United States Fire Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999
PL 105-108 (S.1231), enacted 11/20/1997

I l l STAT. 2264 
PUBLIC LAW 105-108—NOV. 20, 1997 
Public Law 105-108 
105th Congress 
An Act 
Nov. 20, 1997 
[S. 1231] 
United States 
Fire 
Administration 
Authorization 
Act for Fiscal 
Years 1998 and 
1999 
15 u s e 2201 
note. 
15 u s e 2225. 
15 u s e 2227. 
15 u s e 2204 
note. 
To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for the United States 
Fire Administration, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the "United States Fire Administration 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999". 
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 17(g)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control 
Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2216(g)(1)) is amended— 
(1) iby striking "and at the end of subparagraph (E); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (F) 
and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
"(G) $29,664,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
1998; and 
"(H) $30,554,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
1999.". 
SEC. 3. SUCCESSOR FIRE SAFETY STANDARDS. 
The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 
2201 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) in section 29(a)(1), by inserting "or any successor stand-
ard to that standard" after "Association Standard 74"; 
(2) in section 29(a)(2), by inserting ", or any successor 
standard to that standard" before ", whichever is appropriate,"; 
(3) in section 29(b)(2), by inserting ", or any successor 
standard to that standard" after "Association Standard 13 or 
13-R"; 
(4) in section 31(c)(2)(B)(i), by inserting "or any successor 
standard to that standard" after "Life Safety Code)"; and 
(5) in section 31(c)(2)(B)(ii), by inserting "or any successor 
standard to that standard" after "Association Standard 101". 
SEC. 4. TERMINATION OR PRIVATIZATION OF FUNCTIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days before the termination 
or transfer to a private sector person or entity of any significant 
function of the United States Fire Administration, as described 
in subsection (b), the Administrator of the United States Fire 
Administration shall transmit to Congress a report providing notice 
of that termination or transfer. 
(b) COVERED TERMINATIONS AND TRANSFERS.—For purposes of 
subsection (a), a termination or transfer to a person or entity 
PUBLIC LAW 105-108—NOV. 20, 1997 
111 STAT. 2265 
described in that subsection shall be considered to be a termination 
or transfer of a significant function of the United States Fire 
Administration if the termination or transfer— 
(1) relates to a function of the Administration that requires 
the expenditure of more than 5 percent of the total amount 
of funds made available by appropriations to the Administra-
tion; or 
(2) involves the termination of more than 5 percent of 
the employees of the Administration. 
SEC. 5. NOTICE. 
15 USC 2204 
(a) 
MAJOR REORGANIZATION DEFINED.—With respect to 
the 
United States Fire Administration, the term "major reorganization" 
means any reorganization of the Administration that involves the 
reassignment of more than 25 percent of the employees of the 
Administration. 
(b) NOTICE OF REPROGRAMMING.—If any funds appropriated 
pursuant to the amendments made by this Act are subject to 
a reprogramming action that requires notice to be provided to 
the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House 
of Representatives, notice of that action shall concurrently be pro-
vided to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate and the Committee on Science of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(c) NOTICE OF REORGANIZATION.—Not later than 15 days before 
any major reorgeinization of any program, project, or activity of 
the United States Fire Administration, the Administrator of the 
United States Fire Administration shall provide notice to the 
Committees on Science and Appropriations of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committees on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation and Appropriations of the Senate. 
SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE YEAR 2000 PROBLEM. 
With the year 2000 rapidly approaching, it is the sense of 
Congress that the Administrator of the United States Fire Adminis-
tration should— 
(1) give high priority to correcting all 2-digit date-related 
problems in the computer systems of the United States Fire 
Administration to ensure that those systems continue to operate 
effectively in the year 2000 and in subsequent years; 
(2) as soon as practicable after the date of enactment 
of this Act, assess the extent of the risk to the operations 
of the United States Fire Administration posed by the problems 
referred to in paragraph (1), and plan emd budget for achieving 
compliance for all of the mission-critical systems of the system 
by the year 2000; and 
(3) develop contingency plans for those systems that the 
United States Fire Administration is unable to correct by the 
year 2000. 
SEC. 7. ENHANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS PROGRAMS. 
15 USC 2218 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
^°^' 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term "Administrator" means the 
Administrator of the United States Fire Administration. 
(2) 
EDUCATIONALLY USEFUL FEDERAL EQUIPMENT.—The 
term "educationally useful Federal equipment" means comput-
ers and related peripheral tools and research equipment that 
is appropriate for use in schools. 
I l l STAT. 2266 
PUBLIC LAW 105-108—NOV. 20, 1997 
(3) SCHOOL,—The term "school" means a public or private 
educational institution that serves any of the grades of kinder-
garten through grade 12. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—It is the sense of Congress that the 
Administrator should, to the greatest extent practicable and 
in a manner consistent with applicable Federal law (including 
Executive Order No. 12999), donate educationally useful Fed-
eral equipment to schools in order to enhance the science and 
mathematics programs of those schools. 
(2) REPORTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
Administrator shall prepare and submit to the President 
a report that meets the requirements of this paragraph. 
The President shall submit that report to Congress at 
the same time as the President submits a budget request 
to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States 
Code. 
(B) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—The report prepared by 
the Administrator under this paragraph shall describe any 
donations of educationally useful Federal equipment to 
schools made during the period covered by the report. 
SEC. 8. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the United States 
Fire Administration (referred to in this section as the "Adminis-
trator") shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Science of the House of Representatives a report that meets the 
requirements of this section. 
(b) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—The report under this section 
shall— 
(1) examine the risks to firefighters in suppressing fires 
caused by burning tires; 
(2) address any risks that are uniquely attributable to 
fires described in paragraph (1), including any risks relating 
to— 
(A) exposure to toxic substances (as that term is 
defined by the Administrator); 
(B) personal protection; 
(C) the duration of those fires; and 
(D) site hazards associated with those fires; 
PUBLIC LAW 105-108—NOV. 20, 1997 
111 STAT. 2267 
(3) identify any special training that may be necessary 
for firefighters to suppress those fires; and 
(4) assess how the training referred to in paragraph (3) 
may be provided by the United States Fire Administration. 
Approved November 20, 1997. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1231 (H.R. 1272): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-62 accompanying H.R. 1272 (Comm. on Science). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-124 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 143 (1997): 
Nov. 4, considered and passed Senate. 
Nov. 9, considered and passed House.