119 S5293 IS: Pilot for Regional Emergency Prepositioning of Aerial Resources and Equipment Act U.S. Senate 2026-08-06 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II119th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 5293IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESAugust 6, 2026Mr. Ricketts introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesA BILLTo direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to establish prepositioning protocols for aerial wildfire suppression for early-season fine fuel wildland fires, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Pilot for Regional Emergency Prepositioning of Aerial Resources and Equipment Act or the PREPARE Act.

2.

Prepositioning protocols for aerial wildfire suppression

(a)

In general

The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Deputy Chief for Fire and Aviation Management of the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Wildland Fire Service (or a successor agency), shall establish a pilot program for seasonal prepositioning protocols of aerial wildfire suppression resources for early-season fine fuel wildland fires in the States of Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, South Dakota, and Wyoming.(b)

Requirements

The pilot program under subsection (a) shall be established—(1)in accordance with the State's Master Cooperative Wildland Fire Management and Stafford Act Response Agreement; and(2)in consultation with the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center.(c)

Funding

(1)

In general

The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall carry out this section using funding otherwise available for wildland fire management.(2)

Effect

Nothing in this section authorizes any additional appropriations to carry out this section.