III 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 527 

Recognizing the longstanding partnership between the United States and 

Australia to share critical firefighting resources during times of crisis. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 4, 2020 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. BARRASSO, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. BOOZMAN, 

Mr. CASEY, Mr. COONS, Mr. CORNYN, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. CRAPO, 

Mr. CRUZ, Mr. DAINES, Mr. ENZI, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. GARDNER, Ms. 

HARRIS, Mrs. LOEFFLER, Ms. MCSALLY, Mr. PERDUE, Mr. RISCH, Mr. 

ROMNEY, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. SCOTT of Florida, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. SINEMA, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. TESTER, Mr. THUNE, Mr. 

TILLIS, Mr. BRAUN, and Ms. ROSEN) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the longstanding partnership between the United 

States and Australia to share critical firefighting resources during times of crisis. 

Whereas Australia and the United States have long held a 

unique relationship, marked by close diplomatic, security, 

and economic cooperation; 

Whereas Australia and the United States celebrated 100 

years of mateship on July 4, 2018, marking the 100-year 

anniversary of the Battle of Hamel, which helped turn 

the tide of World War I; 


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•SRES 527 IS 

Whereas the United States and Australia are entering the 

seventieth anniversary of the Australia, New Zealand, 

United States Security Treaty (ANZUS Treaty), the 

1951 collective security non-binding agreement between 

Australia and New Zealand and, separately, Australia 

and the United States, to cooperate on military matters; 

Whereas the United States and Australia have shared firefighting resources, including specialist firefighters, for 

over 15 years; 

Whereas the United States and Australia are experiencing 

some of the hottest and driest weather conditions on 

record, exacerbating the threat of wildfires and contributing to longer wildfire seasons in both nations; 

Whereas over 100 Australian firefighters traveled to the 

United States in August 2018, to assist with efforts to 

contain wildfires that threatened communities in California, Oregon, and Washington; 

Whereas over 300 American firefighters have been mobilized 

to Australia since December 2019 to help combat and 

contain devastating bushfires that have burned over 

30,000,000 acres of land; and 

Whereas multiple United States agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, National 

Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Fish and 

Wildlife Services, have provided American firefighters to 

help combat Australia’s bushfires: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the value of the longstanding 

3 partnership between the United States and Australia 


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•SRES 527 IS 

1 to share critical firefighting resources during times 

2 of crisis; 

3 (2) recognizes the efforts and bravery of Aus4 tralian firefighters who have not only risked their 

5 lives to fight wildfires in their own country but also 

6 helped contain several dangerous wildfires in North 

7 America; 

8 (3) recognizes the efforts and bravery of Amer9 ican firefighters who have not only risked their lives 

10 to fight wildfires in their own country but have also 

11 provided their services to combat the bushfires cur12 rently ravaging the Australian continent; 

13 (4) honors the ultimate sacrifice of the three 

14 American firefighters who lost their lives assisting in 

15 fighting Australia’s bushfires in the crash of the 

16 Large Air Tanker in the Snowy Monaro area of Aus17 tralia on January 23, 2020, and extends deepest 

18 condolences to their families, friends, and colleagues; 

19 (5) expresses full support for the people of Aus20 tralia as they focus on recovery and rebuilding af21 fected areas and communities; 

22 (6) supports continued partnership between the 

23 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research 

24 Organisation and United States Federal agencies to 


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•SRES 527 IS 

1 share research, technology, and best practices re2 lated to wildfire mitigation and suppression; and 

3 (7) supports continued cooperation and greater 

4 collaboration between Australia and the United 

5 States to mitigate the underlying factors driving ex6 tended and more intense wildfire years in both coun7 tries. 

Æ 


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