Escaped Prescribed Fire Emergency Assistance Act

Bill: 108-hr-988
Sponsor: Rep. Herger, Wally [R-CA-2]
Introduced: 2003-02-27 in the House
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Civil procedure
Claims
Compensation (Law)
Disaster relief
Emergency Management
Emergency housing
Fire prevention
Food relief
Forest fires
Government Operations and Politics
Government liability
Government paperwork
Housing and Community Development
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Torts

Summary:
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Escaped Prescribed Fire Emergency Assistance Act - Allows the head of any Federal land management agency, in the case of an escaped prescribed fire where there is partial or total loss of a primary residence, to authorize payment of reasonable emergency assistance for up to 30 days, with an additional 30 day extension in extenuating circumstances. States that such assistance shall not be construed as a waiver of rights under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). Authorizes such payments to be made from the Department of Agriculture's and the Department of the Interior's Wildfire Management Accounts.
States that any action or decision taken respecting a prescribed fire shall not be considered to be the exercise of a discretionary function.
Allows an individual with a claim before a Federal agency to amend it before final action is taken on it by the agency, or before the individual brings a civil action under FTCA against the United States, whichever may be later.
Requires an agency to: (1) notify an individual whose claim fails to state a claim upon which the agency may take action under FTCA; and (2) attach to any claim form it distributes notice that the claim may be amended.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
action_date: 2003-03-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
action_date: 2003-03-17
text: Executive Comment Requested from Interior, USDA.
action_date: 2003-03-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health.
action_date: 2003-03-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Introduced in House