To provide for an independent investigation of Forest Service firefighter deaths that are caused by wildfire entrapment or burnover.
Public Law 107-203 · H.R. 3971 · 107th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Jul 24, 2002 · Emergency Management
Sponsor: Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA-4)
Cosponsors (6): Rep. Adam Smith, Rep. George Nethercutt,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 377 yea, 0 nay377–0
- 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.
Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture to investigate (independent of any Forest Service investigation) and report to Congress and the Secretary of Agriculture on each fatality of a Forest Service officer or employee that occurs due to wildfire entrapment or burnover.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 107th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 377 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
377 yea0 nay58 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(177)
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-50
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-13
Rep. Maxine WatersD-CA-35
Rep. Barbara LeeD-CA-9
Rep. John OlverD-MA-1
Rep. Maurice HincheyD-NY-26
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. Jan SchakowskyD-IL-9
Rep. Dennis KucinichD-OH-10
Rep. Michael CapuanoD-MA-8
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Donald PayneD-NJ-10
Rep. Tammy BaldwinD-WI-2
Rep. Jim McGovernD-MA-3
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Lynn WoolseyD-CA-6
Rep. John TierneyD-MA-6
Rep. Jesse JacksonD-IL-2
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5- Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Alcee HastingsD-FL-23
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-28
Rep. Mel WattD-NC-12
Rep. Sherrod BrownD-OH-13- Rep. Cynthia McKinneyD-GA-4
Rep. Tom UdallD-NM-3
Rep. Hilda SolisD-CA-31
Rep. Bill DelahuntD-MA-10
Rep. Lloyd DoggettD-TX-10
Rep. Nydia VelázquezD-NY-12
Rep. Diane WatsonD-CA-32
Rep. Robert BradyD-PA-1
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7- Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
- Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Bennie ThompsonD-MS-2
Rep. Sam FarrD-CA-17
Rep. Danny DavisD-IL-7
Rep. Wm. ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Chaka FattahD-PA-2
Rep. Mark UdallD-CO-2- Rep. Eva ClaytonD-NC-1
Rep. Lucille Roybal-AllardD-CA-33
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1
Rep. Earl BlumenauerD-OR-3
Rep. Rush HoltD-NJ-12
Rep. Luis GutiérrezD-IL-4
Rep. Bobby ScottD-VA-3
Rep. Frank PalloneD-NJ-6
Rep. Eddie JohnsonD-TX-30
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-10
Rep. Bart StupakD-MI-1
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-29
Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18- Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-21
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16- Rep. Lynn RiversD-MI-13
- Rep. Carrie MeekD-FL-17
Rep. Grace NapolitanoD-CA-34
Rep. Mike ThompsonD-CA-1- Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
- Rep. Thomas BarrettD-WI-5
Rep. Bobby RushD-IL-1
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. Betty McCollumD-MN-4- Rep. Marty MeehanD-MA-5
Rep. José SerranoD-NY-16
Rep. Brian BairdD-WA-3- Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-29
Rep. Elijah CummingsD-MD-7- Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
- Rep. Ted StricklandD-OH-6
Rep. Tom AllenD-ME-1
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-5
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3
Rep. Zoe LofgrenD-CA-16
Rep. Stephen LynchD-MA-9
Rep. Jim ClyburnD-SC-6
Rep. Nita LoweyD-NY-18- Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-5
Rep. David WuD-OR-1- Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-12
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-2
Rep. Jay InsleeD-WA-1
Rep. Patrick KennedyD-RI-1- Rep. Karen McCarthyD-MO-5
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Ciro RodriguezD-TX-28
Rep. Bob MenendezD-NJ-13
Rep. Brad ShermanD-CA-24
Rep. Jim LangevinD-RI-2
Rep. Joe CrowleyD-NY-7
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyD-NY-14
Rep. John LarsonD-CT-1
Rep. Rick LarsenD-WA-2
Rep. Lois CappsD-CA-22- Rep. John BaldacciD-ME-2
Rep. Charlie GonzalezD-TX-20
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-17- Rep. Peter DeutschD-FL-20
- Rep. Joseph HoeffelD-PA-13
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1
Rep. Bill PascrellD-NJ-8
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4
Rep. Joe BacaD-CA-42- Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Steven RothmanD-NJ-9
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-9
Rep. Susan DavisD-CA-49- Rep. William LutherD-MN-6
- Rep. Karen ThurmanD-FL-5
Rep. Shelley BerkleyD-NV-1
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-3
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Darlene HooleyD-OR-5
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29- Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
Rep. Dennis MooreD-KS-3
Rep. Nick LampsonD-TX-9- Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Ron KindD-WI-3
Rep. Bob EtheridgeD-NC-2
Rep. Adam SchiffD-CA-27
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Silvestre ReyesD-TX-16
Rep. Ellen TauscherD-CA-10- Rep. Max SandlinD-TX-1
Rep. Michael DoyleD-PA-18
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8- Rep. Ken BentsenD-TX-25
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Carolyn McCarthyD-NY-4
Rep. Jane HarmanD-CA-36- Rep. Jim DavisD-FL-11
Rep. Adam SmithD-WA-9- Rep. Frank MascaraD-PA-20
Rep. Marion BerryD-AR-1
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. Leonard BoswellD-IA-3- Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. Vic SnyderD-AR-2
Rep. Sanford BishopD-GA-2
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-11- Rep. James MaloneyD-CT-5
- Rep. Timothy RoemerD-IN-3
- Rep. Brad CarsonD-OK-2
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8
Rep. Allen BoydD-FL-2
Rep. Jim MathesonD-UT-2
Rep. Mike McIntyreD-NC-7
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Mike RossD-AR-4- Rep. Jim TurnerD-TX-2
- Rep. Cal DooleyD-CA-20
Rep. Tim HoldenD-PA-6
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4- Rep. David PhelpsD-IL-19
- Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-3
Rep. Gene TaylorD-MS-5- Rep. James BarciaD-MI-5
- Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
- Rep. Chris JohnD-LA-7
- Rep. Ronnie ShowsD-MS-4
Rep. Bud CramerD-AL-5- Rep. Ken LucasD-KY-4
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Republicans who voted yea(199)
- Rep. Constance MorellaR-MD-8
- Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
- Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-20
- Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
- Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-23
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE- Rep. Stephen HornR-CA-38
- Rep. Greg GanskeR-IA-4
Rep. Frank LoBiondoR-NJ-2- Rep. Jack QuinnR-NY-30
Rep. Timothy JohnsonR-IL-15- Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
Rep. John ThuneR-SD
Rep. Steven LaTouretteR-OH-19- Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
Rep. John McHughR-NY-24- Rep. Doug OseR-CA-3
Rep. Shelley CapitoR-WV-2- Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-25- Rep. Felix GrucciR-NY-1
Rep. Heather WilsonR-NM-1
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Todd PlattsR-PA-19
Rep. Mark KirkR-IL-10
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10- Rep. John SweeneyR-NY-22
- Rep. Mark FoleyR-FL-16
- Rep. Jim GreenwoodR-PA-8
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3- Rep. Sue KellyR-NY-19
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18- Rep. Tom OsborneR-NE-3
Rep. Ray LaHoodR-IL-18
Rep. Lindsey GrahamR-SC-3
Rep. Phil EnglishR-PA-21
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-BalartR-FL-21
Rep. Mary Bono MackR-CA-44
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Mike FergusonR-NJ-7
Rep. Jo Ann EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1
Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3- Rep. Robert EhrlichR-MD-2
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6- Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5- Rep. Ernie FletcherR-KY-6
Rep. Rodney FrelinghuysenR-NJ-11- Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-22
- Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
Rep. Charlie BassR-NH-2- Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. Tom LathamR-IA-5
Rep. Zach WampR-TN-3- Rep. Anne NorthupR-KY-3
- Rep. Bob NeyR-OH-18
Rep. Kay GrangerR-TX-12
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7
Rep. Greg WaldenR-OR-2
Rep. Denny RehbergR-MT- Rep. Duke CunninghamR-CA-51
Rep. Tom DavisR-VA-11
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-40
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10- Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-21
Rep. Judy BiggertR-IL-13
Rep. John ShimkusR-IL-20
Rep. Thomas ReynoldsR-NY-27
Rep. Ed WhitfieldR-KY-1
Rep. Vernon EhlersR-MI-3
Rep. Johnny IsaksonR-GA-6
Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-43
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-23
Rep. Buck McKeonR-CA-25
Rep. Joe KnollenbergR-MI-11- Rep. Don SherwoodR-PA-10
- Rep. Ernest IstookR-OK-5
Rep. Kenny HulshofR-MO-9- Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
- Rep. Jim NussleR-IA-2
- Rep. John CookseyR-LA-5
- Rep. Jennifer DunnR-WA-8
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21
Rep. John BoozmanR-AR-3
Rep. Mike SimpsonR-ID-2
Rep. Spencer BachusR-AL-6
Rep. Ander CrenshawR-FL-4
Rep. Jerry WellerR-IL-11
Rep. Henry BrownR-SC-1
Rep. Darrell IssaR-CA-48- Rep. Melissa HartR-PA-4
Rep. David DreierR-CA-28- Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
- Rep. Billy TauzinR-LA-3
- Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Robin HayesR-NC-8- Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Saxby ChamblissR-GA-8- Rep. Wes WatkinsR-OK-3
Rep. Mike RogersR-MI-8
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4
Rep. Frank LucasR-OK-6
Rep. Bill ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Richard BurrR-NC-5
Rep. Chip PickeringR-MS-3
Rep. Roger WickerR-MS-1- Rep. Porter GossR-FL-14
Rep. Ron LewisR-KY-2
Rep. John MicaR-FL-7
Rep. Rob PortmanR-OH-2
Rep. Doc HastingsR-WA-4
Rep. Robert AderholtR-AL-4- Rep. Ed SchrockR-VA-2
Rep. Sam GravesR-MO-6
Rep. Lee TerryR-NE-2
Rep. Adam PutnamR-FL-12
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-52
Rep. George RadanovichR-CA-19- Rep. Henry BonillaR-TX-23
- Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
Rep. Randy ForbesR-VA-4- Rep. Dan MillerR-FL-13
Rep. John LinderR-GA-11
Rep. Mark SouderR-IN-4
Rep. Roy BluntR-MO-7
Rep. Pat TiberiR-OH-12
Rep. John SununuR-NH-1
Rep. John SullivanR-OK-1- Rep. Gil GutknechtR-MN-1
Rep. David VitterR-LA-1
Rep. Kevin BradyR-TX-8- Rep. Scott McInnisR-CO-3
Rep. Joe WilsonR-SC-2- Rep. Jo Ann DavisR-VA-1
Rep. Todd TiahrtR-KS-4
Rep. Ric KellerR-FL-8- Rep. Jim GibbonsR-NV-2
Rep. Nathan DealR-GA-9
Rep. Jerry MoranR-KS-1
Rep. Mac ThornberryR-TX-13- Rep. Charlie NorwoodR-GA-10
- Rep. Charles TaylorR-NC-11
Rep. Jack KingstonR-GA-1
Rep. Paul RyanR-WI-1- Rep. Mark GreenR-WI-8
Rep. Gary MillerR-CA-41- Rep. Richard ArmeyR-TX-26
- Rep. Richard PomboR-CA-11
- Rep. Robert StumpR-AZ-3
- Rep. Nick SmithR-MI-7
Rep. John DoolittleR-CA-4
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6
Rep. Eric CantorR-VA-7
Rep. Sue MyrickR-NC-9
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Chris CannonR-UT-3- Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. Barbara CubinR-WY
Rep. Pete HoekstraR-MI-2
Rep. Roscoe BartlettR-MD-6- Rep. Christopher CoxR-CA-47
Rep. Dave WeldonR-FL-15- Rep. Mark KennedyR-MN-2
Rep. Mac CollinsR-GA-3
Rep. Jim DeMintR-SC-4
Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6
Rep. Pete SessionsR-TX-5
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3
Rep. Jeff MillerR-FL-1
Rep. Joseph PittsR-PA-16
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3
Rep. Steve ChabotR-OH-1- Rep. Jim RyunR-KS-2
- Rep. Butch OtterR-ID-1
- Rep. Bob BarrR-GA-7
Rep. John CulbersonR-TX-7
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6
Rep. Mike PenceR-IN-2
Rep. Todd AkinR-MO-2
Rep. Walter JonesR-NC-3
Rep. John ShadeggR-AZ-4
Rep. Dana RohrabacherR-CA-45
Rep. Pat ToomeyR-PA-15- Rep. Brian KernsR-IN-7
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2- Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-8
Rep. Ed RoyceR-CA-39
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9- Rep. John HostettlerR-IN-8
- Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Tom TancredoR-CO-6
Rep. Ron PaulR-TX-14- Rep. Bob SchafferR-CO-4
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 757 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Agriculture Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee
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.
- Jul 24, 2002Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-203.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 12, 2002PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jul 10, 2002FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 24, 2002FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 377 - 0 (Roll no. 251).House roll call 251
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Goodlatte moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Mar 19, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee
- Mar 14, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Agriculture Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
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.