Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 390, the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations Act, or ACERO Act.

Destructive wildfires threaten human lives and communities around the country. Just over 1 year ago, the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires in southern California killed 31 people and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage.

In 2025, the U.S. experienced nearly 78,000 wildfires that burned more than 5 million acres. One tool we can use to prevent, mitigate, and respond to wildfires is aviation. Crewed aircraft have long been used to monitor and fight fires. Now, advanced aviation technologies and uncrewed aerial systems can advance our response to wildfires.

It is important now more than ever that crewed and uncrewed aircraft work together safely alongside ground operations. That means sharing and coordinating real-time operations information between aircraft, drone operators, and ground crews across multiple government agencies.

Here is where NASA and ACERO come in. NASA has done further research, development, and demonstration work, to use its tools and technologies for specific public safety applications, including wildfire response. The success of an initial pilot program led NASA to launch the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations project, or ACERO.

This legislation would formally codify the research and development efforts under ACERO in law. This bill directs NASA to conduct research and development activities to improve aerial responses to wildfires.

Additionally, NASA would be authorized under this bill to conduct research in areas including advanced aircraft technologies and airspace management, information sharing and real-time data exchange, and the development of an interagency coordination platform.

We need to ensure our first responders have access to the most advanced tools to respond to wildfires. This bill supports using NASA's brightest minds and cutting-edge technologies to support the safety of our communities. The ACERO Act will enable safer, more effective aerial operations for Federal, State, and local efforts on the front lines of wildfire management and response.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Mr. Fong and Ms. McClellan, for their work on this bill. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 390, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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