IB 
Union Calendar No. 427 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 390 
[Report No. 119–501] 
To utlitize the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations 
project of NASA to improve aerial responses to wildfires, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 14, 2025 
Mr. FONG (for himself and Ms. MCCLELLAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
FEBRUARY 20, 2026 
Additional sponsors: Mr. WHITESIDES, Mr. OBERNOLTE, Mr. VINDMAN, Mr. 
CARBAJAL, Mr. HARDER of California, and Mr. NEGUSE 
FEBRUARY 20, 2026 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 14, 2025] 
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A BILL 
To utlitize the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Re-
sponse to Operations project of NASA to improve aerial 
responses to wildfires, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Advanced Capabilities 
for Emergency Response Operations Act’’ or the ‘‘ACERO 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ADVANCED CAPABILITIES FOR EMERGENCY RE-
SPONSE OPERATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall leverage 
NASA-developed tools and technologies to conduct research 
and development activities under the Advanced Capabilities 
for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project, or 
appropriate successor project or projects, to improve aerial 
responses to wildfires. 
(b) GOALS.—The research and development activities 
conducted under subsection (a) may include the following: 
(1) Advanced aircraft technologies and airspace 
management efforts to assist in the management, 
deconfliction, and coordination of aerial assets during 
wildfire response efforts. 
(2) Information sharing and real-time data ex-
change for wildfire response teams. 
(3) Development of an interoperable platform to 
provide situational awareness of aerial assets during 
wildfire response. 
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(4) Establishment of a multi-agency concept of 
operations, which may involve Federal, State, and 
local government agencies, to enable coordination of 
aerial activities for wildfire response. 
(c) COLLABORATION.—In carrying out this section, the 
Administrator— 
(1) may coordinate and collaborate with other 
Federal, State, and local government agencies, re-
gional organizations, and commercial partners and 
academic institutions involved in wildfire manage-
ment; and 
(2) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
consult with the heads of other Federal departments 
and agencies to avoid duplication of activities. 
(d) PROHIBITION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in this 
subsection, the Administrator may not procure an un-
manned aircraft system to conduct activities described 
in this section if such unmanned aircraft system is 
manufactured or assembled by a covered foreign enti-
ty. 
(2) EXEMPTION.—The Administrator may waive 
the prohibition under paragraph (1) on a case-by-case 
basis if the Administrator— 
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(A) determines that the procurement of an 
unmanned aircraft system is— 
(i) in the national interest of the 
United States; and 
(ii) necessary for the sole purpose of 
improving aerial responses to wildfires; and 
(B) notifies the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate not 
later than 30 days after a determination in the 
affirmative under subparagraph (A). 
(e) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter 
until December 31, 2030, the Administrator shall submit 
to the Committee on Science, Space and Technology of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report describ-
ing the activities, including results, carried out pursuant 
to this section. Each such report, at minimum, shall con-
tain the following: 
(1) A description of any research and develop-
ment activities. 
(2) A description of the Administrator’s activi-
ties pursuant to subsection (c). 
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(3) An identification of any topics related to im-
provement of aerial responses to wildfires that could 
benefit from further research. 
(4) A description of any continuing efforts under 
this section. 
(5) Any other information determined appro-
priate by the Administrator. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 
ADMINISTRATOR.—The 
term 
‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the National Aer-
onautics and Space Administration. 
(2) COVERED FOREIGN ENTITY.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered foreign entity’’ has the meaning given such term 
in section 1822 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31). 
(3) NASA.—The term ‘‘NASA’’ means the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
(4) UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT
SYSTEM.—The term 
‘‘unmanned aircraft system’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 44801 of title 49, United States 
Code. 
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to utilize the 
Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Oper-
ations project of NASA to improve aerial responses to 
wildfires, and for other purposes.’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 427 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 390 
[Report No. 119–501] 
A BILL 
To utlitize the Advanced Capabilities for Emer-
gency Response to Operations project of NASA 
to improve aerial responses to wildfires, and for 
other purposes. 
FEBRUARY 20, 2026 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed 
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