I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 3440

To remove a restriction on the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture

to enter into agreements with other Federal agencies to acquire goods

and services directly related to improving or utilizing the firefighting

capability of the Forest Service and to require a report regarding the

firefighting procedures of the Forest Service.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NOVEMBER 3, 1993

Mr. GALLEGLY (for himself, Mr. BEILENSON, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. COX, Mr.

DORNAN, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. DREIER, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HORN, Mr.

HUFFINGTON, Mr. KIM, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. MOORHEAD, Mr. POMBO, Mr.

PACKARD, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr.

MCCANDLESS, and Mr. WELDON) introduced the following bill; which was

referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To remove a restriction on the authority of the Secretary

of Agriculture to enter into agreements with other Federal agencies to acquire goods and services directly related to improving or utilizing the firefighting capability

of the Forest Service and to require a report regarding

the firefighting procedures of the Forest Service.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2

•HR 3440 IH

1 SECTION 1. ACQUISITION OF GOODS AND SERVICES RELAT2 ED TO FIREFIGHTING.

3 The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the

4 Chief of the Forest Service, may place an order with a

5 major organizational unit within the Department of Agri6 culture or another Federal agency for goods or services

7 directly related to firefighting without regard to the re8 striction contained in section 1535(a)(4) of title 31, Unit9 ed States Code, that the Secretary determine that the

10 goods or services cannot be provided by contract as con11 veniently or cheaply by a commercial enterprise.

12 SEC. 2. REPORT ON FOREST SERVICE FIREFIGHTING CAPA13 BILITY AND METHODS.

14 Not later than six months after the date of the enact15 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit

16 to Congress a report describing the decisionmaking proc17 ess used by the Forest Service and the Department of Ag18 riculture to deploy firefighting assets of the Forest Service

19 and the Department for fighting forest fires and other

20 wildfires. The report shall include—

21 (1) a description of the procedures used to alert

22 officials, including officials of the Air National

23 Guard, that the potential for fires exists;

24 (2) an evaluation of the feasibility of establish25 ing a formal, graduated alert system in the Forest

26 Service similar to the alert system used by the
3

•HR 3440 IH

1 Armed Forces that would allow the Air National

2 Guard to anticipate a firefighting crisis and mobilize

3 in a timely fashion to carry out their airborne fire4 fighting mission in cooperation with the Forest Serv5 ice;

6 (3) such recommendations as the Secretary con7 siders to be appropriate regarding the measures that

8 can be taken, both administratively and legislatively,

9 to streamline the decisionmaking process and ensure

10 timely responses to wildfires that threaten natural

11 resources, private property, and human and animal

12 lives; and

13 (4) a description of the additional resources

14 that would be required to allow the Forest Service

15 to respond adequately to future fires or implement

16 the recommendation provided pursuant to paragraph

17 (3).

Æ