[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9702 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9702

   To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Wildfire 
                 Science and Technology Advisory Board.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 19, 2024

 Mr. Neguse (for himself and Mr. Harder of California) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
  Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology, 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 direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Wildfire 
                 Science and Technology Advisory Board.

    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 ``Wildfire Coordination Act''.

SEC. 2. WILDFIRE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY BOARD.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of the Interior shall establish a 
permanent advisory committee to be known as the Wildfire Science and 
Technology Advisory Board (in this section referred to as the 
``Board'').
    (b) Duties.--The Board shall--
            (1) coordinate the operationalization within the Federal 
        Government of wildfire research, including by--
                    (A) identifying avenues for translating wildfire 
                research into practical applications;
                    (B) establishing criteria and frameworks to 
                prioritize wildfire research projects for 
                operationalization;
                    (C) facilitating the transition of prioritized 
                wildfire research into operational projects;
                    (D) connecting and supporting entities in wildfire 
                research and operations;
                    (E) providing feedback to refine and enhance 
                wildfire research outputs for practical application; 
                and
                    (F) partnering, as the Board determines 
                appropriate, with private sector and federally-funded 
                research centers to further the work of the Board;
            (2) encourage wildfire researchers and Federal agencies 
        undertaking wildfire operations to include--
                    (A) relevant disciplines, such as public health, 
                meteorological science, and predictive modeling; and
                    (B) consideration of built and natural fire-prone 
                environments; and
            (3) disseminate information, including by--
                    (A) establishing mechanisms, such as newsletters 
                and publications, online portals, webinars, and 
                workshops, to disseminate wildfire research findings, 
                operational best practices, and resources to relevant 
                stakeholders and practitioners; and
                    (B) promoting activities of the Board to ensure 
                visibility and accessibility to stakeholders.
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) Number and appointment.--The Board shall be composed of 
        the following members:
                    (A) The Secretary of the Interior (or the designee 
                thereof).
                    (B) The Secretary of Agriculture (or the designee 
                thereof).
                    (C) The Secretary of Commerce (or the designee 
                thereof).
                    (D) The Chief of the Forest Service (or the 
                designee thereof).
                    (E) The Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs 
                (or the designee thereof).
                    (F) The Director of the Bureau of Land Management 
                (or the designee thereof).
                    (G) The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
                Management Agency (or the designee thereof, except that 
                such designee may not be the member of the Board 
                serving pursuant to subparagraph (H)).
                    (H) The United States Fire Administrator (or the 
                designee thereof).
                    (I) The Director of the United States Fish and 
                Wildlife Service (or the designee thereof).
                    (J) The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration (or the designee thereof).
                    (K) The Director of the National Park Service (or 
                the designee thereof).
                    (L) The Director of the National Institute of 
                Standards and Technology (or the designee thereof).
                    (M) The Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (or 
                the designee thereof).
                    (N) The Director of the Office of Science and 
                Technology Policy (or the designee thereof).
                    (O) The Director of the National Science Foundation 
                (or designee thereof).
                    (P) The Administrator of the National Aeronautics 
                and Space Administration (or designee thereof).
                    (Q) The Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
                and Prevention (or designee thereof).
                    (R) The Administrator of the Environmental 
                Protection Agency (or designee thereof).
                    (S) Not more than 18 members, to be appointed by 
                the Secretary of the Interior, as follows:
                            (i) At least 2 representatives of State, 
                        local, or Tribal governments.
                            (ii) Representatives of relevant private-
                        sector entities, such as codes and standards-
                        setting organizations, prescribed fire 
                        associations, and entities with expertise in 
                        wildfire science and wildfire risk 
                        identification, transfer, and mitigation.
                            (iii) Wildfire, forest health, or 
                        ecological restoration researchers.
                            (iv) Public health experts.
                            (v) Meteorological scientists.
                            (vi) Predictive modeling experts.
                            (vii) Such other members as the Secretary 
                        of the Interior deems appropriate.
            (2) Terms.--
                    (A) In general.--Each member of the Board serving 
                pursuant to subparagraph (M) or (N) of paragraph (1) 
                shall be appointed for a term of 2 years.
                    (B) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Board shall be 
                filled in the manner in which the original appointment 
                was made.
            (3) Pay and expenses.--
                    (A) Prohibition on compensation.--A member of the 
                Board shall serve without compensation.
                    (B) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Board 
                shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in 
                lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable 
                provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, 
                United States Code.
            (4) Chairperson.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), the Chairperson shall rotate annually among the 
                members of the Board serving pursuant to subparagraphs 
                (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1), beginning with the 
                member serving pursuant to paragraph (1)(A), followed 
                by the member serving pursuant to paragraph (1)(B).
                    (B) Exception.--For any term, the members of the 
                Board may designate a member of the Board to serve as 
                the Chairperson of the Board in lieu of the official 
                (or the designee thereof) who would otherwise serve as 
                the Chairperson pursuant to subparagraph (A).
            (5) Staff; temporary and intermittent services.--
                    (A) Staff.--The Board may appoint personnel as it 
                considers appropriate.
                    (B) Pay.--The Chairperson of the Board may fix the 
                compensation of the personnel appointed under 
                subparagraph (A) without regard to the provisions of 
                chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, 
                United States Code, relating to classification of 
                positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that 
                the rate of pay for such personnel may not exceed the 
                annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the 
                Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
                    (C) Detail of federal employees.--The head of any 
                Federal department or agency may detail any of the 
                personnel of that department or agency to the Board. A 
                detail under the preceding sentence shall be without 
                reimbursement and without interruption or loss of civil 
                service status or privilege.
                    (D) Procurement of temporary and intermittent 
                services.--The Chairperson of the Board may procure 
                temporary and intermittent services under section 
                3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for 
                individuals that do not exceed the daily equivalent of 
                the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of 
                the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of that 
                title.
    (d) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than the date that is 2 years 
        after the date of enactment of this Act, the Board shall submit 
        a report to the relevant congressional committees, which 
        shall--
                    (A) detail the activities of the Board;
                    (B) discuss progress on transitioning wildfire 
                research into operations within the Federal government;
                    (C) discuss barriers to successfully transitioning 
                wildfire research into operations within the Federal 
                government; and
                    (D) provide recommendations on future wildfire 
                research priorities and operational needs.
            (2) Relevant congressional committees.--In this subsection, 
        the term ``relevant congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committees on Agriculture; Natural 
                Resources; Science, Space, and Technology; and 
                Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
                Forestry; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Energy 
                and Natural Resources; Environment and Public Works; 
                and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
                Senate.
    (e) Termination.--Section 1013(a)(2) of title 5, United States 
Code, shall not apply to the Board.
    (f) Funding.--
            (1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out this section, to 
        remain available until expended.
            (2) Additional funding.--In addition to the amounts made 
        available pursuant to paragraph (1), the Federal members of the 
        Board may, for purposes of carrying out this section, use 
        amounts whose purpose is not otherwise specified by the 
        appropriations laws available to the employing agencies of such 
        members.
                                 <all>