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H.R. 178In committee

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out activities to suppress wildfires, and for other purposes.

Introduced: Jan 3, 2025

Latest action date: Jan 8, 2026

Latest development

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-429, Part I.

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Congress
119th Congress
Introduced
Jan 3, 2025
Recorded roll calls
0

Status detail: The most advanced recorded stage is committee consideration.

Plain-language overview

What this bill does

This bill sets out requirements for wildfire suppression and management activities carried out by the Forest Service.

These requirements apply to Forest Service land that (1) has a severe, extreme, or exceptional drought intensity rating; (2) has a National Wildland Fire Preparedness level of 5 (i.e., the highest level of wildland fire activity); or (3) is located in a fireshed ranked in the top 10% of wildfire exposure.

Within 24 hours of detecting a wildfire on such Forest Service land, the service must use all available resources to extinguish the wildfire. Additionally, the service may not inhibit the firefighting activities of state and local agencies that are authorized to respond to wildfires on the Forest Service land.

Further, the service may only initiate a backfire or burnout as part of a fire suppression strategy if it is ordered by the responsible incident commander or is necessary to protect the health and safety of firefighting personnel. The service must use all available resources to control any initiated fire until it is extinguished.

The bill also limits the service's use of prescribed fires (i.e., the controlled application of fire by a team of experts under specified weather conditions to restore health to ecosystems that depend on fire). When using prescribed fires as a fire resource management tool, the service must comply with applicable laws and regulations and immediately suppress any prescribed fire that exceeds its prescription.

Official summary from Congress.gov.

Civixly topics

What this legislation is about

Civixly topics make federal and state legislation comparable. They are derived from the official CRS policy area and legislative subjects.

Official CRS policy area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

View 4 official legislative subjects
Emergency planning and evacuationFiresFirst responders and emergency personnelForests, forestry, trees

Committee activity

Committees and subcommittees that received, reviewed, marked up, or reported this legislation.

Amendments

Proposed changes to this measure, with their latest official outcome or action from Congress.gov.

No amendments are listed for this measure.

Checked against Congress.gov Sep 29, 2026.

Action timeline

Newest action first. Action language comes from the official Congress.gov record.

View full action timeline8 actions
  1. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-429, Part I.

    CommitteeHouse floor actions
  2. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-429, Part I.

    CommitteeLibrary of Congress
  3. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

    CommitteeHouse committee actions
  4. Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

    CommitteeHouse committee actions
  5. Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

    CommitteeHouse committee actions
  6. Introduced in House

    IntroReferralLibrary of Congress
  7. Introduced in House

    IntroReferralLibrary of Congress
  8. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

    IntroReferralHouse floor actions

Roll-call votes

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Sources: Congress.gov and official House and Senate vote records.

View data freshness details

Base metadata check pending · Civixly summary check pending · Action timeline checked Sep 29, 2026 · Complete sponsorship check pending · Topics checked Sep 29, 2026 · Committees checked Sep 29, 2026 · Status checked Sep 29, 2026 · Related bills checked Sep 29, 2026.