Fire Weather Development Act of 2024

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4866) to direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a program to improve fire weather and fire environment forecasting, detection, and local collaboration, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 4866

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 ``Fire Weather Development Act of 2024''. SEC. 2. FIRE WEATHER FORECASTING AND DETECTION.

(a) Establishment.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall establish a program (in this Act referred to as the ``Program'') to improve fire weather and fire environment forecasting, detection, and delivery of products or services through collaboration with Federal and State agencies or departments, local emergency mangers, and relevant entities.

(b) Goals.--The goals of the Program shall be to develop and improve accurate fire weather and fire environment forecasts and warnings in order to reduce loss of life, reduce injuries, protect property, and reduce damage to the economy from wildfires. The Program shall seek to improve the assessment of fire weather and fire environments, the understanding and prediction of wildfires, and the communications regarding such assessments with State and local emergency officials in a timely and streamlined fashion, with a focus on improving the following:

(1) The prediction of ignition, intensification and spread of wildfires.

(2) The observation and monitoring of fire weather and fire environments.

(3) The forecast and communication of smoke dispersion from wildfires.

(4) Information dissemination and risk communication to develop more effective watch and warning products relating to wildfires.

(5) The early detection of wildfires, including pre- ignition analysis and ground condition characterizations.

(6) The development, testing, and deployment of novel tools and techniques related to understanding, monitoring, and predicting fire weather and fire environments.

(7) The understanding and association of climate change and its impacts on fire weather and fire environments.

(8) The unique characteristics, including observation or modeling requirements, related to fires at the wildland-urban interface.

(9) The forecasting and understanding of the impacts of prescribed burns (as such term is defined in section 2 of the Prescribed Burn Approval Act of 2016 (16 U.S.C. 551c-1 note)).

(c) Collaboration With Stakeholders.--In developing the Program required under this section, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall solicit and take into consideration input from the weather industry, such academic entities as the Administrator considers appropriate, and other relevant stakeholders.

(d) Activities.--To achieve the goals specified in subsection (b), the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may conduct research, development, testing, demonstration, and operational transition activities related to fire weather and fire environments, including regarding the following:

(1) Tools and services to inform, support, and complement active land management, local emergency personnel, the United States Forest Service, and State, local, and Tribal entities during their response and mitigation efforts.

(2) Sensing technologies, such as infrared, microwave, and active sensors suitable for potential deployment on spacecraft, aircraft, and unmanned aircraft systems, to improve the monitoring and forecasting of fire fuel and active wildfires, wildfire behavior models and forecasts, mapping efforts, and the prediction of wildfires and the impacts of such.

(3) Grid-based assessments and outlooks of fuel moisture and danger levels.

(4) Social and behavior sciences related to fire weather and fire environment warning products.

(5) Advanced satellite detection products coupled with atmosphere and fire weather modeling systems.

(6) Education and training to expand the number of students and researchers in areas of study and research related to wildfires, fire weather, and fire environments.

(7) Modeling systems to link long-term climate predictions to localized or general land management decisions.

(8) Communication and outreach to communities, energy utilities, owners and operators of critical infrastructure, and other relevant stakeholders regarding fire weather and fire environment risk.

(9) Stewardship and dissemination, to the extent practicable, of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientific data and related products and services in formats meeting shared standards to enhance the interoperability, usability, and accessibility of such data in order to better meet the needs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, other Federal agencies, and relevant stakeholders.

(10) Improvement of spatial and temporal resolution observations.

(11) Any other topic or activity the Administrator determines relevant.

(e) Novel Tools for Monitoring and Prediction.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in consultation with the heads of the agencies specified in section 3, or other appropriate stakeholders, including commercial partners, shall develop novel tools and technologies to support the activities of the Program and which may be applied to broader wildland fire research, monitoring, and mitigation activities, as practicable and appropriate.

(f) Extramural Research.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall collaborate with and support the non-Federal wildland fire research community, which includes institutions of higher education, private sector entities, nongovernmental organizations, and other relevant stakeholders, by making funds available through competitive grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements.

(g) Commercial Data.--

(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies and relevant stakeholders, may enter into contracts with one or more private sector entities to obtain additional airborne and space-based data and observations that may enhance or supplement the understanding, monitoring, and prediction, of fire weather and fire environments, and the relevant Program activities under this section.

(2) Consultation.--In carrying out activities under paragraph (1), the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall consult with private sector entities through the National Advisory Committee on Wildfires under section 4 to identify needed tools and data that can be best provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites and are most beneficial to wildfire and smoke detection and monitoring.

(h) Nonduplication.--To the maximum extent practicable, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall consult with the National Interagency Fire Center, including the Joint Fire Science Program, to avoid duplication of activities under this section and ensure the Administration's focus on unique research activities best suited for transition to operations.

(i) Unmanned Aircraft Systems.--

(1) In general.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall--

(A) assess the role and potential benefits of unmanned aircraft systems to improve data collection in support of fire weather and fire environment modeling, meteorological observations, predictions, and forecasts;

(B) identify objectives for testing such systems' use for obtaining fire weather and fire environment observations, and other relevant activities; and

(C) transition unmanned aircraft systems technologies from research to operations as the Administrator considers appropriate.

(2) Briefing.--Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the activities under paragraph (1).

(3) Pilot programs.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may conduct pilot programs of unmanned aircraft systems for fire weather and fire environment observations, including relating to the following:

(A) Testing of unmanned aircraft systems in approximations of real-world scenarios.

(B) Assessment of the utility of meteorological data collected from fire response and assessment aircraft.

(C) Input into appropriate models of collected data to predict fire behavior, including coupled atmosphere and fire models.

(D) Collection of best management practices for deployment of unmanned aircraft systems for fire weather and fire environment observations.

(4) Prohibition.--

(A) In general.--Except as provided under subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may not procure any unmanned aircraft system that is manufactured or assembled by an entity in a foreign country of concern.

(B) Exemption.--The prohibition under subparagraph (A) shall not apply to the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration if the Administrator determines, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, that the procurement of an unmanned aircraft system is necessary for the sole purpose of marine or atmospheric science or management.

(C) Waiver.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may waive the prohibition under subparagraph (A) on a case-by-case basis--

(i) with the approval of the Secretary of Homeland Security; and

(ii) upon written or electronic notification to appropriate committees of Congress not later than 30 days after any such waiver.

(5) Airspace operations system.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in cooperation with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, shall utilize the capabilities of unmanned aircraft systems as appropriate for fire weather and fire environment observations, and may use a wildfire airspace operations system that accounts for piloted aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems, and other new and emerging capabilities after such airspace operations system is developed and determined ready for operational use by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

(6) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2025 to carry out this subsection.

(j) Definitions.--In this section:

(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.

(2) Critical infrastructure.--The term ``critical infrastructure'' has the meaning given such term in section 1016(e) of Public Law 107-56 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)).

(3) Foreign country of concern.--The term ``foreign country of concern'' has the meaning given such term in section 9901 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 4651).

(4) Institution of higher education.--The term ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).

(5) Unmanned aircraft system.--The term ``unmanned aircraft system'' has the meaning given such term in section 44801 of title 49, United States Code.

(6) Weather industry.--The term ``weather industry'' has the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501). SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON WILDFIRES.

(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall establish an interagency coordinating committee to be known as the ``Interagency Coordinating Committee on Wildfires'' (in this section referred to as the ``Committee''). The chair of the Committee shall be the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

(b) Purpose.--The Committee shall coordinate the development of accurate and timely wildfire forecasting, detection, monitoring, and delivery of related products or services that best assist State and local emergency officials while avoiding duplication of activities.

(c) Membership.--In addition to the chair, the Committee shall be composed of the heads or appropriate designees of the following program agencies:

(1) The Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(2) The United States Fire Administration.

(3) The United States Forest Service.

(4) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

(5) The Department of the Interior.

(6) The Department of Agriculture.

(7) The United States Geological Survey.

(8) The Office of Science and Technology Policy.

(9) Any other Federal department or agency the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy considers appropriate.

(d) Strategic Plan.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Committee shall submit to Congress a strategic plan for the Program that includes the following:

(1) A description of short-term, mid-term, and long-term objectives to achieve the purpose specified in subsection (b).

(2) A description of how agencies specified in subsection (c) will collaborate with stakeholders and take into account stakeholder needs and recommendations in developing such objectives.

(3) A description of existing and new observational and data infrastructure needed to accomplish such objectives.

(4) A description of the role of each such agency in achieving such objectives.

(5) Guidance regarding how the Committee's recommendations are best used in climate adaptation planning for Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial entities.

(e) Interagency Agreements.--The heads of agencies specified in subsection (c) may enter into one or more interagency agreements providing for cooperation and collaboration in the development of wildfire forecasting, detection, and monitoring tools, instruments, technologies, and research to accomplish the purpose described in subsection (b).

(f) Collaboration.--The head of each agency specified in subsection (c) shall, to the extent practicable, increase engagement and cooperation with international, academic, State, and local communities regarding the infrastructure, data, and scientific research necessary to best advance the forecasting, detection, and monitoring of and preparation for wildfires. SEC. 4. NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON WILDFIRES.

(a) Establishment.--

(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the submission of the strategic plan required by section 3(d), the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall establish a national advisory committee to be known as the ``National Advisory Committee on Wildfires'' (in this section referred to as the ``Advisory Committee''). The Advisory Committee shall consist of not fewer than seven and not more than 15 members who are qualified to provide advice regarding wildfire forecasting, detection, monitoring, and delivery of related products or services, including from the following entities:

(A) Research and academic institutions.

(B) Public communication or broadcast entities.

(C) Emergency management agencies.

(D) State, local, or Tribal governments.

(E) The National Association of State Foresters.

(F) Business communities.

(G) Other entities as designated by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

(2) Prohibition.--Members of the Advisory Committee may not be employees of the Federal Government.

(b) Assessment.--The Advisory Committee shall offer assessments and recommendations relating to the following:

(1) Tailored forecasting, detection, and monitoring products and tools.

(2) Communication and delivery methods of wildfire forecasting, detection, and monitoring information.

(3) Opportunities to streamline Federal forecasting, monitoring, and detection information to local emergency personnel and communities.

(4) The management, coordination, implementation, and activities of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Wildfires under section 3.

(5) The effectiveness of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Wildfires in meeting its purposes.

(c) Compensation.--Members of the Advisory Committee shall serve without compensation.

(d) Reports.--Not less frequently than biennially, the Advisory Committee shall report to the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy on the assessments carried out under subsection (b) and its recommendations for ways to improve the coordination and dissemination of wildfire forecasts, warnings, and detection and monitoring information.

(e) Charter.--Notwithstanding section 1013(b)(2) of title 5, United States Code, the Advisory Committee shall not be required to file a charter subsequent to its initial charter, filed under section 1008(c) of such title, before the termination date specified in subsection (f) of this section.

(f) Termination.--The Advisory Committee shall terminate on September 30, 2028.

(g) Conflict of Interest.--An Advisory Committee member shall recuse himself or herself from any Advisory Committee activity in which he or she has an actual pecuniary interest. SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF FIRE WEATHER TESTBED.

(a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall establish a fire weather testbed to enable 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 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal and land management agencies, and other relevant stakeholders.

(b) Resources.--In carrying out this section, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may not transfer or reprogram any funds, detail any personnel, or make use of any infrastructure from cooperative institutes of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in existence as of the date of the enactment of this Act for the fire weather testbed established under subsection (a).

(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2028 to carry out this section. SEC. 6. INCIDENT METEOROLOGIST WORKFORCE.

(a) Workforce and Training Assessment.--Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate the results of an assessment of National Weather Service workforce and training challenges for Incident Meteorologists, and a roadmap for overcoming such challenges. Such assessment shall take into consideration information technology support, logistical and administrative operations, anticipated weather and climate conditions, and feedback from relevant stakeholders, and shall include, to the maximum extent practicable, an identification by the National Weather Service of the following:

(1) The expected number of Incident Meteorologists needed over the next five years.

(2) Potential hiring authorities necessary to overcome any identified workforce and training challenges.

(3) Alternative services or assistance options the National Weather Service could provide to meet operational needs.

(b) Overtime Pay.--

(1) In general.--Any premium pay for services performed by Incident Meteorologists of the National Weather Service that are determined by the Secretary of Commerce to be primarily related to emergency wildland fire suppression activities shall be disregarded in calculating the aggregate of such employee's basic pay and premium pay for purposes of a limitation under section 5547 of title 5, United States Code, or under any other provision of law.

(2) Rates.--Section 5542(a)(5) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting ``, the National Weather Service,'' after ``Interior''. SEC. 7. RESEARCH ON WILDLAND FIRE COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION.

(a) In General.--

(1) Public safety research.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director, acting through the head of the Public Safety and Communications Research Division and in consultation with the Fire Research Division and technology manufacturers, shall carry out research on the following:

(A) Public safety communication coordination standards among Federal, State, Tribal, and local wildland firefighters, fire management response officials, and member agencies.

(B) Improving and integrating existing communications systems to transmit secure real-time data, alerts, and advisories to and from fire management response officials and wildland firefighters.

(2) Field testing and measurement of information dissemination and technology.--The Public Safety and Communications Research Division, in consultation with the Fire Research Division and member agencies, shall conduct both live and virtual field testing of equipment, software, and other technologies to determine current times of information dissemination and develop standards for the delivery of useful and secure real-time data among member agencies, fire management response officials, and wildland firefighters, based on findings from research under paragraph (1).

(b) Recommendations.--

(1) In general.--The Director shall develop and publish recommendations to improve public safety communication coordination standards among wildland first responders and fire management response officials.

(2) Transmittal.--The Director shall transmit the recommendations under paragraph (1) to the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Science and Technology Policy for member agencies to implement.

(3) Reporting requirements.--

(A) In general.--The Director shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report containing the recommendations published under paragraph (1).

(B) Implementation.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the publication of the Director's recommendations under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the extent to which member agencies have implemented such recommendations.

(c) Definitions.--In this section:

(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

(2) Member agency.--The term ``member agency'' means a member agency of the National Interagency Fire Center, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, United States Fire Administration, and the Department of Defense.

(3) Wildland firefighter.--The term ``wildland firefighter'' means any person who participates in wildland firefighting activities.

(4) Fire management response officials.--The term ``fire management response officials'' means regional fire directors, deputy regional fire directors, agency officials who directly oversee fire operations, fire management officers, and individuals serving on incident management teams.

(5) Technology manufacturers.--The term ``technology manufacturers'' means private sector entities that manufacture communications technologies used by Federal, State, Tribal, or local wildland fire authorities. SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) 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) smoke dispersion and transport; and

(B) the associated environmental impacts occurring during and after fire events.

(2) Fire weather.--The term ``fire weather'' means the weather conditions that influence the start, spread, character, or behavior of wildfires or fires at the wildland- urban interface and relevant meteorological and chemical phenomena, including air quality, smoke, and meteorological parameters such as relative humidity, air temperature, wind speed and direction, and atmospheric composition and chemistry, including emissions and mixing heights.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. LUCAS. 4866, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4866, the Fire Weather Development Act of 2024, offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Mike Garcia), my friend and colleague on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

This bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to improve the forecasting and detection of fire weather as well as increase collaboration with State and local partners to predict and fight fires.

Just over a month ago, the largest wildfire in U.S. history burned over a million acres in the Texas Panhandle and parts of my district in western Oklahoma.

The Smokehouse Creek fire, as it is now known, was the result of extremely dry and windy conditions that saw a half million acres burn within 24 hours of the fire's start.

With two fatalities, along with hundreds of homes and thousands of cattle lost, the effects of this fire will be felt in this region of our country for many years.

If it wasn't for a shift in wind direction at just the right time, my property would have been a part of that destruction.

At home, I had to take the precaution of moving cattle into fields that were less likely to burn, if the fire kept coming our way.

Looking back on this event today, there is one good thing we can take from it: We know with certainty that the National Weather Service has the tools and capability for fire weather forecasting and prediction that can protect lives and property.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center began mentioning the potential for fire weather conditions in their extended forecast 6 days before the Smokehouse Creek fire started.

In my case, I closely monitored this weather outlook and made critical decisions based on the weather data, models, and forecasts that were available.

While two lives were lost, and that is two too many, it is likely there would have been more, if not for the work of the National Weather Service.

With an increased innovative focus provided by direction from Congress and the necessary resources, NOAA and the NWS can expand these capabilities and ensure every region of our country is prepared for the extreme weather events of the future.

Every citizen can and should have the most accurate tools readily available, just like I did. The bill we are considering today, the Fire Weather Development Act, is a critical step in that direction.

H.R. 4866 directs NOAA to develop and improve accurate fire weather and fire environment forecasts and warnings.

It places an emphasis on developing and using novel technologies such as advanced weather, advanced satellite detection paired with AI modeling systems, or active sensors for potential deployment on unmanned aircraft systems.

These technologies will improve wildfire behavior models, mapping efforts, and the monitoring of fire fuel and active fires, while also eliminating the risk of sending firefighters and operators into potential danger.

The Fire Weather Development Act also recognizes the critical need for Federal collaboration by establishing an Interagency Coordinating Committee on Wildfires.

With all the relevant bodies working together, this committee will coordinate the development of accurate and timely wildfire forecasting, detection, monitoring, and delivery of products or services that best assist State and local emergency officials.

Lastly, this bill establishes an independent National Advisory Council on Wildfires to ensure that local officials, communities, and people who are directly affected by wildfires have a seat at the table and can provide input on what tools or services are most needed.

I thank Representative Mike Garcia for introducing this bill along with his cosponsors, Representatives Caraveo and Kim.

Mr. MIKE GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership on this bill.

In my district, it is all about security. It is about economic security. It is about national security. It is about school security, neighborhood security, and yes, border security, as well as protecting Social Security.

If you live in my district, you will recognize that this bill, H.R. 4866, is truly about security. My district in north L.A. County has the most dense and largest interface of wildlands with human beings and housing developments.

They are all too familiar, my constituents, with the dangers that wildfires pose to our homes and to our livelihoods.

For my constituents, wildfire mitigation isn't a red or blue issue. It is not a Republican or Democratic issue. It is a life-or-death issue. That is why I have made it a top priority since coming to Washington to improve our ability to predict and to fight these disasters in order to keep our firefighters, our homes, and our families safe from harm.

My bill, H.R. 4866, the Fire Weather Development Act, is a strong bipartisan step forward in a constant fight against these catastrophic wildfires.

This bill will dramatically improve NOAA's ability to predict, prevent, and respond to wildfires and to get information down to the local emergency responders.

It would be easy, the last 2 years have been relatively calm fire seasons, to get lulled into a false sense of security in southern California, but the next big fire season is right around the corner.

We have had 2 years of record rain that has spurred an explosion of grass and dense shrubbery across the hills in my district.

As the weather starts to dry out again, so will the forest, transforming greenery into an abundance of fuel and Btus that a stray spark or lightning strike can set ablaze in a moment's notice.

Southern California will be a tinderbox this fall, and the time to prevent wildfires is now. We can't allow ourselves to wait for another wildfire season like we had in 2020 where California lost over 4 million acres and 10,000 buildings due to mismanagement in years prior, like the fires that we saw in Texas just recently and in Hawaii just last year, so horrifically taking the lives of so many Americans.

Half the wildland in my district falls in Federal forests, so this is very important that we, at the Federal level, take care of this issue.

We need to be investing now, not just for our prediction efforts, but to ensure that our firefighters have every possible tool at their disposal to respond.

Firefighters are like frontline combat operators against wildfires, and there is no reason they shouldn't be as well-equipped as they fight fires as our soldiers are when they fight our enemies overseas.

They need the tools this bill provides; advanced imaging to see the fires before they grow out of control, drones to reach the small and remote fires, and improved communications to adjust the forward line of combat operations quickly and safely.

Just like our soldiers, we also need to send the firefighters into dangerous situations only when it is absolutely necessary.

My bill invests in fuel mapping, unmanned vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, wildfire behavior models and more, and all the steps to make 1 firefighter fight like 10 and to minimize the need to put them in danger. More importantly, to make sure that when they fight, they come home each night.

The side benefit of all of this is there is an ongoing fight against insurance companies in California, and this is going to improve lives outside of just the wildfire events as well.

This is a constant threat, and we haven't done a good job in California managing our wildlands.

As a result of that, we have seen a disastrous effect on livelihoods and the economy, especially in southern California. The threat has gotten so bad that insurance companies are jacking up rates on current customers and have stopped offering policies to any new homeowners in my district.

I have heard countless stories from constituents about their house fire policies going up anywhere from 5 to 10 times what they were just in one year. I had a church pastor reach out this last weekend, Mr. Speaker, who said his premiums went from $3,000 a year for his fire insurance to $30,000 a year for a very small church.

To be clear, this bill is not a silver bullet that is going to solve the insurance problem. That is a problem made in Sacramento that this will hopefully mitigate, but there is still a whole lot of bad policies coming out of Sacramento that need to be addressed.

If we can drastically improve our ability to protect people's homes, it will hopefully be a massive step in the right direction and allow the insurance companies to come back to California.

I thank Chairman Lucas for his leadership on this bill and allowing this to come to the floor. I thank Ms. Caraveo for her cosponsorship of this bill. I urge my colleagues to support the Fire Weather Development Act to ensure the security of our constituents in all districts, not just mine, but throughout the Nation that face the daily threat of catastrophic wildfires.

Over the last 5 years, the average annual cost of Federal firefighting suppression has been $2.8 billion. While forest and land management can help prevent wildfires, long- and short-term weather observations, or modeling, play a critical role in limiting their spread and damage.

The Fire Weather Development Act takes immediate action to address this by increasing NOAA and the National Weather Service's activities to best protect lives and property at risk of wildfires.

I again thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Mike Garcia) for working tirelessly to get this bill across the finish line and increasing the lifesaving services available to his constituents.

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

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

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

The yeas and nays were ordered.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source