H.R. 167 – Wildfire Disaster Funding Act

114th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 167

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 6, 2015

Mr. Simpson (for himself and Mr. Schrader) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture and 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 adjustments to discretionary spending under section 251(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to support wildfire suppression operations, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act.

Wildfire disaster funding authority

(a)

Adjustments to discretionary spending limits

Section 251(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(E)

Flame wildfire suppression

(i)

If a bill or joint resolution making appropriations for a fiscal year is enacted that specifies an amount for wildfire suppression operations in the Wildland Fire Management accounts at the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior, then the adjustments for that fiscal year shall be the amount of additional new budget authority provided in that Act for wildfire suppression operations for that fiscal year, but shall not exceed $2,689,000,000 in additional new budget authority in each of fiscal years 2015 through 2022.

(ii)

If the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture determines that supplemental appropriations are necessary for a fiscal year for wildfire suppression operations, such Secretary shall promptly submit to Congress—

(I)

a request for such supplemental appropriations; and

(II)

a plan detailing the manner in which such Secretary intends to obligate the supplemental appropriations within 30 days after the date on which such supplemental appropriations are made available.

(iii)

The average costs for wildfire suppression operations over the previous 10 years shall be calculated annually and reported in the President’s budget submission under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, for each fiscal year.

(iv)

As used in this subparagraph—

(I)

the term additional new budget authority means the amount provided for a fiscal year, in excess of 70 percent of the average costs for wildfire suppression operations over the previous 10 years, in an appropriation Act and specified to pay for the costs of wildfire suppression operations; and

(II)

the term wildfire suppression operations means the emergency and unpredictable aspects of wildland firefighting including support, response, and emergency stabilization activities, other emergency management activities, and funds necessary to repay any transfers needed for these costs.

(b)

Disaster funding

Section 251(b)(2)(D) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(D)) is amended—

(1)

in clause (i)—

(A)

in subclause (I), by striking and and inserting plus;

(B)

in subclause (II), by striking the period and inserting ; less; and

(C)

by adding the following:

(III)

the additional new budget authority provided in an appropriation Act for wildfire suppression operations pursuant to subparagraph (E) for the preceding fiscal year.

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(v)

Beginning in fiscal year 2017 and in subsequent fiscal years, the calculation of the average funding provided for disaster relief over the previous 10 years under clause (i)(I) shall include any additional new budget authority provided in an appropriation Act for wildfire suppression operations pursuant to subparagraph (E).

Wildfire Disaster Funding Act

Legislative Activity

Bill Text