FIRE Act
Public Law 117-251 · S. 3092 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Dec 20, 2022 · Emergency Management
Sponsor: Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA)
Cosponsors (7): Sen. Ron Wyden, Sen. Jeff Merkley,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- 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.
This act addresses the federal government's approach to wildfires.
Specifically, the act requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to report to Congress regarding the use of relocation assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for wildfire risk.
FEMA, in coordination with the National Weather Service, must study, develop recommendations for, and initiate a process for the use of forecasts and data, including information that supports Red Flag Warnings and similar weather alert and notification methods, to establish
• plans and actions that can be implemented prior to a wildfire event that can limit the impact, duration, or severity of the fire; and
• mechanisms to increase interagency collaboration to expedite the delivery of disaster assistance.
The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress regarding wildfires, including the effectiveness of FEMA programs.
Each state, local agency, or private mental health organization providing professional crisis counseling assistance must ensure that those providing case management services to victims of a major disaster have training to address impacts in communities and to individuals with socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.
FEMA must conduct a study and develop a plan to address providing housing assistance to survivors of major disasters or emergencies when presented with challenges such as the presence of multiple families within a single household.
The act allows Indian tribal governments to apply for grants for equipping, upgrading, and constructing state and local emergency operations centers.
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.
Related bills
2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 24 actions.
- Dec 20, 2022Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-251.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- FloorFloor · Star Print ordered on the reported bill.
- Dec 16, 2022FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Dec 8, 2022FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Dec 7, 2022Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 3092 by Unanimous Consent.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 3092 by Unanimous Consent.
- Nov 17, 2022FloorFloor · Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 3092.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Carter (LA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Sep 29, 2022FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Sep 28, 2022FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Sep 12, 2022CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 482.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Carper for Senator Peters with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 117-144.
- Feb 2, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Oct 27, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 5934SenateSen. Alex PadillaD-CA· offered Sep 28, 2022Agreed to
To improve the bill.
Sep 28, 2022: Amendment SA 5934 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.