[House Report 117-459]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


117th Congress     }                                   {     Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session        }                                   {     117-459

======================================================================

 
                         WILDFIRE RECOVERY ACT

                                _______
                                

 September 13, 2022.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. DeFazio, from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1066]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 1066) to amend the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to 
provide flexibility with the cost share for fire management 
assistance, and for other purposes, having considered the same, 
reports favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that 
the bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose of Legislation...........................................     2
Background and Need for Legislation..............................     2
Hearings.........................................................     3
Legislative History and Consideration............................     3
Committee Votes..................................................     4
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................     6
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................     6
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................     6
Performance Goals and Objectives.................................     9
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................     9
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 
  Benefits.......................................................    10
Federal Mandates Statement.......................................    10
Preemption Clarification.........................................    10
Advisory Committee Statement.....................................    10
Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................    10
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................    10
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............    10

    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Wildfire Recovery Act''.

SEC. 2. FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE COST SHARE.

  Section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act is amended--
          (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
          (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
  ``(e) Federal Share.--The Federal share of assistance under this 
section shall be not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost of such 
assistance.''.

SEC. 3. RULEMAKING.

  Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
President, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, shall conduct and complete a rulemaking to provide 
criteria for the circumstances under which the Administrator may 
recommend the President increase the Federal cost share for section 420 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5187). Such criteria shall include a threshold metric that 
assesses the financial impact to a State or local government from 
responding to a fire for which fire management assistance is being 
provided.

                         Purpose of Legislation

    The purpose of H.R. 1066, as amended, is to provide 
flexibility for the cost share of Fire Management Assistance 
Grants.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (Stafford Act, P.L. 93-288, as amended) has been 
amended multiple times to better address federal assistance for 
wildfire response, recovery, and mitigation.\1\ Section 420, 
which authorizes Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs), was 
added through enactment of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 
(DMA2K, P.L. 106-390) and provides reimbursement for 
``equipment, supplies, and personnel'' tied to suppression of 
wildfires ``on public or private forest land or grassland that 
threatens such destruction as would constitute a major 
disaster.'' Access to post-disaster Hazard Mitigation Grant 
Program assistance (Stafford Act, Sec. 406) for states that 
received FMAGs was added through enactment of the Disaster 
Recovery Reform Act (DRRA, Div. D of P.L. 115-254).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Congressional Research Service (CRS), Federal Assistance for 
Wildfire Response and Recovery, (May 2, 2022). Available at: https://
sgp.fas.org/crs/homesec/IF10732.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    H.R. 1066, as amended, will reduce some of the financial 
burden communities face after suppressing a wildfire by 
providing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with 
flexibility in setting the federal cost share for FMAGs. This 
legislation statutorily codifies that FMAGs shall have a 
federal share of not less than 75 percent, aligning the cost 
share with other FEMA disaster assistance. The cost share is 
currently contained in regulations at 44 CFR 204.61.
    Additionally, H.R. 1066, as amended, requires FEMA to 
complete a rulemaking to establish criteria that will be used 
to inform when the FEMA Administrator may recommend a cost 
share adjustment to the president for FMAGs of a certain 
magnitude. A similar regulatory framework already exists for 
cost share adjustments to major disasters declared pursuant to 
the Stafford Act.

                                Hearings

    For the purposes of rule XIII, clause 3(c)(6)(A) of the 
117th Congress, the following hearing was used to develop or 
consider H.R. 1066:
    On October 26, 2021, the Subcommittee held a hearing titled 
``Are FEMA's Assistance Programs Adequately Designed to Assist 
Communities Before, During, and After Wildfire?''. The 
Subcommittee received testimony from Mr. Andrew Phelps, 
Director, Office of Emergency Management, State of Oregon, 
testifying on behalf of the National Emergency Management 
Association; Mr. Rich Elliott, Deputy Chief, Kittitas Valley 
Fire and Rescue, State of Washington, testifying on behalf of 
the International Association of Fire Chiefs; Ms. Kacey KC, 
State Forester and Firewarden, Division of Forestry, State of 
Nevada; and Mr. Casey Hatcher, Deputy Chief Administrative 
Officer, Butte County, California.
    This purpose of this hearing was to hear from witnesses 
with expertise and experience in emergency management, wildfire 
suppression, and federal disaster response and recovery 
programs.

                 Legislative History and Consideration

    H.R. 1066 was introduced in the House on February 15, 2021, 
by Mr. Neguse, Mr. Curtis, Mr. O'Halleran, Mr. Stewart, Ms. 
Norton, Ms. Jackson Lee, and Mr. San Nicolas and referred to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Within the 
Committee, H.R. 1066 was referred to the Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency 
Management.
    The Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, 
and Emergency Management was discharged from further 
consideration of H.R. 1066 on October 27, 2021.
    The Committee considered H.R. 1066 on October 27, 2021, and 
ordered the measure to be favorably reported to the House, as 
amended, by a record vote of 61 yeas and 3 nays (Roll Call Vote 
No. 76).
    The following amendments were offered:
    An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute offered by Mr. 
DeFazio (#1); was AGREED TO, without amendment, by voice vote.
    An amendment offered by Mr. Perry (#1A); was NOT AGREED TO 
by 18 yeas and 45 nays (Roll Call Vote No. 74).
    Page 1, line 8, strike ``(f)'' and insert ``(g)''.
    Page 1, line 13, strike the closing quotation mark and the 
second period.
    Page 1, after line 13, insert the following: ``(f) 
PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN ASSISTANCE.--The President may not 
provide a grant under this section for any fire for which a 
private entity has been found criminally liable.''
    An amendment offered by Mr. Perry (#1B); was NOT AGREED TO 
by voice vote.
    Page 1, line 12, strike ``less'' and insert ``more''.
    An amendment offered by Mr. Perry (#1C); was NOT AGREED TO 
by voice vote.
    At the end of the bill, add a new section entitled ``Sec. 
__. Stafford Act Federal Share.''
    An amendment offered by Mr. Perry (#1D); was NOT AGREED TO 
by a record vote of 22 yeas and 43 nays (Roll Call Vote No. 
75).
    At the end of the bill, add a new section entitled ``Sec. 
__. Prohibition on Use of Funds.''

                            Committee Votes

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires each committee report to include the 
total number of votes cast for and against on each record vote 
on a motion to report and on any amendment offered to the 
measure or matter, and the names of those members voting for 
and against.

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Roll Call Vote No. 76

    On: Ordering H.R. 1066 to be favorably reported to the 
House, as amended.
    Agreed to: 61 yeas and 3 nays

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Member                           Vote                    Member                    Vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. DeFazio.....................................          Yea   Mr. Graves of MO..................          Yea
Ms. Norton......................................          Yea   Mr. Young.........................  ............
Ms. Johnson of TX...............................          Yea   Mr. Crawford......................          Yea
Mr. Larsen of WA................................          Yea   Mr. Gibbs.........................          Yea
Mrs. Napolitano.................................          Yea   Mr. Webster.......................          Yea
Mr. Cohen.......................................          Yea   Mr. Massie........................          Nay
Mr. Sires.......................................  ............  Mr. Perry.........................          Nay
Mr. Garamendi...................................          Yea   Mr. Rodney Davis of IL............          Yea
Mr. Johnson of GA...............................          Yea   Mr. Katko.........................          Yea
Mr. Carson......................................          Yea   Mr. Babin.........................          Yea
Ms. Titus.......................................          Yea   Mr. Graves of LA..................          Yea
Mr. Maloney of NY...............................          Yea   Mr. Rouzer........................          Yea
Mr. Huffman.....................................          Yea   Mr. Bost..........................          Yea
Ms. Brownley....................................          Yea   Mr. Weber of TX...................          Yea
Ms. Wilson of FL................................          Yea   Mr. LaMalfa.......................          Yea
Mr. Payne.......................................          Yea   Mr. Westerman.....................          Yea
Mr. Lowenthal...................................          Yea   Mr. Mast..........................          Yea
Mr. DeSaulnier..................................          Yea   Mr. Gallagher.....................          Yea
Mr. Lynch.......................................          Yea   Mr. Fitzpatrick...................          Yea
Mr. Carbajal....................................          Yea   Miss Gonzalez-Colon...............  ............
Mr. Brown.......................................          Yea   Mr. Balderson.....................          Yea
Mr. Malinowski..................................          Yea   Mr. Stauber.......................          Yea
Mr. Stanton.....................................          Yea   Mr. Burchett......................          Yea
Mr. Allred......................................          Yea   Mr. Johnson of SD.................          Yea
Ms. Davids of KS................................          Yea   Mr. Van Drew......................          Yea
Mr. Garcia of IL................................          Yea   Mr. Guest.........................          Nay
Mr. Delgado.....................................          Yea   Mr. Nehls.........................          Yea
Mr. Pappas......................................          Yea   Ms. Mace..........................  ............
Mr. Lamb........................................          Yea   Ms. Malliotakis...................          Yea
Mr. Moulton.....................................          Yea   Ms. Van Duyne.....................  ............
Mr. Auchincloss.................................          Yea   Mr. Gimenez.......................          Yea
Ms. Bourdeaux...................................          Yea   Mrs. Steel........................          Yea
Mr. Kahele......................................          Yea
Ms. Strickland..................................          Yea
Ms. Williams of GA..............................          Yea
Ms. Newman......................................          Yea
Mr. Carter......................................          Yea
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Roll Call No. 74

    On: Agreeing to amendment #1A offered by Mr. Perry (381)
    Not Agreed to: 18 yeas and 45 nays

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Member                           Vote                    Member                    Vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. DeFazio.....................................          Nay   Mr. Graves of MO..................          Nay
Ms. Norton......................................          Nay   Mr. Young.........................  ............
Ms. Johnson of TX...............................          Nay   Mr. Crawford......................          Yea
Mr. Larsen of WA................................          Nay   Mr. Gibbs.........................          Yea
Mrs. Napolitano.................................          Nay   Mr. Webster.......................          Yea
Mr. Cohen.......................................          Nay   Mr. Massie........................          Yea
Mr. Sires.......................................  ............  Mr. Perry.........................          Yea
Mr. Garamendi...................................          Nay   Mr. Rodney Davis of IL............          Nay
Mr. Johnson of GA...............................          Nay   Mr. Katko.........................          Nay
Mr. Carson......................................          Nay   Mr. Babin.........................          Yea
Ms. Titus.......................................          Nay   Mr. Graves of LA..................  ............
Mr. Maloney of NY...............................          Nay   Mr. Rouzer........................          Yea
Mr. Huffman.....................................          Nay   Mr. Bost..........................          Nay
Ms. Brownley....................................          Nay   Mr. Weber of TX...................          Yea
Ms. Wilson of FL................................          Nay   Mr. LaMalfa.......................          Nay
Mr. Payne.......................................          Nay   Mr. Westerman.....................          Nay
Mr. Lowenthal...................................          Nay   Mr. Mast..........................          Yea
Mr. DeSaulnier..................................          Nay   Mr. Gallagher.....................          Yea
Mr. Lynch.......................................          Nay   Mr. Fitzpatrick...................          Nay
Mr. Carbajal....................................          Nay   Miss Gonzalez-Colon...............  ............
Mr. Brown.......................................          Nay   Mr. Balderson.....................          Yea
Mr. Malinowski..................................          Nay   Mr. Stauber.......................  ............
Mr. Stanton.....................................          Nay   Mr. Burchett......................          Yea
Mr. Allred......................................          Nay   Mr. Johnson of SD.................          Yea
Ms. Davids of KS................................          Nay   Mr. Van Drew......................          Yea
Mr. Garcia of IL................................          Nay   Mr. Guest.........................          Yea
Mr. Delgado.....................................          Nay   Mr. Nehls.........................          Yea
Mr. Pappas......................................          Nay   Ms. Mace..........................          Yea
Mr. Lamb........................................          Nay   Ms. Malliotakis...................          Nay
Mr. Moulton.....................................          Nay   Ms. Van Duyne.....................  ............
Mr. Auchincloss.................................          Nay   Mr. Gimenez.......................          Nay
Ms. Bourdeaux...................................          Nay   Mrs. Steel........................          Yea
Mr. Kahele......................................          Nay
Ms. Strickland..................................          Nay
Ms. Williams of GA..............................          Nay
Ms. Newman......................................          Nay
Mr. Carter......................................          Nay
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Roll Call No. 75

    On: Agreeing to amendment #1D offered by Mr. Perry (379)
    Not Agreed to: 22 yeas and 43 nays

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Member                           Vote                    Member                    Vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. DeFazio.....................................          Nay   Mr. Graves of MO..................          Nay
Ms. Norton......................................          Nay   Mr. Young.........................  ............
 Ms. Johnson of TX..............................          Nay   Mr. Crawford......................          Yea
Mr. Larsen of WA................................          Nay   Mr. Gibbs.........................          Yea
Mrs. Napolitano.................................          Nay   Mr. Webster.......................          Yea
Mr. Cohen.......................................          Nay   Mr. Massie........................          Yea
Mr. Sires.......................................  ............  Mr. Perry.........................          Yea
Mr. Garamendi...................................          Nay   Mr. Rodney Davis of IL............          Nay
Mr. Johnson of GA...............................          Nay   Mr. Katko.........................          Nay
Mr. Carson......................................          Nay   Mr. Babin.........................          Yea
Ms. Titus.......................................          Nay   Mr. Graves of LA..................          Yea
Mr. Maloney of NY...............................          Nay   Mr. Rouzer........................          Yea
Mr. Huffman.....................................          Nay   Mr. Bost..........................          Nay
Ms. Brownley....................................          Nay   Mr. Weber of TX...................          Yea
Ms. Wilson of FL................................          Nay   Mr. LaMalfa.......................          Nay
Mr. Payne.......................................          Nay   Mr. Westerman.....................          Yea
Mr. Lowenthal...................................          Nay   Mr. Mast..........................          Yea
Mr. DeSaulnier..................................          Nay   Mr. Gallagher.....................          Yea
Mr. Lynch.......................................          Nay   Mr. Fitzpatrick...................          Nay
Mr. Carbajal....................................          Nay   Miss Gonzalez-Colon...............  ............
Mr. Brown.......................................          Nay   Mr. Balderson.....................          Nay
Mr. Malinowski..................................          Nay   Mr. Stauber.......................          Yea
Mr. Stanton.....................................          Nay   Mr. Burchett......................          Yea
Mr. Alfred......................................          Nay   Mr. Johnson of SD.................          Yea
Ms. Davids of KS................................          Nay   Mr. Van Drew......................          Yea
Mr. Garcia of IL................................          Nay   Mr. Guest.........................          Yea
Mr. Delgado.....................................          Nay   Mr. Nehls.........................          Yea
Mr. Pappas......................................          Nay   Ms. Mace..........................          Yea
Mr. Lamb........................................          Nay   Ms. Malliotakis...................          Yea
Mr. Moulton.....................................          Nay   Ms. Van Duyne.....................  ............
Mr. Auchincloss.................................          Nay   Mr. Gimenez.......................          Yea
Ms. Bourdeaux...................................          Nay   Mrs. Steel........................          Yea
Mr. Kahele......................................          Nay
Ms. Strickland..................................          Nay
Ms. Williams of GA..............................          Nay
Ms. Newman......................................          Nay
Mr. Carter......................................          Nay
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      Committee Oversight Findings

    With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are 
reflected in this report.

               New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures

    Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and 
comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974 has been timely submitted prior to the filing of the 
report and is included in the report. Such a cost estimate is 
included in this report.

               Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

    With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has 
received the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1066 from the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                     Washington, DC, July 27, 2022.
Hon. Peter A. DeFazio,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1066, the Wildfire 
Recovery Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jon Sperl.
            Sincerely,
                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

    		[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
    

    The bill would:
         Authorize the Federal Emergency Management 
        Agency (FEMA) to cover up to 100 percent of total costs 
        when providing fire management assistance grants to 
        state and local governments
    Estimated budgetary effects would mainly stem from:
         Increasing the share of costs that the federal 
        government would cover for fire management assistance 
        grants
    Areas of significant uncertainty include:
         Estimating the total amount of assistance that 
        FEMA and state and local governments will provide for 
        fire management assistance grants
         Estimating how often FEMA would choose to 
        increase the federal share of costs, and what 
        percentage of costs the agency would cover
    Bill summary: H.R. 1066 would authorize the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to use funds appropriated 
for disaster relief to increase the federal cost share from the 
current 75 percent up to 100 percent for fire management 
assistance grants, at the agency's discretion. Under the bill, 
FEMA also would be required to promulgate a rule establishing 
guidelines and thresholds for cases in which the federal cost 
share for such grants may be increased.
    Estimated Federal cost: The estimated budgetary effect of 
H.R. 1066 is shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation 
fall within budget function 450 (community and regional 
development).

                                                   TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED BUDGETARY EFFECTS OF H.R. 1066
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
                                                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        2022   2023   2024   2025   2026   2027   2028   2029   2030   2031   2032  2022-2027  2022-2032
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Increases in Direct Spending
 
Estimated Budget Authority...........................      0      0      0      0      0      0      0      0      0      0      0         0          0
Estimated Outlays....................................      0      5      6      6      7      7      7      7      8      8      8        31         69
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that the 
bill will be enacted late in fiscal year 2022 and that FEMA 
would begin providing additional assistance in 2023. CBO's 
estimate of outlays in each year is based on historical 
patterns of spending under the fire management assistance grant 
program.
    Direct spending: Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, FEMA awards fire 
management assistance grants to state and local governments to 
control fires when the President has declared that an 
uncontrolled fire would constitute a major disaster. Under 
current law, the federal cost share covers 75 percent of 
eligible expenses and state, local, and tribal governments are 
responsible for the remaining 25 percent. Over the 2017-2021 
period, FEMA obligated a total of nearly $900 million for those 
grants; states paid an additional $300 million--or 25 percent 
of total costs.
    The President declared more than 125 major disasters in 
fiscal years 2019 and 2020. Under current law, FEMA has the 
discretion to increase the federal cost share under the Public 
Assistance Program to greater than 75 percent if the agency 
determines that the effects of a disaster are sufficiently 
severe--typically, if per capita damages in a jurisdiction 
exceed specified levels. Among those 125 declarations, FEMA 
covered 90 percent of costs for 7 percent of declarations and 
covered 100 percent of costs for 4 percent of declarations; 
FEMA paid 75 percent of costs for the remaining 89 percent of 
those declarations.\1\ Using information from FEMA and in 
keeping with the agency's response to the broader set of recent 
disasters, CBO expects that the agency would cover a similar 
percentage of costs for fire management assistance grants under 
the bill.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\The federal government paid 100 percent of costs for an 
additional 59 disaster declarations made for the coronavirus pandemic. 
Because of the unusual nature of the pandemic, for the purposes of this 
estimate, CBO excluded those declarations when projecting how often 
FEMA would increase cost shares for fire management assistance grants.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Under current law, CBO estimates that federal and state 
spending on fire management assistance grants will total about 
$3.5 billion over the 2023-2032 period, of which FEMA will pay 
$2.6 billion. Under the expectation that FEMA would increase 
its share of costs from 75 percent to 90 percent or to 100 
percent at the same frequency as prior disasters, CBO estimates 
that FEMA's costs would increase by $5 million in 2023, with 
that cost rising to $8 million in 2032. In total, enacting the 
bill would increase direct spending by $69 million over the 
2022-2032 period.
    Disaster assistance for programs authorized under the 
Stafford Act is paid from the agency's Disaster Relief Fund 
(DRF). Because H.R. 1066 would expand the use of previously 
appropriated balances from the DRF, some of which CBO estimates 
would not otherwise spend over the 2022-2032 period, the bill 
would increase direct spending. That increased spending would 
be offset by lower spending of the same amount in years after 
2032.
    Spending subject to appropriation: H.R. 1066 would require 
FEMA to complete a rulemaking to establish the criteria and 
thresholds--such as per capita damages in a jurisdiction--under 
which the agency would recommend that a higher federal share be 
provided. Under current law, FEMA principally uses per capita 
damage indicators, tailored to each state or local 
jurisdiction, to determine whether to increase cost shares. CBO 
expects that FEMA would complete that rulemaking early in 2023. 
CBO estimates that those administrative costs would total less 
than $500,000; any spending would be subject to the 
availability of appropriated funds.
    Uncertainty: This estimate is subject to considerable 
uncertainty. Because H.R. 1066 would increase how much the 
federal government could pay for disasters, the cost of the 
legislation would principally depend upon how much FEMA 
allocates in response to qualifying fire disasters. CBO's 
estimate of the bill's implementation costs is informed by 
historical data about spending under the fire management 
assistance grant program and FEMA's actions in other types of 
disasters, but the ultimate amounts that FEMA will cover are 
difficult to predict. Those costs will be determined by the 
frequency and severity of future fires, as well as by decisions 
made by the agency about how much assistance to provide. Based 
on the needs of recipient communities in the future, if FEMA 
decided to increase or decrease the amounts allocated to the 
program--or the proportion of costs the federal government 
covers--spending under H.R. 1066 would, in turn, be higher or 
lower than CBO estimates.
    Pay-as-you-go considerations: The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go 
Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement 
procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or 
revenues. The net changes in outlays that are subject to those 
pay-as-you-go procedures are shown in Table 1.
    Increase in long-term deficits: CBO estimates that enacting 
H.R. 1066 would not increase on-budget deficits by more than $5 
billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods 
beginning in 2033.
    Mandates: None.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Jon Sperl, Mandates: 
Rachel Austin.
    Estimate reviewed by: Justin Humphrey, Chief, Finance, 
Housing, and Education Cost Estimates Unit; H. Samuel 
Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis; Theresa Gullo, 
Director of Budget Analysis.

                    Performance Goals and Objectives

    With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
performance goal and objective of this legislation is to make 
it possible for the Federal Emergency management Agency (FEMA) 
to cover more than 75 percent of the costs to suppress a 
wildfire that qualifies for Fire Management Assistance Grants.

                    Duplication of Federal Programs

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision 
of H.R. 1066, as amended, establishes or reauthorizes a program 
of the federal government known to be duplicative of another 
federal program, a program that was included in any report from 
the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to 
section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a 
program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance.

   Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 
                                Benefits

    In compliance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, this bill, as reported, contains no 
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff 
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of the rule 
XXI.

                       Federal Mandates Statement

    The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act (Public Law 104-4).

                        Preemption Clarification

    Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 
requires the report of any Committee on a bill or joint 
resolution to include a statement on the extent to which the 
bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local, 
or tribal law. the Committee finds that H.R. 1066, as amended, 
does not preempt any state, local, or tribal law.

                      Advisory Committee Statement

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                  Applicability to Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 
104-1).

             Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation


Section 1. Short title

    This section provides that this bill may be cited as the 
``Wildfire Recovery Act''.

Sec. 2. Fire Management Assistance cost share

    This section statutorily codifies that Fire Management 
Assistance Grants (FMAGs) shall have a federal share of not 
less than 75 percent. This section shall only apply to funds 
appropriated after the enactment of this Act.

Sec. 3. Rulemaking

    This section requires the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA) to conduct and complete a rulemaking to establish 
criteria that will be used to inform when the FEMA 
administrator may recommend a cost share adjustment to the 
president for FMAGs of a certain magnitude.

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italics, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

ROBERT T. STAFFORD DISASTER RELIEF AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ACT

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TITLE IV--MAJOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

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SEC. 420. FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE.

  (a) In General.--The President is authorized to provide 
assistance, including grants, equipment, supplies, and 
personnel, to any State or local government for the mitigation, 
management, and control of any fire on public or private forest 
land or grassland that threatens such destruction as would 
constitute a major disaster.
  (b) Coordination With State and Tribal Departments of 
Forestry.--In providing assistance under this section, the 
President shall coordinate with State and tribal departments of 
forestry.
  (c) Essential Assistance.--In providing assistance under this 
section, the President may use the authority provided under 
section 403.
  (d) Hazard Mitigation Assistance.--Whether or not a major 
disaster is declared, the President may provide hazard 
mitigation assistance in accordance with section 404 in any 
area affected by a fire for which assistance was provided under 
this section.
  (e) Federal Share.--The Federal share of assistance under 
this section shall be not less than 75 percent of the eligible 
cost of such assistance.
  [(e)] (f) Rules and Regulations.--The President shall 
prescribe such rules and regulations as are necessary to carry 
out this section.

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