Title: Recognizing the longstanding partnership between the United States and Australia to share critical firefighting resources during times of crisis.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution expresses support for Australia, as well as greater collaboration between the United States and Australia to promote wildfire mitigation and prevention.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 803 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 803

Recognizing the longstanding partnership between the United States and 
  Australia to share critical firefighting resources during times of 
                                crisis.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 16, 2020

Mr. Panetta (for himself, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Khanna, Mr. 
Takano, Mr. O'Halleran, Mr. Gosar, Mr. Cox of California, Mr. Carbajal, 
    Mr. Fulcher, Mr. Bera, Mr. Bost, Mr. Hastings, Ms. Brownley of 
   California, Mr. Schrader, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Ted Lieu of 
  California, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Cook, Ms. Stevens, Mr. 
Sherman, Mr. Kilmer, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Castro of Texas, 
    Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Joyce of Ohio, Mrs. 
Kirkpatrick, Mr. Stanton, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. 
Van Drew, Mr. Mooney of West Virginia, Mr. Correa, Mr. McClintock, Mr. 
  Grijalva, Mr. Swalwell of California, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Calvert, Mr. 
Vela, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Case, Mr. Levin of California, Mr. 
     Suozzi, Mr. DeSaulnier, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Walden, Mr. Smith of 
 Washington, Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Newhouse, Ms. Barragan, 
Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Costa, Ms. Schrier, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Phillips, Mr. 
 Rouda, Mrs. Davis of California, Ms. Bass, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Trone, Mr. 
Kind, Mr. Horsford, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Fudge, Mrs. Napolitano, 
Mr. Bishop of Utah, Ms. Waters, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Weber of Texas, Miss 
 Rice of New York, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Wenstrup, Mr. 
 Heck, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Mr. Thompson of California, and Mr. 
McNerney) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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 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;
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 200 American firefighters have been mobilized to Australia over the 
        past month to help combat and contain devastating bushfires that have 
        burned over 12,500,000 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
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the value of the longstanding partnership 
        between the United States and Australia to share critical 
        firefighting resources during times of crisis;
            (2) recognizes the efforts and bravery of Australian 
        firefighters who have not only risked their lives to fight 
        wildfires in their own country but also helped contain several 
        dangerous wildfires in North America;
            (3) recognizes the efforts and bravery of American 
        firefighters who have not only risked their lives to fight 
        wildfires in their own country but have also provided their 
        services to combat the bushfires currently ravaging the 
        Australian continent;
            (4) expresses full support for the people of Australia 
        during the ongoing bushfire crisis;
            (5) supports continued partnership between the Commonwealth 
        Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and United 
        States Federal agencies to share research, technology, and best 
        practices related to wildfire mitigation and suppression; and
            (6) supports continued cooperation and greater 
        collaboration between Australia and the United States to 
        mitigate the underlying factors driving extended and more 
        intense wildfire years in both countries.
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