[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 10, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4733-H4736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EMPOWERING THE U.S. FIRE ADMINISTRATION ACT
Ms. STEVENS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 7077) to require the United States Fire Administration to
conduct on-site investigations of major fires, and for other purposes,
as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 7077
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 ``Empowering the U.S. Fire
Administration Act''.
SEC. 2. FIRE INVESTIGATIONS.
The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15
U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 38. INVESTIGATION AUTHORITIES.
``(a) In General.--In the case of any major fire, the
Administrator may send incident investigators, which may
include safety specialists, fire protection engineers, codes
and standards experts, researchers, and fire training
specialists, to the site of the fire to conduct an
investigation as described in subsection (b).
``(b) Investigation Required.--A fire investigation
conducted under this section--
``(1) shall be conducted in coordination and cooperation
with appropriate Federal, State, and local authorities,
including Federal agencies that are authorized to investigate
a major fire or an incident of which the major fire is a
part; and
``(2) shall examine the determined cause and origin of the
fire and assess broader systematic matters to include use of
codes and standards, demographics, structural
characteristics, smoke and fire dynamics (movement) during
the event, and costs of associated injuries and deaths.
``(c) Report.--Upon concluding any fire investigation under
this section, the Administrator shall issue a public report
to local, State, and Federal authorities on the findings of
such investigation, or collaborate with another investigating
Federal agency on that agency's report, including
recommendations on--
``(1) any other buildings with similar characteristics that
may bear similar fire risks;
``(2) improving tactical response to similar fires;
``(3) improving civilian safety practices;
``(4) assessing the costs and benefits to the community of
adding fire safety features; and
``(5) how to mitigate the causes of such fire.
``(d) Discretionary Authority.--In addition to
investigations conducted pursuant to subsection (a), the
Administrator may send fire investigators to conduct
investigations at the site of any fire with unusual or
remarkable context that results in losses less severe than
those occurring as a result of a major fire, in coordination
with appropriate Federal, State, and local authorities,
including Federal agencies that are authorized to investigate
a major fire or an incident of which the major fire is a
part.
``(e) Major Fire Defined.--For purposes of this section,
the term `major fire' shall have the meaning given such term
under regulations to be issued by the Administrator.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Michigan (Ms. Stevens) and the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan.
General Leave
Ms. STEVENS. Madam 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. 7077, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Ms. STEVENS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
[[Page H4734]]
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7077, the Empowering
the U.S. Fire Administration Act.
Although fire loss has improved significantly over the past 25 years,
the fire problem in the United States of America remains serious and is
deserving of our attention and our legislative action.
The United States still has one of the highest fire death rates in
the industrialized world. It is clear we have work to do to prevent
these fires and, unfortunately, their deadly consequences.
According to FEMA, between 2017 and 2019, residential building fires
caused an estimated 2,770 deaths, 11,650 injuries, and $8.1 billion in
property loss.
In Michigan--and this is deeply personal to those of us in Oakland
County--we have recently experienced a significant rise in fire-related
deaths during 2022, just this year alone. According to the Bureau of
Fire Services, fire-related deaths across Michigan increased by 144
percent. Fires themselves are on the rise in the first month of 2022
alone compared to 2021.
Unfortunately, it was reported that these increased fires in Michigan
were all preventable, Madam Speaker, and that is why I am proud to be
joining my incredible colleague from New York, Congressman Torres,
today in supporting his legislation.
The Empowering the U.S. Fire Administration Act is part of a Federal
legislative package aimed at solving the underlying issues that cause
deadly fires.
H.R. 7077 is led by my friend and colleague, Congressman Ritchie
Torres. On January 9 of this year, a major fire occurred at the Twin
Parks North West apartment building in Representative Torres' district
in which 17 people, including 8 children, tragically lost their lives.
Following that, we experienced a less deadly fire, although
monumental, at Oakland Hills in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, in which
the second-largest wood frame structure caught on fire and nearly all
collapsed.
A key objective of the U.S. Fire Administration is to significantly
reduce the Nation's loss of life from fire while also achieving a
reduction in property loss and nonfatal injury due to fire.
This bill authorizes the U.S. Fire Administration to conduct onsite
investigations of major fires by authorizing the USFA to send incident
investigators to the site of a major fire.
This bill will more fully leverage the unique expertise of the USFA
to contribute to what we can learn from these fires to continue to
strengthen prevention going forward.
{time} 1500
These catastrophes deserve Federal support. They hamper our local
fire departments. Our local residents deserve answers.
I mentioned the tragedy in my own region in February that the Oakland
Hills Country Club, a fixture that has been in our community for
generations, experienced. The 99-year-old clubhouse is one of the
oldest, all-wooden structures in Michigan and it was where I worked as
a hostess following my graduation from high school at Birmingham
Seaholm. I was saving up money for college. Thankfully, no one was
injured, but the Oakland County Sheriff recently forecasted that the
total fire investigation could take up to a full year to complete.
We must learn from these fires to inform efforts to prevent major
fires from occurring in the future, and the USFA is an important
component of these efforts. The agency is limited in its ability to
learn from these fires, as it currently lacks the authority to conduct
on-site investigations. This is what this bill will achieve.
It will unlock the expertise of Federal fire safety specialists and
engineers to coordinate and cooperate with local firefighter
investigators after a major fire incident in their community.
It authorizes the USFA to send their own experts to the site of a
major fire to conduct an on-site investigation in coordination and
cooperation with appropriate Federal, State, and local authorities. In
doing so, this bill more fully utilizes the agency's extensive
expertise to help learn from major fires and to help inform prevention
efforts in the future.
Additionally, this bill requires USFA to issue a public report on the
findings of the investigation to local, State, and Federal authorities.
This report would include recommendations on how to mitigate the causes
of the investigated fire, as well as buildings with similar
characteristics that may bear similar fire risks.
The sharing of national best practices is how we succeed as the
United States of America. If other Federal agencies, for example, NIST,
are also investigating the fire, the bill would encourage the agency to
collaborate on a comprehensive report and interagency effort. In fact,
collaboration with local, State, and other Federal authorities is a
central theme of this entire bill. We are just ensuring that USFA also
has the specific authorities it needs to carry out its mission.
I thank my colleague, Congressman Ritchie Torres, a freshman in this
body, for his fantastic leadership on this bill. I also recognize my
Science Committee colleagues, Congressman Peter Meijer from west
Michigan and Congressman Anthony Gonzalez from the State of Ohio.
Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join us in passing this
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7077, the Empowering the
U.S. Fire Administration Act. This bipartisan legislation would help us
better investigate and prevent deadly fires by giving the U.S. Fire
Administration the authority to collaborate with local fire
departments. With this authority, they can send safety specialists,
fire protection engineers, codes and standards experts, researchers,
and fire training specialists to assist with on-site investigations of
major fires.
The U.S. Fire Administration is housed within FEMA, and it helps
enhance our ability to prevent and respond to fires through research
and education.
It has valuable and lifesaving resources in preventing, responding
to, and investigating fires. This bill would ensure that State and
local governments can access their expertise and, hopefully, prevent
major fires in the future.
The bill directs U.S. Fire Administration incident investigators to
examine the causes and origins of fires. Their expertise will help
local officials assess factors that contributed to the loss of property
and life, including the use of codes and standards, demographics,
structural characteristics, smoke and fire dynamics, and related costs.
Additionally, the bill requires the U.S. Fire Administration to issue
a report in coordination with Federal, State, and local authorities on
their findings and to provide recommendations on how to prevent similar
fires from occurring in the future.
I thank Representative Torres for introducing this bill after New
York's deadliest fire in over three decades claimed the lives of 17
residents, including 8 children.
Representative Torres recognizes that it is critical that we empower
the U.S. Fire Administration to partner with local fire departments to
help determine the root cause of these tragic and horrific fires to
make sure they never happen again.
The bill incorporates stakeholder and agency feedback and is endorsed
by the Fire Department of New York, the International Association of
Fire Chiefs, International Association of Fire Fighters, the National
Association of State Fire Marshals, and the National Fire Protection
Association.
It is smart and practical policy to make the best possible use of our
resources to protect American lives. In addition to Representative
Torres, I thank the original cosponsors from our committee:
Representatives Stevens, Meijer, and Gonzalez.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. STEVENS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Torres).
Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, I am here to speak about H.R.
7077, which stems from the tragedy of Twin Parks North West, the scene
of New York's deadliest fire in more than three decades, one that left
the South Bronx with a death count of 17, including 8 children, one as
young as 2 years of age.
[[Page H4735]]
The legislation would empower the United States Fire Administration
to investigate the deadliest fires, in partnership with State and local
governments. Not all local jurisdictions have the capacity to
investigate the causes of complex fires on their own. The Federal
Government, tapping into the technical expertise of the USFA, can and
should aid fire investigations in the aim of ascertaining the truth
about what exactly happened and why.
We must investigate the deadliest fires so that every lesson is
learned and so that no life is ever lost in vain.
The objective here is to enable the USFA to share lessons learned
with governments at all levels in the hopes of transforming those
lessons into policies and practices that prevent fires and save lives.
Every time a fire breaks out and a life is lost, we should be
reminded of a simple injunction: Those who fail to learn from history
are doomed to repeat it. Let us enable the USFA to learn from the
deadliest fires so that we as a Nation never repeat them.
I am enormously grateful for the partnership of Congress Member Haley
Stevens; without whose support the bill would never have been brought
to the floor. I am also enormously grateful for the bipartisan
cooperation of Congress Members Bice, Meijer, and Gonzalez.
Madam Speaker, I include in the Record letters supporting my
legislation from the FDNY, International Association of Fire Chiefs,
National Association of State Fire Marshals, and the International
Association of Fire Fighters.
FDNY,
Brooklyn, NY, May 9, 2022.
Hon. Ritchie Torres,
Congressman,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Torres: I am pleased to write in support
of H.R. 7077. This bill authorizes the U.S. Fire
Administration to conduct on-site investigations of major
fires and other fires under other specified circumstances.
This bill would help to prevent future fires and deadly
tragedies by empowering the U.S. Fire Administration to
launch investigations, which assess a range of broad
systematic matters that contribute to fire incidents. The
most recent fire at Twin Parks was a tragic reminder that a
serious fire can happen at any time, particularly in
vulnerable communities. Through investigations and education,
we can prevent future tragedies, and this bill will assist in
doing just that.
I look forward to partnering with your office on this bill
and other critical legislation that furthers New York City.
Sincerely,
Laura Kavanagh,
Acting Fire Commissioner,
Fire Department of the City of New York.
____
International Association
of Fire Chiefs,
Chantilly, VA, March 4, 2022.
Hon. Ritchie Torres,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Torres: On behalf of the nearly 12,000
members of the International Association of Fire Chiefs
(IAFC), I endorse the Empowering the U.S. Fire Administration
Act. This legislation will allow the U.S. Fire Administration
(USFA) to examine the cause of major fires and share lessons
learned with local governments to prevent future tragedies.
The IAFC asks Congress to pass this legislation.
Deaths and property loss from fire remain a national
tragedy. The National Fire Protection Association reports
that, in 2020, local fire departments responded to more than
1.3 million fires. These resulted in 3,500 civilian fire
deaths, 15,200 injuries and more almost $22 billion in
property loss. Despite efforts to reduce the threat of fire,
the United States still has one of the worst fire problems in
the industrialized world.
The USFA can play a significant role in reducing fire
deaths and property loss. It has programs to promote fire
prevention and to train local fire departments to develop
effective fire prevention programs. The Empowering the U.S.
Fire Administration Act can add a valuable tool to USFA's
programs by allowing USFA to examine the cause and origin of
major fires and report on them. Specifically, the bill would
allow USFA to coordinate with the appropriate federal, state,
and local authorities, which are authorized to investigate
major fires. The USFA investigators would examine the
determined cause and origin of the fire and assess broader
systematic matters, including the use of codes and standards,
demographics, structural characteristics, smoke and fire
dynamics during the fire, and the costs of associated
injuries and deaths. Then the USFA would release a report on
this fire with recommendations about fire prevention in
similar buildings; how to improve the tactical response to
similar fires; and how to protect civilian life and property.
In addition, USFA could include this information in its
educational curricula at the National Fire Academy to ensure
that important lessons learned from major fires are
distributed throughout the national fire and emergency
service.
I thank you again for introducing this important
legislation. The nation must work harder to reduce the loss
of life and property through tragic fires. Your bill will
empower the USFA to examine the causes of major fires and
educate the nation on how to prevent future tragedies. We
look forward to collaborating with you to pass this bill.
Sincerely,
Fire Chief Kenneth W. Stuebing,
BHSc, CCP(f),
President and Board Chair.
____
National Association
of State Fire Marshals,
March 31, 2022.
Hon. Ritchie Torres,
Hon. Haley Stevens,
Hon. Peter Meijer,
Hon. Anthony Gonzalez,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representatives Torres, Stevens, Meijer, & Gonzalez:
The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM)
thanks you for your leadership introducing legislation to
authorize the United States Fire Administration (USFA) to
conduct on-site investigations of major fires and fires with
unusual or remarkable context. NASFM strongly endorses H.R.
7077, the Empowering the U.S. Fire Administration Act.
NASFM membership comprises the most senior state fire
officials in the United States. Our primary mission is to
protect human life, property and the environment from fire
and related hazards. As such, we are extremely supportive of
your legislation to empower the USFA to help establish a
broader analysis of major fires and provide recommendations
for enhanced risk reduction and fire prevention efforts.
This bipartisan legislation will increase fire
investigation collaboration at the federal, state, and local
levels by allowing the USFA to send safety specialists, fire
protection engineers, codes and standards experts,
researchers, and fire training specialists to the sites of
major fires throughout the country. The bill also requires
the USFA to issue a report in coordination with appropriate
federal, state, and local authorities to determine the cause
and origin of the fire with recommendations to implement, and
enforcement of national safety codes and standards, to
prevent similar fires in the future.
``The National Association of State Fire Marshals
enthusiastically supports H.R. 7077, the Empowering the U.S.
Fire Administration Act.'' said NASFM Executive Director Jim
Narva, ``By ensuring the inclusion of a more diverse risk
reduction focus, the investigations authorized under this Act
will help identify underlying issues and recommend actions to
help prevent future tragedies, saving countless lives.''
Thank you again for your leadership, we look forward to
working with you to enact this important fire risk reduction
and prevention legislation into law.
Sincerely,
Jim Narva,
Executive Director.
____
International Association of
Fire Fighters
Washington, DC, April 1, 2022.
Hon. Ritchie Torres,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Torres: On behalf of the more than
327,000 professional fire fighters and emergency medical
services (EMS) personnel of the International Association of
Fire Fighters (IAFF), thank you for introducing the
Empowering the U.S. Fire Administration Act (H.R. 7077). The
IAFF appreciates your work to enable the U.S. Fire
Administrator to investigate fires and identify essential
lessons learned that can save lives in the future.
Fires continue to be a significant threat across the
nation. This past January alone, three fires led to the
deaths of 3 fire fighters and 29 members of the public. When
these major fires occur, there are always lessons that can
prevent future deaths. Sadly, the U.S. Fire Administration
(USFA) lacks the formal authority to investigate fires and
translate lessons learned into ways to enhance fire fighters'
training and public education efforts. The IAFF is pleased to
support your legislation as it empowers the USFA to identify
important findings from each fire.
The IAFF also appreciates that H.R. 7077 places a high
value on communicating the findings of fire investigations to
the public. Far too often, findings from fire investigations
are only partially released or done so in a manner that does
not allow findings to be used for future educational
purposes. The USFA has a strong track record of educating the
fire service and developing valuable training. Authorizing
the USFA to conduct these investigations is a meaningful way
to ensure that these findings will be shared with the broader
fire service and fully incorporated into future training and
educational opportunities.
Thank you again for your leadership and work to support
fire fighters across the nation. Congress must make every
effort to support our fire fighters' safety and enable them
to succeed in serving their communities. H.R. 7077 provides
an important new
[[Page H4736]]
tool by empowering the USFA to serve the American fire
service in a new capacity. The IAFF looks forward to working
with you to secure the passage of H.R. 7077 as quickly as
possible.
Sincerely,
Edward A. Kelly,
General President.
Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer), my freshman colleague.
Mr. MEIJER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7077, the
Empowering the U.S. Fire Administration Act, which is an important
piece of bipartisan legislation to support the U.S. Fire
Administration.
I was honored to join my colleague we just heard from, Mr. Ritchie
Torres, in introducing this bill, spurred from a terrible and
heartbreaking tragedy in his district in New York.
That fire in the Bronx apartment building left us with many
questions. Upon further examination, it became clear that there is
currently a lack of coordination between the Federal U.S. Fire
Administration and other State and local authorities. In fact, the U.S.
Fire Administration does not have the authority to conduct on-site
investigations of major fires. As a result, our State and local
authorities are limited in their capabilities to investigate major
fires.
The U.S. Fire Administration's expertise can and should be used to
the fullest extent, in coordination with all existing authorities
responsible for fire investigations.
That is why H.R. 7077 is so important. It simply addresses the
existing coordination gap between Federal, State, and local
authorities. It allows the U.S. Fire Administration to send
investigators, including safety specialists, fire protection engineers,
codes and standards experts, and fire training specialists to the site
of a major fire so that these experts can then work on the ground with
their State and local authorities to determine causes, examine building
failures, provide answers to those affected by the fires, and establish
lessons learned so similar tragedies can be prevented in the future.
The tragedy we saw in the Bronx was heartbreaking and should never
have happened. We need answers, and we also need to ensure that
something like this does not happen again. It is past time to allow the
experts at all levels, Federal, State, and local, to coordinate and
help us achieve this goal. This bill has received support from fire
departments across the country, including my hometown of Grand Rapids,
with our Grand Rapids Fire Department offering its support.
I thank my colleague, Mr. Torres, without whom this wouldn't have
happened, Ms. Stevens, and Mr. Gonzalez for their work on this bill, as
well as my dear colleague, Mrs. Bice, for her work.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this piece of
legislation.
Ms. STEVENS. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I rise again in support of H.R. 7077, the Empowering the U.S. Fire
Administration Act.
As I previously mentioned, the USFA has valuable and lifesaving
resources in preventing, responding to, and investigating fires. This
bill would ensure that State and local governments have access to these
resources and that the U.S. Fire Administration has the authority
needed to conduct on-site investigations of major fires.
We cannot afford to let any more tragic and preventable fires like
the one in Representative Torres' district happen in the future.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Ms. STEVENS. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this
critical bill, H.R. 7077, a bill to empower the U.S. Fire
Administration to act in regard to the event of fires for investigative
purposes.
I also note that the Members who are supporting this bill not only
share a time zone but also share a generation and share a vision for
the future, a vision for the future of this country that utilizes the
best of government and interagency effort, government acting cohesively
together when needed, having the Federal Government come in and support
local fire departments in the wake of catastrophic fires.
This is quite palpable, Madam Speaker. The urgency to pass the bill,
H.R. 7077, could not be more palpable.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7077, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
____________________