Wildfire Recovery Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1066) to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to provide flexibility with the cost share for fire management assistance, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1066, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1066, the Wildfire Recovery Act, a bill introduced by Mr. Neguse from Colorado. This legislation will remove some of the financial burdens communities face after suppressing a wildfire.

Wildfires are causing an unprecedented amount of damage to the natural and built environment. This bill will require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover at least 75 percent of the costs to suppress wildfires that qualify for a Fire Management Assistance Grant. Local officials have said that this fix would allow them to speed up the recovery process and invest more money in mitigation efforts.

Rural communities that typically receive this type of grant assistance will benefit most from this legislation. Providing more Federal assistance in the wake of the worst fires will assist stretched local budgets.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the Wildfire Recovery Act ensures that communities affected by wildfire disasters are treated similarly as communities affected by other disasters.

The bill provides parity by making a Federal cost share amount adjustable for Fire Management Assistance Grants, ensuring it is consistent with other FEMA assistance programs at 75 percent.

H.R. 1066 also clarifies the ability for Fire Management Assistance Grants to help communities recover after wildfire disasters and rebuild their infrastructure.

I thank my colleagues, including Mr. LaMalfa of California, who is a cosponsor, for their leadership on this legislation. I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

In closing, I urge support of this legislation, thank our colleagues for cosponsoring, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on September 13, 2022, I was participating in a Presidential Delegation to the Republic of Kenya and absent during the time of votes. Had I been present, I would have voted:

YEA on Roll Call No. 421, S. 4785, a bill to extend by 19 days the authorization for the special assessment for the Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund;

YEA on Roll Call No. 422, H.R. 5315, the Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grant Act; and

YEA on Roll Call No. 423, H.R. 1066, the Wildfire Recovery Act.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.