[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 86 (Friday, June 8, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H3691]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TO ALLOW THE CHIEF OF THE FOREST SERVICE TO AWARD CERTAIN CONTRACTS FOR 
                           LARGE AIR TANKERS

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that the Committee on Agriculture be discharged from further 
consideration of the bill (S. 3261) to allow the chief of the forest 
service to award certain contracts for large air tankers, and ask for 
its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 3261

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. WAIVER.

       Notwithstanding the last sentence of section 3903(d) of 
     title 41, United States Code, the Chief of the Forest Service 
     may award contracts pursuant to Solicitation Number AG 024B S 
     11 9009 for large air tankers earlier than the end of the 30-
     day period beginning on the date of the notification required 
     under the first sentence of section 3903(d) of that title.

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 
3261. This bill waives the congressionally mandated 30-day notification 
period before the Forest Service can issue new contracts for aircraft 
for its air tanker fleet.
  There is some urgency to this bill given the catastrophic wildfires 
that are afflicting the western United States. The west is currently 
experiencing a drought that has drastically increased the hazards of 
wildfire this year. A wildfire in New Mexico has already burned more 
than 400 square miles and is still raging.
  The Forest Service must modernize its fleet of air tankers and must 
do so immediately. The fleet is using several tankers that have been in 
service for 50 years or longer. The agency intends to issue four 
contracts for seven new tankers, and this bill will allow the agency to 
move forward more quickly during this critical time.
  Two tankers were lost this past weekend. Only nine tankers remain to 
fight fires at this time, which is inadequate to deal with wildfire 
threats our western communities face.
  A tanker was forced to make a crash landing in Nevada this weekend 
when its landing gear failed.
  Sadly, we learned the danger of flying these missions when a Forest 
Service tanker crashed in southern Utah this past weekend, killing both 
pilots.
  I want to take a moment to recognize the pilots of these planes, Todd 
Neal Tompkins and Ronnie Edwin Chambless, both of Boise, Idaho. I hope 
their families know that we appreciate their service and sacrifice in 
making our communities safer.
  This is a simple step Congress can take to assist the Forest Service 
during this critical period.
  The bill was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to 
reconsider was laid on the table.


                             General Leave

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and 
extend their remarks on the bill just considered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.

                          ____________________