Defense,
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress
a report that--
(i) details the findings of the assessment
required by subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1);
and
(ii) the plan required by subparagraph (B)
of such paragraph.
(B) Elements.--The report required by subparagraph
(A) shall include a detailed assessment of
appropriations required--
(i) to address the findings of the
assessment required by subparagraph (A) of
paragraph (1); and
(ii) to implement the plan required by
subparagraph (B) of such paragraph.
SEC. 7. INCIDENT METEOROLOGIST SERVICE.
(a) Establishment.--The Under Secretary shall establish and
maintain an Incident Meteorologist Service within the National Weather
Service (in this section referred to as the ``Service'').
(b) Inclusion of Existing Incident Meteorologists.--The Service
shall include--
(1) the incident meteorologists of the Administration as of
the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(2) such incident meteorologists of the Administration as
may be appointed after such date.
(c) Functions.--The Service shall provide--
(1) on-site impact-based decision support services to
Federal, State, and local government emergency response
agencies, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations
preceding, during, and following significant weather-related
events, such as wildland fires, that threaten human life,
property, or the economy; and
(2) support to Federal, State, and local government
decision makers, partners, and stakeholders, Indian tribes,
Tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations for
seasonal planning and pre-fire mitigation activities.
(d) Deployment.--The Service shall be deployed--
(1) as determined by the Under Secretary; or
(2) at the request of the head of another Federal agency
and with the approval of the Under Secretary.
(e) Staffing and Resources.--In establishing and maintaining the
Service, the Under Secretary shall identify, acquire, and maintain
adequate levels of staffing and resources to meet user needs.
(f) Support for Incident Meteorologists.--The Under Secretary shall
provide resources, access to real-time fire weather forecasts,
training, administrative and logistical support, and access to
professional counseling or other forms of support as the Under
Secretary considers appropriate for the betterment of the emotional and
mental health and well-being of incident meteorologists and other
employees of the Administration so long as the need for such resources,
training, access, or support is due to the response of such employees
to high-impact and extreme fire weather events.
SEC. 8. EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIVITIES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Basic pay.--The term ``basic pay'' includes any
applicable locality-based comparability payment under section
5304 of title 5, United States Code, any applicable special
rate supplement under section 5305 of such title, or any
equivalent payment under a similar provision of law.
(2) Covered employee.--The term ``covered employee'' means
an employee of the Department of Commerce, the Department of
Agriculture, or the Department of the Interior.
(3) Covered services.--The term ``covered services'' means
services that are performed by a covered employee while
serving--
(A) as a wildland firefighter or a fire management
response official, including a regional fire director,
a deputy regional fire director, and a fire management
officer;
(B) as an incident meteorologist accompanying a
wildland firefighter crew; or
(C) on an incident management team, at the National
Interagency Fire Center, at a Geographic Area
Coordinating Center, or at an operations center.
(4) Premium pay.--The term ``premium pay'' means premium
pay paid under a provision of law described in the matter
preceding paragraph (1) of section 5547(a) of title 5, United
States Code.
(5) Relevant congressional committees.--The term ``relevant
congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate;
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(E) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
of the Senate;
(F) the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform of the House of Representatives;
(G) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House
of Representatives;
(H) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
of the House of Representatives;
(I) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representative; and
(J) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(6) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) the Secretary of Commerce, with respect to an
employee of the Department of Commerce;
(B) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to
an employee of the Department of Agriculture; and
(C) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to
an employee of the Department of the Interior.
(b) Waiver.--
(1) In general.--Any premium pay received by a covered
employee for covered services shall be disregarded in
calculating the aggregate of the basic pay and premium pay for
the covered employee for purposes of applying the limitation on
premium pay under section 5547(a) of title 5, United States
Code.
(2) Calculation of aggregate pay.--Any pay that is
disregarded under paragraph (1) shall be disregarded in
calculating the aggregate pay of the applicable covered
employee for purposes of applying the limitation under section
5307 of title 5, United States Code, during calendar year 2025.
(3) Limitation.--A covered employee may not be paid premium
pay under this subsection if, or to the extent that, the
aggregate of the basic pay and premium pay (including premium
pay for covered services) of the covered employee for a
calendar year would exceed the rate of basic pay payable for a
position at level II of the Executive Schedule under section
5313 of title 5, United States Code, as in effect at the end of
that calendar year.
(4) Treatment of additional premium pay.--If the
application of this subsection results in the payment of
additional premium pay to a covered employee of a type that is
normally creditable as basic pay for retirement or any other
purpose, that additional premium pay shall not be--
(A) considered to be basic pay of the covered
employee for any purpose; or
(B) used in computing a lump-sum payment to the
covered employee for accumulated and accrued annual
leave under section 5551 or 5552 of title 5, United
States Code.
(5) Effective period.--This subsection shall be in effect
during calendar year 2025 and apply to premium pay payable
during that year.
(c) Amendment.--Section 5542(a)(5) of title 5, United States Code,
is amended by inserting ``, the Department of Commerce,'' after
``Interior''.
(d) Plan To Address Needs.--
(1) Development and implementation.--Not later than March
30, 2026, the Secretaries referred to in subsection (a)(6), in
consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management,
shall jointly develop and implement a plan that addresses the
needs of the Department of Commerce, the Department of
Agriculture, and the Department of the Interior, as applicable,
to hire, appoint, promote, or train additional covered
employees who carry out covered services such that sufficient
covered employees are available throughout each fiscal year,
beginning in fiscal year 2026, without the need for waivers of
premium pay limitations.
(2) Submittal.--Not later than 30 days before the date on
which the Secretaries implement the plan developed under
paragraph (1), the Secretaries shall submit the plan to the
relevant congressional committees.
(3) Limitation.--The plan developed under paragraph (1)
shall not be contingent on any Secretary receiving amounts
appropriated for fiscal years beginning in fiscal year 2026 in
amounts greater than amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2024.
(e) Policies and Procedures for Health, Safety, and Well-Being.--
The Secretary concerned shall maintain policies and procedures to
promote the health, safety, and well-being of covered employees.
SEC. 9. SUBMISSIONS TO CONGRESS REGARDING THE FIRE WEATHER SERVICES
PROGRAM, INCIDENT METEOROLOGIST WORKFORCE NEEDS, AND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WORKFORCE SUPPORT.
(a) Report to Congress.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress--
(1) the plan described in subsection (b);
(2) the assessment described in subsection (c); and
(3) the assessment described in subsection (d).
(b) Fire Weather Services Program Plan.--
(1) Elements.--The plan submitted under subsection (a)(1)
shall detail--
(A) the observational data, modeling requirements,
ongoing computational needs, research, development, and
technology transfer activities, data management,
skilled-personnel requirements, engagement with
relevant Federal emergency and land management agencies
and partners, and corresponding research, development,
and operational resources and timelines necessary to
achieve the functions described in subsection (b) of
section 3 and the priorities described in subsection
(c) of such section; and
(B) plans and needs for all other activities and
requirements under this Act and the amendments made by
this Act.
(2) Submittal of annual budget for plan.--Following
completion of the plan submitted under subsection (a)(1), the
Under Secretary shall, not less frequently than once each year
concurrent with the submission of the budget by the President
to Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code,
submit to Congress a proposed budget corresponding with the
elements detailed in the plan.
(c) Incident Meteorologist Workforce Needs Assessment.--
(1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall conduct a
workforce needs assessment on the current and future demand for
additional incident meteorologists for wildfires and other
high-impact fire weather events.
(2) Elements.--The assessment required by paragraph (1)
shall include the following:
(A) A description of staffing levels as of the date
on which the assessment is submitted under subsection
(a)(2) and projected future staffing levels.
(B) An assessment of the state of the research,
development, and operational infrastructure of the
National Weather Service as of the date on which the
assessment is submitted and future needs of such
infrastructure in order to meet current and future
demands, including with respect to information
technology support and logistical and administrative
operations.
(3) Considerations.--In conducting the assessment required
by paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall consider user needs
and feedback from relevant stakeholders.
(d) Support Services Assessment.--
(1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall conduct a
workforce support services assessment with respect to employees
of the National Weather Service engaged in emergency response.
(2) Elements.--The assessment required by paragraph (1)
shall include the following:
(A) An assessment of need for further support of
employees of the National Weather Service engaged in
emergency response through services provided by the
Public Health Service.
(B) A detailed assessment of appropriations
required to secure the level of support services needed
as identified in the assessment described in
subparagraph (A).
(3) Additional support services.--Following the completion
of the assessment required by paragraph (1), the Under
Secretary shall seek to acquire additional support services to
meet the needs identified in the assessment.
SEC. 10. FIRE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WORKING GROUP; STRATEGIC PLAN.
(a) Fire Science and Technology Working Group.--
(1) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Executive Director of the
Interagency Committee for Advancing Weather Services
established under section 402 of the Weather Research and
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8542) (in this
section referred to as the ``Interagency Committee'') shall
establish a working group, to be known as the ``Fire Science
and Technology Working Group'' (in this section referred to as
the ``Working Group'').
(2) Chair.--The Working Group shall be chaired by the Under
Secretary, or designee.
(3) General duties.--
(A) In general.--The Working Group shall seek to
build efficiencies among the agencies listed under
section 12(c)(1) and coordinate the planning and
management of science, research, technology, and
operations related to science and support services for
wildland fire prediction, detection, forecasting,
modeling, resilience, response, management, and
assessments.
(B) Input.--The Working Group shall solicit input
from non-Federal stakeholders.
(b) Strategic Plan.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Interagency Committee shall
prepare and submit to Congress a strategic plan for interagency
coordination, research, and development that will improve the
assessment of fire environments and the understanding and
prediction of wildland fires, associated wildfire smoke, and
the impacts of such fires and smoke, including--
(A) on communities, buildings, and other
infrastructure;
(B) on ecosystem services and watersheds;
(C) social and economic impacts;
(D) by developing and encouraging the adoption of
science-based and cost-effective measures--
(i) to enhance community resilience to
wildland fires;
(ii) to address and mitigate the impacts of
wildland fires and associated wildfire smoke;
and
(iii) to restore natural fire regimes in
fire-dependent ecosystems;
(E) by improving the understanding and mitigation
of the effects of weather and long-term drought on
wildland fire risk, frequency, and severity;
(F) through integrations of social and behavioral
sciences in public safety fire communication;
(G) by improving the forecasting and understanding
of prescribed fires and the impacts of such fires, and
how those impacts may differ from impacts of wildland
fires that originate from an unplanned ignition; and
(H) consideration and adoption of any
recommendations included in the report required by
section 12(c).
(2) Plan elements.--The strategic plan required by
paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A) A description of the priorities and needs of
vulnerable populations.
(B) A description of high-performance computing,
visualization, and dissemination needs.
(C) A timeline and guidance for implementation of--
(i) an interagency data sharing system for
data relevant to performing fire assessments
and modeling fire risk and fire behavior;
(ii) a system for ensuring that the fire
prediction models of relevant agencies can be
interconnected; and
(iii) to the maximum extent practicable,
any recommendations included in the report
required by section 12(c).
(D) A plan for incorporating and coordinating
research and operational observations, including from
infrared technologies, microwave, radars, satellites,
mobile weather stations, and uncrewed aerial systems.
(E) A flexible framework to communicate clear and
simple fire event information to the public.
(F) Integration of social, behavioral, risk, and
communication research to improve the fire operational
environment and societal information reception and
response.
(c) Sunset.--The Working Group shall terminate not later than 1
year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 11. FIRE WEATHER RATING SYSTEM.
(a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall, in collaboration with
the Chief of the United States Forest Service, the Director of the
United States Geological Survey, the Director of the National Park
Service, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the
Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Director of the Bureau of
Land Management, and such stakeholders as the Under Secretary considers
appropriate--
(1) evaluate the system used as of the date of the
enactment of this Act to rate the risk of wildfire; and
(2) determine whether updates to that system are required
to ensure that the ratings accurately reflect the severity of
fire risk.
(b) Update Required.--If the Under Secretary determines under
subsection (a) that updates to the system described in paragraph (1) of
such subsection are necessary, the Under Secretary shall update that
system.
SEC. 12. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORTS.
(a) Report on Fire Weather Services Program.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall submit to Congress a report on the program
established under section 3(a).
(2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall--
(A) evaluate the performance of the program by
establishing initial baseline capabilities and tracking
progress made toward fully operationalizing the
functions described in section 3(b); and
(B) include such other recommendations as the
Comptroller General determines are appropriate to
improve the program.
(b) Report on Interagency Bodies for Wildfire Forecasting,
Prevention, Planning, and Management.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall submit to Congress a report that--
(1) identifies all Federal interagency bodies established
for the purpose of wildfire forecasting, prevention, planning,
and management (such as wildfire councils, commissions, and
workgroups), including--
(A) the Wildland Fire Leadership Council;
(B) the White House Wildfire Resilience Interagency
Group;
(C) the Wildland Fire Management Policy Committee;
(D) the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management
Commission;
(E) the Joint Science Fire Program;
(F) the National Interagency Coordination Center;
(G) the National Predictive Services Oversight
Group;
(H) the Interagency Council for Advancing
Meteorological Services;
(I) the National Wildfire Coordinating Group;
(J) the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group;
and
(K) the Mitigation Framework Leadership Group;
(2) evaluates the roles, functionality, and utility of such
interagency bodies;
(3) evaluates the progress, performance, and implementation
of such interagency bodies;
(4) assesses efficacy and identifies potential overlap and
duplication of such interagency bodies in carrying out
interagency collaboration with respect to wildfire prevention,
planning, and management; and
(5) includes such other recommendations as the Comptroller
General determines are appropriate to streamline and improve
wildfire forecasting, prevention, planning, and management,
including recommendations regarding the interagency bodies for
which the addition of the Administration is necessary to
improve wildfire forecasting, prevention, planning, and
management.
(c) Report on Interagency Coordination.--Not later than 1 year
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of
the United States shall submit to Congress a report that identifies--
(1) the authorities, roles, and science and support
services relating to wildland fire prediction, detection,
forecasting, modeling, resilience, response, management, and
assessment provided by--
(A) the Department of Commerce, including the
Administration and the National Institute of Standards
and Technology;
(B) the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration;
(C) the Department of the Interior;
(D) the Department of Agriculture;
(E) the National Science Foundation;
(F) the Department of Energy;
(G) the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(H) the Department of Transportation;
(I) the Environmental Protection Agency; and
(J) the Department of Defense; and
(2) recommended areas in and mechanisms by which the
agencies listed under paragraph (1) could support and improve--
(A) coordination between Federal agencies, State
and local governments, Indian tribes, Tribal
organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and other
relevant stakeholders, including through examination of
possible public-private partnerships;
(B) research and development, including
interdisciplinary research, related to fire
environments, wildland fires, associated wildfire
smoke, and the impacts of such environments, fires, and
smoke, in furtherance of a coordinated interagency
effort to address wildland fire risk reduction;
(C) data management and stewardship, the
development and coordination of data systems and
computational tools, and the creation of a centralized,
integrated data collaboration environment for agency
data, including historical data, relating to weather,
fire environments, wildland fires, associated wildfire
smoke, and the impacts of such environments, fires, and
smoke, and the assessment of wildland fire risk
mitigation measures;
(D) interoperability, usability, and accessibility
of the scientific data, data systems, and computational
and information tools of the agencies listed under
paragraph (1);
(E) coordinated public safety communications
relating to fire weather events, fire hazards, and
wildland fire and smoke risk reduction strategies; and
(F) secure and accurate real-time data, alerts, and
advisories to wildland firefighters and other decision
support tools for wildland fire incident command posts.
(d) Report on Automated Surface Observing System.--Not later than 4
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller
General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report that--
(1) evaluates the functionality, utility, reliability, and
operational status of the automated surface observing system
across the Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration,
and the Department of Defense;
(2) evaluates the progress, performance, and implementation
of the plan required by section 6(b)(1)(B);
(3) assesses the efficacy of cross-agency collaboration and
stakeholder engagement in carrying out the plan and provides
recommendations to improve such activities;
(4) evaluates the operational continuity and reliability of
the system, particularly in remote and rural areas and areas
where system failure would have the greatest negative impact to
the community, and provides recommendations to improve such
continuity and reliability;
(5) assesses Federal coordination regarding the remote
automatic weather station network, air resource advisors, and
other Federal observing assets used for weather and climate
modeling and response activities, and provides recommendations
for improvements; and
(6) includes such other recommendations as the Comptroller
General determines are appropriate to improve the system.
SEC. 13. COOPERATION AND COORDINATION.
(a) Cooperation.--Each Federal agency shall cooperate and
coordinate with the Under Secretary, as appropriate, in carrying out
this Act and the amendments made by this Act.
(b) Coordination.--
(1) In general.--In meeting the requirements under this Act
and the amendments made by this Act, the Under Secretary shall
coordinate, and as appropriate, establish agreements with
Federal and external partners to fully use and leverage
existing assets, systems, networks, technologies, and sources
of data.
(2) Inclusions.--Coordination carried out under paragraph
(1) shall include coordination with--
(A) the agencies represented at the National
Interagency Fire Center;
(B) the Predictive Services Program of the National
Interagency Coordination Center;
(C) the National Wildfire Coordinating Group; and
(D) relevant interagency bodies identified in the
report required by section 12(b).
(3) Consultation.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Under Secretary shall consult with Federal partners including--
(A) the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration;
(B) the Department of the Interior;
(C) the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(D) the National Science Foundation;
(E) the United States Geological Survey;
(F) the Department of Agriculture;
(G) the Environmental Protection Agency;
(H) the Department of Energy;
(I) the Department of Defense;
(J) the National Institute of Standards and
Technology; and
(K) such other departments and agencies as the
Under Secretary considers relevant.
(c) Process for Annual Coordination With Non-Federal Entities.--Not
later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Under Secretary shall develop and submit to the appropriate committees
of Congress a process for annual coordination with State and local
governments, Indian tribes, Tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian
organizations to assist the development of improved fire weather
products and services.
(d) International Coordination.--
(1) In general.--The Under Secretary may develop
collaborative relationships and agreements with foreign
partners and counterparts to address transboundary issues
pertaining to wildfires, fire weather, wildfire smoke, air
quality, and associated conditions and hazards or other
relevant meteorological phenomena, as appropriate, to
facilitate full and open exchange of data and information.
(2) Consultation.--In carrying out activities under this
subsection, the Under Secretary shall consult with the
Department of State and such other Federal partners as the
Under Secretary considers relevant.
SEC. 14. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) Avoidance of Duplication.--
(1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall ensure, to the
greatest extent practicable, that activities carried out under
this Act and the amendments made by this Act are not
duplicative of activities supported by other parts of the
Administration or other relevant Federal agencies.
(2) Coordination.--In carrying out activities under this
Act and the amendments made by this Act, the Under Secretary
shall coordinate with the Administration and heads of other
Federal research agencies--
(A) to ensure those activities enhance and
complement, but do not constitute unnecessary
duplication of, efforts; and
(B) to ensure the responsible stewardship of funds.
(b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act may be construed--
(1) to satisfy any requirement for government-to-government
consultation with Indian tribes; or
(2) to affect or modify any treaty or other right of any
Indian tribe.
SEC. 15. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Administration to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this
Act--
(1) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;
(2) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;
(3) $27,000,000 for fiscal year 2028;
(4) $36,000,000 for fiscal year 2029; and
(5) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2030.
(b) Prohibition.--None of the amounts authorized to be appropriated
by subsection (a) may be used to unnecessarily duplicate activities
funded under title VIII of division D of the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58; 135 Stat. 1094).
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Star Print ordered on the bill.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-42.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-42.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 119.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Received in the House.
Held at the desk.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line