The publication is reproduced in full below:
MILITARY SUPPORT FOR FIGHTING WILDFIRES ACT
______
HON. JOHN GARAMENDI
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, today I introduce the ``Military Support for Fighting Wildfires Act'' with Representative Sara Jacobs
(D-CA53) as the original cosponsor. This comprehensive bill would improve the military's support for civilian emergency response and provide Congressional authorization for the California Air National Guard's ``FireGuard'' program in partnership with the U.S. Air Force and the National Geospatial-lntelligence Agency.
The American military has incredible capabilities for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). As chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, I believe that these capabilities can and should be used to support civilian emergency response to wildfires and other natural disasters with the appropriate safeguards for privacy and classified collection means.
I also believe that excess military aircraft--including the seven Coast Guard HC-130H aircraft directed by Congress for transfer to the U.S. Forest Service and the State of California for wildfire response, following reconfiguration by the Air Force--should be made available for civilian wildland firefighting efforts. As western states like California face increasingly severe and frequent wildfires due to man-
made climate change, we need all the help we can get from our federal government including the military.
That is exactly what my ``Military Support for Fighting Wildfires Act'' would accomplish. This comprehensive legislation builds upon the work of many members of California's Congressional delegation, including Representatives Adam B. Schiff (D-CA28), Salud O. Carbajal
(D-CA24), and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA19) and U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein
(D-CA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA). I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues as our state confronts the harsh realities of a new, year-round fire season due to manmade climate change.
The California National Guard has used remotely piloted and unmanned aircraft systems, such as the MQ-9, for life-saving emergency operations in the past. However, these joint missions have only been completed a handful of times due to the lengthy approval process requiring the Secretary of Defense to sign off on each of these requests in advance.
To address this hurdle, I secured a provision (Section 519C) in the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283) directing the U.S. Department of Defense to review its approval proves for the use of unmanned aircraft systems by the National Guard in support of civilian emergency responders. The House Armed Services Committee received these recommendations under my Congressionally directed report in April 2021, and I expect the DOD to implement these changes fully.
Madam Speaker, I look forward to working with you and other members of the California delegation to advance these key reforms in my
``Military Support for Fighting Wildfires Act.'' I encourage all members to join me in cosponsoring this commonsense bill.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 179
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
House Representatives' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
Alerts Sign-up