[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 92 (Thursday, May 26, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2754-S2755]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Lujan, Mr. 
        Heinrich, and Mrs. Murray):
  S. 4328. A bill to modify the fire management assistance cost share, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Fire Suppression 
Improvement Act and the Post Fire Flooding and Debris Flow Act.
  Currently, the Fire Management Assistance Grant, FMAG, Program is 
available to State, local, and Tribal governments for the mitigation, 
management, and control of fires that threaten such destruction that 
they would constitute a major disaster.
  However, under current law, FMAGs can only be used to reimburse 
expenses incurred after it is granted.
  The Fire Suppression Improvement Act would explicitly allow for State 
or local governments to use FMAGs for the predeployment of assets and 
resources. These predeployed assets are critical to suppression of 
fires and are sometimes the only way to contain a fire before it gets 
out of hand and needs a major disaster declaration. This bill would 
simply allow for FMAGs to help State and local governments cover the 
cost of fighting incidents from the beginning of the high-risk event.
  Additionally, this bill would make FMAGs consistent with other FEMA 
disaster assistance by stating that the Federal cost share of FMAGs 
shall be not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost of such 
assistance. This bill does not mandate any cost share increase but 
simply allows for flexibility. FMAGS are granted on an incident-by-
incident basis, and as we have seen across the West, fires often occur 
in the same area consecutively in the same year.
  Wildfires leave behind severe vegetation loss and soil exposure in 
the form of burn scars, which can cause destructive and large-scale 
flooding and debris flow when exposed to rainfall. Sudden and deadly 
postfire events of this type are well documented throughout the Western 
United States, particularly in Southern California. These events are 
one of the most dangerous postfire hazards and pose a serious threat to 
life and property and have the possibility to block drainage ways and 
damage public infrastructure.
  The Post Fire Flooding and Debris Flow Act would explicitly include 
mitigating and preventing postwildfire flooding and debris flow as 
eligible under FEMA's HMGP. This inclusion would allow for State and 
local governments to act quickly when storms are incoming to protect 
property, public infrastructure, and lives.
  This bill would also make HMGP consistent with other FEMA disaster 
assistance by stating that the Federal cost share of HMGP shall be not 
less than 75 percent of the eligible cost of such assistance. This bill 
does not mandate any increase but simply allows for flexibility and 
increased federal assistance where necessary.
  As States and local governments continue to step up, respond, and 
work to recover from more frequent and more

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dangerous fires, it is imperative that the Federal Government has the 
flexibility to adequately support them.
  These two bills represent commonsense steps forward to meet the 
current crisis facing the Western United States and to better support 
initial suppression efforts and postfire risk reduction.

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