Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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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 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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