Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996
Public Law 104-307 · S. 2078 · 104th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 14, 1996 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Cosponsors (3): Sen. Dirk Kempthorne, Sen. Larry Craig,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 - Authorizes the Secretary of Defense (Secretary), from October 1, 1996, through September 30, 2000, to sell excess Department of Defense aircraft and aircraft parts, which are acceptable for commercial sale, to persons or entities that contract with the Government for the delivery of fire retardant by air in order to suppress wildfire, as long as the aircraft and parts are used only for airtanker services for wildfire suppression.
Prohibits the aircraft or parts from being flown or otherwise removed from the United States unless dispatched by the National Interagency Fire Center in support of an international wildfire suppression agreement or for purposes jointly approved in advance by the Secretaries of Defense and Agriculture.
Authorizes the Secretary to sell such equipment only if the Secretary of Agriculture certifies to the Secretary that the purchasing person or entity is capable of meeting the terms and conditions of a contract to deliver fire retardant by air.
Directs the Secretary to prescribe sale regulations which: (1) ensure that any such sale is made at fair market value; and (2) require certain certifications and establish appropriate means to ensure compliance with the sale conditions of this Act.
Requires a report from the Secretary to specified congressional committees on the Secretary's exercise of authority under this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- Oct 14, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-307.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 9, 1996PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 4, 1996FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Solomon asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- Sep 26, 1996FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Armed Services Committee
- Sep 16, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.