[House Report 119-548]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 119-548
======================================================================
WILDFIRE AERIAL RESPONSE SAFETY ACT
_______
March 16, 2026.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Graves, from the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 6618]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the bill (H.R. 6618) to require the Administrator
of the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct a study on
drone incursions on wildfire suppression, 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............................ 4
Committee Votes.................................................. 4
Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations................. 4
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................ 4
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................ 4
Performance Goals and Objectives................................. 5
Duplication of Federal Programs.................................. 5
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits....................................................... 6
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 6
Preemption Clarification......................................... 6
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 6
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 6
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 6
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 7
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 Aerial Response Safety Act''.
SEC. 2. STUDY ON DRONE INCURSIONS ON WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Counter-UASsystem; unmanned aircraft system.--The terms
``counter-UAS system'' and ``unmanned aircraft system'' have
the meanings given such terms in section 44801 of title 49,
United States Code.
(2) Unmanned aircraft system incursion.--The term ``unmanned
aircraft system incursion'' means the operation of an unmanned
aircraft system within any airspace for which the Administrator
of the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary
flight restriction because of a wildfire.
(b) Study Required.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest
Service, shall conduct a study on the effects of unmanned aircraft
system incursions on wildfire suppression with respect to land managed
by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture.
(c) Study Contents.--In conducting the study required under
subsection (b), the Administrator shall--
(1) determine, for each of the 5 most recent calendar years--
(A) the number of occurrences in which a unmanned
aircraft system incursion has interfered with wildfire
suppression; and
(B) the estimated effect of each occurrence described
in subparagraph (A) on--
(i) the length of time required to achieve
complete suppression;
(ii) any associated delay in the fielding of
aerial firefighting response units; and
(iii) the amounts expended by the Federal
Government; and
(2) evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of--
(A) the dissemination of educational materials
relating to the effects of unmanned aircraft system
incursions on wildfire suppression operations; and
(B) the deployment of approved counter-UAS systems by
authorized entities as a means to detect, mitigate, and
prevent unmanned aircraft system incursions during such
operations.
(d) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the
Committee on Natural Resources, the Committee on Appropriations, and
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives a report describing--
(1) the findings of the study required under subsection (b);
and
(2) any recommendations relating to those findings.
PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 6618, as amended, is to require the
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to
conduct a study on drone incursions on wildfire suppression,
and for other purposes.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Today, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are used to perform
commercial, recreational, and defense activities across various
sectors including agriculture, infrastructure, public safety,
energy, and the delivery of consumer goods, among other things.
While the FAA continues working to ensure the safe integration
of UAS in the NAS, recent reported sitings, including those in
New Jersey and California, have prompted critical discussions
about UAS operations in United States airspace and how to
appropriately address illicit, malicious, and potentially
dangerous UAS operations.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Miriam McNabb, DHS, FBI, FAA, and DoD Respond to Reported Drone
Sightings, Drone Life, (Dec. 17, 2024), available at https://
dronelife.com/2024/12/17/dhs-fbi-faa-and-dod-respond-to-reported-drone-
sightings/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to the FAA, the number of registered commercial
small UAS (sUAS), or those weighing 55 pounds or less, is
forecasted to continue increasing from 951,000 in 2024 to
approximately 1.12 million in 2028.\2\ Over the same period,
the FAA expects the number of registered large UAS, those
weighing more than 55 pounds, to grow from approximately 4,000
in 2024 to more than 26,000 in 2028, a 550 percent increase.\3\
Currently, the FAA estimates more than one million drones are
registered in the United States, of which 409,408 are
commercial operators and 385,892 are recreational flyers.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\FAA, FY2024-2044 FAA Aerospace Forecast (last updated Oct. 16,
2024), available
at https://www.faa.gov/dataresearch/aviation/aerospaceforecasts/faa-
aerospace-forecast-fy-2024-2044.
\3\Id.
\4\FAA, Drones by the Numbers, available at https://www.faa.gov/
node/54496.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
During a Federal, state, or local emergency response
situation, the Administrator of the FAA will issue a Temporary
Flight Restriction (TFR) extending three nautical miles (nm)
around the scene.\5\ TFR's, distributed to pilots through the
Notice to Airman (NOTAM) System, are meant to alert pilots to
avoid the area until further notice as to not interrupt ongoing
emergency response operations. Federal, state, and local law
enforcement responses to wildfires are complex and dynamic,
requiring sanitized airspace to ensure efficiency and timely
mitigation. In instances of wildfires, the unauthorized use of
UAS within TFR's pose a risk to the safety of first responders
and can ultimately delay authorities' response to the
situation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\49 U.S.C. Sec. 40103(b).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
One recent high-profile incursion occurred in January 2025,
during the Pacific Palisades wildfires, when a sUAS, flying
within a TFR, struck the wing of a fixed-wing Super Scooper
aircraft over the Pacific, endangering the life of the pilot
and causing more than $65,000 in damage to the aircraft.\6\
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, between
January 1, 2025, and September 15, 2025, there were 34 UAS
incursions into areas where aerial wildfire suppression
activities were taking place. Of those incidents, 29 disrupted
or risked those aerial operations.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\Meredith Deliso, Drone operator charged for hitting `super
scooper' plane during Palisades Fire: DOJ, ABC News, (Jan. 31, 2025),
available at https://abcnews.go.com/US/drone-operator-charged-hitting-
super-scooper-plane-palisades/story?id=118313936.
\7\Nat'l Interagency Fire Ctr., UAS Incursions: Know Before You Fly
(last updated Sept. 15, 2025), available at https://www.nifc.gov/fire-
information/statistics/uas-incursions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.R. 6618, as amended, the Wildfire Aerial Response Safety
Act, requires the FAA, in concert with its Federal partners, to
conduct a study identifying the effects that UAS incursions
have on wildfire suppression operations and put forth
recommendations related to the study's findings. H.R. 6618 will
fill information gaps and allow policy makers to make data-
driven decisions.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of rule XIII, clause 3(c)(6)(A) of the
119th Congress--The following hearing was used to develop or
consider H.R. 6618:
On Thursday, February 6, 2025, the Subcommittee on Aviation
held a hearing entitled, ``Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems.''
At the hearing, Members received testimony from Dr. Catherine
Cahill, PH.D., Director, The Alaska Center of UAS Integration,
University of Alaska Fairbanks; Mrs. Lisa Ellman, Executive
Director, Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA); and Mr. Chris
McLaughlin, Executive Vice President of Operations, Dallas Fort
Worth International Airport (DFW). The hearing examined
existing Federal counter-unmanned aircraft system (Counter-UAS)
authorities that permit certain Federal agencies to detect and
mitigate unauthorized or unlawful UAS operations. Additionally,
the hearing examined what safe extension and expansion of these
authorities might look like.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND CONSIDERATION
H.R. 6618, the ``Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act'', was
introduced in the United States House of Representatives on
December 11, 2025, by Representative Bynum (D-OR) and referred
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Within
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, H.R. 6618
was referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation. The Subcommittee
on Aviation was discharged from further consideration of H.R.
6618 on January 21, 2026.
The Committee considered H.R. 6618 on January 21, 2026, and
ordered the measure to be reported to the House with a
favorable recommendation, with amendment, by voice vote.
The following amendment was offered:
An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 6618,
offered by Mr. Carson of Indiana; was AGREED TO by voice vote.
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.
No recorded votes were requested.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
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. 6618 from the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
H.R. 6618 would require the Federal Aviation
Administration, in consultation with the Departments of
Agriculture and the Interior, to report to the Congress on how
certain drone operations affect efforts to suppress wildfires
on federal lands. Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO
estimates that implementing H.R. 6618 would cost less than
$500,000 over the 2026-2030 period. Any related spending would
be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Aaron Krupkin
(for the Federal Aviation Administration) and Lilia Ledezma
(for the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior). The
estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director
of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
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
require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) to conduct a study on drone incursions on
wildfire suppression, and for other purposes.
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. 6618 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
An estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chairman
of the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.
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. 6618 does not
preempt any state, local, or tribal law.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the definition of Section
5(b) of the appendix to Title 5, United States Code, are
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 Aerial Response Safety Act.''
Section 2. Study on drone incursion on wildfire suppression
This section directs the Administrator of the FAA, in
consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture, to conduct a study on the effects of
UAS incursions on wildfire suppression efforts with respect to
land managed by the Federal government.
Additionally, subsection (c) requires the Administrator to
determine the effects of UAS incursions on the length of time
required to achieve total fire suppression, associated delays
in fielding aerial response units, and the amounts expended by
the Federal government as a result of such incursions. The
study will also evaluate the feasibility of the dissemination
of educational materials and the deployment of approved
counter-UAS systems as a means of preventing incursions.
Lastly, subsection (d) requires the Administrator to submit
a report to Congress, within 18 months of enactment, detailing
the findings of the study and any recommendations related to
those findings.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
As reported by the Committee, H.R. 6618 makes no changes in
existing law.
[all]