I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8118 

To utilize the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations 

program of NASA to improve aerial responses to wildfires, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 23, 2024 

Mr. MIKE GARCIA of California (for himself and Ms. MCCLELLAN) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 

and Technology 

A BILL 

To utilize the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response 

to Operations program of NASA to improve aerial responses to wildfires, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Advanced Capabilities 

5 for Emergency Response Operations Act of 2024’’ or the 

6 ‘‘ACERO Act of 2024’’. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 8118 IH

1 SEC. 2. ADVANCED CAPABILITIES FOR EMERGENCY RE2 SPONSE OPERATIONS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall leverage 

4 NASA-developed tools and technologies to conduct re5 search and development activities under the Advanced Ca6 pabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) 

7 program to improve aerial responses to wildfires. 

8 (b) GOALS.—The research and development activities 

9 conducted under subsection (a) shall, to the extent prac10 ticable, address the following: 

11 (1) Advanced aircraft technologies and airspace 

12 management efforts to assist in the management, 

13 deconfliction, and coordination of aerial assets dur14 ing wildfire response efforts. 

15 (2) Information sharing and real-time data ex16 change for wildfire response teams. 

17 (3) Development of an interoperable platform to 

18 provide situational awareness of aerial assets during 

19 wildfire response. 

20 (4) Establishment of a multi-agency concept of 

21 operations, which may involve Federal, State, and 

22 local government agencies, to enable coordination of 

23 aerial activities for wildfire response. 

24 (c) COLLABORATION.—In carrying out this section, 

25 the Administrator— 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 8118 IH

1 (1) may coordinate and collaborate with other 

2 Federal, State, and local government agencies, re3 gional organizations, and commercial partners and 

4 academic institutions involved in wildfire manage5 ment; and 

6 (2) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 

7 consult with the heads of other Federal departments 

8 and agencies to avoid duplication of activities. 

9 (d) PROHIBITION.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in this 

11 subsection, the Administrator may not procure an 

12 unmanned aircraft system to conduct activities de13 scribed in this section if such unmanned aircraft sys14 tem is manufactured or assembled by a covered for15 eign entity. 

16 (2) EXEMPTION.—The Administrator may 

17 waive the prohibition under paragraph (1) on a case18 by-case basis if the Administrator— 

19 (A) determines that the procurement of an 

20 unmanned aircraft system is— 

21 (i) in the national interest of the 

22 United States; and 

23 (ii) necessary for the sole purpose of 

24 improving aerial responses to wildfires; and 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 8118 IH

1 (B) notifies the Committee on Science, 

2 Space, and Technology of the House of Rep3 resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, 

4 Science, and Transportation of the Senate not 

5 later than 30 days after a determination in the 

6 affirmative under subparagraph (A). 

7 (e) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than one year 

8 after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually 

9 thereafter until December 31, 2029, the Administrator 

10 shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space and 

11 Technology of the House of Representatives and the Com12 mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 

13 Senate a report describing the activities, including results, 

14 carried out pursuant to this section 2. Each such report, 

15 at minimum, shall contain the following: 

16 (1) A description of any research and develop17 ment activities. 

18 (2) A description of the Administrator’s activi19 ties pursuant to subsection (c). 

20 (3) An assessment of the effectiveness of such 

21 activities in preventing injuries and loss of life, pro22 tecting property, and reducing economic damage. 

23 (4) An identification of any topics related to 

24 improvement of aerial responses to wildfires that 

25 could benefit from further research. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 8118 IH

1 (5) A description of any continuing efforts 

2 under this section. 

3 (6) Any other information determined appro4 priate by the Administrator. 

5 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

6 authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 for fiscal year 

7 2025 to carry out this section. 

8 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

9 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis10 trator’’ means the Administrator of the National 

11 Aeronautics and Space Administration. 

12 (2) COVERED FOREIGN ENTITY.—The term 

13 ‘‘covered foreign entity’’ has the meaning given such 

14 term in section 1832 of the National Defense Au15 thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 

16 118–31). 

17 (3) NASA.—The term ‘‘NASA’’ means the Na18 tional Aeronautics and Space Administration. 

19 (4) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM.—The term 

20 ‘‘unmanned aircraft system’’ has the meaning given 

21 such term in section 44801 of title 49, United 

22 States Code. 

Æ 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS