,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #baej  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #ba1     
#bjba,mr4 ,romney 7for himself and ,mr4 
,kelly7 introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,homeland ,security and  
,governmental ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to  
prevent catastrophic wildland fires by  
establishing a commission to study and  
recommend wildland fire prevention1     
mitigation1 suppression1 management1 and
 rehabilitation policies for the        
,federal ,government1 and for other     
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,wildland ,fire     
,mitigation and ,management ,commission 
,act of #bjba4  #b4 ,definitions ,in    
this ,act3 7#a7 ,appropriate committees 
of ,congress ,the term appropriate      
committees of ,congress means-- 7,a7 the
 ,committee on ,energy and ,natural     
,resources of the ,senate2  7,b7 the    
,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 
and ,forestry of the ,senate2  7,c7 the 

,committee on ,homeland ,security and   
,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate2  
7,d7 the ,committee on ,appropriations  
of the ,senate2  7,e7 the ,committee on 
,natural ,resources of the ,house of    
,representatives2  7,f7 the ,committee  
on ,agriculture of the ,house of        
,representatives2  7,g7 the ,committee  
on ,homeland ,security of the ,house of 
,representatives2  7,h7 the ,committee  
on ,appropriations of the ,house of     
,representatives2 and  7,i7 the         
,committee on ,ways and ,means of the   
,house of ,representatives4  7#b7       
,commission ,the term ,commission means 
the commission established under section
 #c7;a74  7#c7 ,high-risk ,indian tribal
 government ,the term high-risk ,indian 
tribal government means an ,indian      
tribal government1 during not fewer than
 #d of the #e years preceding the date  
of enactment of this ,act-- 7,a7 that   
received fire management assistance     
under section #dbj of the ,robert ,t4   
,stafford ,disaster ,relief and         

,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db        
,u4,s4,c4 #eahg72 or  7,b7 land of which
 included an area for which the         
,president declared a major disaster for
 fire in accordance with section #dja of
 that ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj74  7#d7 
,high-risk ,state ,the term high-risk   
,state means a ,state that1 during not  
fewer than #d of the #e years preceding 
the date of enactment of this ,act--    
7,a7 received fire management assistance
 under section #dbj of the ,robert ,t4  
,stafford ,disaster ,relief and         
,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db        
,u4,s4,c4 #eahg72 or  7,b7 included an  
area for which the ,president declared a
 major disaster for fire in accordance  
with section #dja of that ,act 7#db     
,u4,s4,c4 #eagj74  7#e7 ,indian tribal  
government ,the term ,indian tribal     
government has the meaning given the    
term in section #ajb of the ,robert ,t4 
,stafford ,disaster ,relief and         
,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db        
,u4,s4,c4 #eabb74  7#f7 ,secretaries    

,the term ,secretaries means-- 7,a7 the 
,secretary of the ,interior2  7,b7 the  
,secretary of ,agriculture2 and  7,c7   
the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1  
acting through the ,administrator of the
 ,federal ,emergency ,management        
,agency4  7#g7 ,state ,the term ,state  
has the meaning given the term in       
section #ajb of the ,robert ,t4         
,stafford ,disaster ,relief and         
,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db        
,u4,s4,c4 #eabb74  7#h7 ,wildland-urban 
interface ,the term wildland-urban      
interface has the meaning given the term
 in section #aja of the ,healthy        
,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7#af
 ,u4,s4,c4 #feaa74  #c4 ,establishment  
of ,commission  7a7 ,establishment ,not 
later than #cj days after the date of   
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretaries
 shall jointly establish a commission to
 study and make recommendations to      
improve ,federal policies relating to-- 
7#a7 the prevention1 mitigation1        
suppression1 and management of wildland 

fires in the ,united ,states2 and  7#b7 
the rehabilitation of land in the       
,united ,states devastated by wildland  
fires4  7b7 ,membership  7#a7           
,composition ,the ,commission shall be  
composed of-- 7,a7 each of the          
,secretaries 7or designees71 who shall  
jointly serve as the co-chairpersons of 
the ,commission2  7,b7 not greater than 
#h representatives of ,federal          
departments or agencies1 to be appointed
 by the ,secretaries1 including-- 7i7   
not fewer than #a representative from   
each of-- 7,i7 the ,bureau of ,land     
,management2  7,,ii7 the ,national ,park
 ,service2  7,,iii7 the ,bureau of      
,indian ,affairs2 and  7,,iv7 the       
,forest ,service2  7ii7 a representative
 of or liaison to the ,mitigation       
,framework ,leadership ,group of the    
,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency2
  7iii7 a representative to the         
,national ,interagency ,coordination    
,center1 which is part of the ,national 
,wildfire ,coordination ,group2  7iv7 a 

representative from #a of the           
coordinating agencies of the ,recovery  
,support ,function ,leadership ,group2  
and  7v7 if the ,secretaries determine  
it to be appropriate1 a representative  
of any other ,federal department or     
agency1 such as the ,department of      
,energy1 the ,environmental ,protection 
,agency1 or the ,department of ,defense2
 and  7,c7 not greater than #ag         
non-,federal stakeholders with expertise
 in wildland fire preparedness1         
mitigation1 suppression1 or management1 
who collectively have a combination of  
backgrounds1 experiences1 and viewpoints
 and are representative of rural1 urban1
 and suburban areas1 to be appointed by 
the ,secretaries1 including-- 7i7 not   
fewer than #a ,state hazard mitigation  
officer of a high-risk ,state 7or a     
designee72  7ii7 with preference given  
to representatives from high-risk       
,states and high-risk ,indian tribal    
governments1 not fewer than #a          
representative from each of-- 7,i7 a    

,state department of natural resources1 
forestry1 or agriculture or a similar   
,state agency2  7,,ii7 a ,state         
department of energy or a similar ,state
 agency2  7,,iii7 a county government1  
with preference given to counties at    
least a portion of which is in the      
wildland-urban interface2 and  7,,iv7 a 
municipal government1 with preference   
given to municipalities at least a      
portion of which is in the              
wildland-urban interface2  7iii7 with   
preference given to representatives from
 high-risk ,states and high-risk ,indian
 tribal governments1 not fewer than #a  
representative from each of-- 7,i7 the  
public utility industry2  7,,ii7 the    
property development industry2 and      
7,,iii7 ,indian tribal governments2 and 
7iv7 any other appropriate non-,federal 
stakeholders1 which may include the     
private sector1 with preference given to
 non-,federal stakeholders from         
high-risk ,states and high-risk ,indian 
tribal governments4  7#b7 ,state        

limitation ,each member of the          
,commission appointed under clauses 7i7 
and 7ii7 of paragraph 7#a77;,c7 shall   
represent a different ,state4  7#c7     
,date ,the appointments of the members  
of the ,commission shall be made not    
later than #fj days after the date of   
enactment of this ,act4  7c7 ,period of 
appointment2 vacancies  7#a7 ,in general
 ,a member of the ,commission shall be  
appointed for the life of the           
,commission4  7#b7 ,vacancies ,a vacancy
 in the ,commission-- 7,a7 shall not    
affect the powers of the ,commission2   
and  7,b7 shall be filled in the same   
manner as the original appointment4  7d7
 ,meetings  7#a7 ,initial meeting ,not  
later than #cj days after the date on   
which all members of the ,commission    
have been appointed1 the ,commission    
shall hold the first meeting of the     
,commission4  7#b7 ,frequency ,the      
,commission shall meet not less         
frequently than once every #cj days4    
7#c7 ,type ,the ,commission may hold    

meetings1 and a member of the           
,commission may participate in a        
meeting1 remotely through               
teleconference1 video conference1 or    
similar means4  7#d7 ,quorum ,a majority
 of the members of the ,commission shall
 constitute a quorum1 but a lesser      
number of members may hold hearings4    
#d4 ,duties of ,commission  7a7 ,report 
on recommendations ,to mitigate and     
manage wildland fires  7#a7 ,in general 
,not later than #a year after the date  
of the first meeting of the ,commission1
 the ,commission shall submit to the    
appropriate committees of ,congress a   
report describing recommendations to    
prevent1 mitigate1 suppress1 and manage 
wildland fires1 including-- 7,a7 policy 
recommendations1 including              
recommendations-- 7i7 to maximize the   
protection of human life1 community     
water supplies1 homes1 and other        
essential structures1 which may include 
recommendations to expand the use of    
initial attack strategies2  7ii7 to     

facilitate efficient short- and         
long-term forest management in          
residential and nonresidential at-risk  
areas2  7iii7 to manage the             
wildland-urban interface2  7iv7 to      
manage utility corridors2 and  7v7 to   
rehabilitate land devastated by wildland
 fire2  7,b7 policy recommendations     
described in subparagraph 7,a7 with     
respect to any recommendations for      
categorical exclusions from the         
requirement to prepare an environmental 
impact statement or analysis under the  
,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of
 #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq472   
7,c7 policy recommendations for         
modernizing and expanding the use of    
technology1 including satellite         
technology1 to prevent1 mitigate1       
suppress1 and manage wildland fires1    
including any recommendations with      
respect to-- 7i7 the implementation of  
section #aaad of the ,john ,d4 ,dingell1
 ,jr4 ,conservation1 ,management1 and   
,recreation ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4         

#agdh;b-#a72 or  7ii7 improving early   
wildland fire detection2  7,d7 an       
assessment of ,federal spending on      
wildland fire-related disaster          
management1 including-- 7i7 a           
description and assessment of ,federal  
grant programs for ,states and units of 
local government for pre- and           
post-wildland fire disaster mitigation  
and recovery1 including-- 7,i7 the      
amount of funding provided under each   
program2  7,,ii7 the effectiveness of   
each program with respect to long-term  
forest management and maintenance2 and  
7,,iii7 recommendations to improve the  
effectiveness of each program1 including
 with respect to-- 7aa7 the conditions  
on the use of funds received under the  
program2 and  7bb7 the extent to which  
additional funds are necessary for the  
program2  7ii7 an evaluation1 including 
recommendations to improve the          
effectiveness in mitigating wildland    
fires1 of-- 7,i7 the ,building          
,resilient ,infrastructure and          

,communities program under section #bjc 
of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster  
,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eacc72  7,,ii7 the      
,pre-,disaster ,mitigation program under
 that section 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eacc72    
7,,iii7 the ,hazard ,mitigation ,grant  
,program under section #djd of that ,act
 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj;c72 and  7,,iv7   
,hazard ,mitigation ,grant ,program     
post-fire assistance under sections #djd
 and #dbj of that ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#eagj;c1 #eahg72  7iii7 an assessment of
 the definition of small impoverished   
community under section #bjc7;a7 of the 
,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief 
and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db    
,u4,s4,c4 #eacc7;a771 specifically--    
7,i7 the exclusion of the percentage of 
land owned by an entity other than a    
,state or unit of local government2 and 
7,,ii7 any related economic impact of   
that exclusion2 and  7iv7               
recommendations for ,federal budgeting  
for wildland fires2  7,e7 any           

recommendations for matters under       
subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 7,c71 or 7,d7  
specific to-- 7i7 forest type1          
vegetation type1 or forest and          
vegetation type2 or  7ii7 ,state land1  
,tribal land1 or private land2 and  7,f7
 7i7 a review of the national strategy  
described in the report entitled ,the   
,national ,strategy3 ,the ,final ,phase 
in the ,development of the ,national    
,cohesive ,wildland ,fire ,management   
,strategy and dated ,april #bjad2 and   
7ii7 any recommendations for changes to 
that national strategy to improve its   
effectiveness4  7#b7 ,specific policy   
recommendations ,to the maximum extent  
practicable1 the report described in    
paragraph 7#a7 shall include detailed   
short- and long-term policy             
recommendations1 including any          
recommendations for ,federal            
legislation4  7#c7 ,interim reports     
,before the submission of the report    
under paragraph 7#a71 on approval of all
 members of the ,commission1 the        

,commission may submit to the           
appropriate committees of ,congress #a  
or more interim reports1 as the         
,commission determines to be            
appropriate1 relating to any matters    
described in paragraph 7#a74  7b7       
,report on aerial wildland firefighting 
equipment strategy and inventory        
assessment  7#a7 ,submission of         
inventory to the ,commission ,not later 
than #de days after the date on which   
the ,commission holds the first meeting 
of the ,commission1 the ,secretary of   
,defense and the heads of other relevant
 ,federal departments and agencies shall
 submit to the ,commission an inventory 
of surplus cargo and passenger aircraft 
and excess common-use aircraft parts    
that may be used for wildland           
firefighting purposes1 excluding any    
aircraft or aircraft parts that are--   
7,a7 reasonably anticipated to be       
necessary for military operations1      
readiness1 or fleet management in the   
future2 or  7,b7 already obligated for  

purposes other than fighting wildland   
fires4  7#b7 ,submission of report to   
,congress ,not later than #ij days after
 the date on which the ,commission      
receives the inventory described in     
paragraph 7#a71 the ,commission shall   
submit to the appropriate committees of 
,congress a report outlining a strategy 
to meet aerial firefighting equipment   
needs through #bjcj in the most         
cost-effective manner1 including-- 7,a7 
an assessment of the expected number of 
aircraft and aircraft parts needed to   
fight wildland fires through #bjcj2     
7,b7 an assessment of existing          
authorities of the ,secretary of        
,defense and the heads of other relevant
 ,federal departments and agencies to   
provide or sell surplus aircraft or     
aircraft parts to ,federal1 ,state1 or  
local authorities for wildland          
firefighting use1 including-- 7i7 a     
description of the current use of each  
existing authority2 and  7ii7 a         
description of any additional           

authorities that are needed for the     
,secretary of ,defense and the heads of 
other relevant ,federal departments and 
agencies to provide or sell surplus     
aircraft or aircraft parts to ,federal1 
,state1 or local authorities for        
wildland firefighting use2 and  7,c7    
recommendations to ensure the           
availability of aircraft and aircraft   
parts that the ,commission expects will 
be necessary to fight wildland fires    
through #bjcj in the most cost-effective
 manner4  7#c7 ,considerations for      
accessing aircraft and aircraft parts   
,in developing the strategy in the      
report required under paragraph 7#b7 and
 the recommendations under paragraph    
7#b77;,c71 the ,commission shall        
consider all private and public sector  
options for accessing necessary aircraft
 and aircraft parts1 including          
procurement1 contracting1 retrofitting1 
and public-private partnerships4  7#d7  
,unclassified report ,the inventory and 
report submitted under paragraphs 7#a7  

and 7#b71 respectively-- 7,a7 shall be  
unclassified2 but  7,b7 may include a   
classified annex4  7c7 ,majority        
requirement ,not less than #b_/c of the 
members of the ,commission shall approve
 the recommendations contained in each  
report submitted under subsection 7a7 or
 7b77#b74  #e4 ,powers of ,commission   
7a7 ,hearings ,the ,commission may hold 
such hearings1 sit and act at such times
 and places1 take such testimony1 and   
receive such evidence as the ,commission
 considers advisable to carry out this  
,act4  7b7 ,information from ,federal   
agencies  7#a7 ,in general ,the         
,commission may secure directly from a  
,federal department or agency such      
information as the ,commission considers
 necessary to carry out this ,act4  7#b7
 ,furnishing information ,on request of 
the ,chairpersons of the ,commission1   
the head of the department or agency    
shall furnish the information to the    
,commission4  7c7 ,postal services ,the 
,commission may use the ,united ,states 

mails in the same manner and under the  
same conditions as other departments and
 agencies of the ,federal ,government4  
7d7 ,gifts ,the ,commission may accept1 
use1 and dispose of such gifts or       
donations of services or property as the
 ,commission considers necessary to     
carry out this ,act4  #f4 ,commission   
personnel matters  7a7 ,no compensation 
,a member of the ,commission shall serve
 without compensation4  7b7 ,travel     
expenses ,a member of the ,commission   
shall be allowed travel expenses1       
including per diem in lieu of           
subsistence1 at rates authorized for    
employees of agencies under subchapter  
,i of chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united  
,states ,code1 while away from their    
homes or regular places of business in  
the performance of services for the     
,commission4  7c7 ,staff  7#a7 ,in      
general ,the ,chairpersons of the       
,commission may1 without regard to the  
civil service laws 7including           
regulations71 appoint and terminate an  

executive director and such other       
additional personnel as may be necessary
 to enable the ,commission to perform   
its duties1 except that the employment  
of an executive director shall be       
subject to confirmation by the          
,commission4  7#b7 ,compensation ,the   
,chairpersons of the ,commission may fix
 the compensation of the executive      
director and other personnel without    
regard to chapter #ea and subchapter    
,,iii of chapter #ec of title #e1       
,united ,states ,code1 relating to      
classification of positions and ,general
 ,schedule pay rates1 except that the   
rate of pay for the executive director  
and other personnel may not exceed the  
rate payable for level ,v of the        
,executive ,schedule under section #ecaf
 of that title4  7d7 ,detail of         
government employees ,a ,federal        
,government employee may be detailed to 
the ,commission without reimbursement1  
and such detail shall be without        
interruption or loss of civil service   

status or privilege4  7e7 ,procurement  
of temporary and intermittent services  
,the ,chairpersons of the ,commission   
may procure temporary and intermittent  
services under section #caji7;b7 of     
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 at     
rates for individuals that do not exceed
 the daily equivalent of the annual rate
 of basic pay prescribed for level ,v of
 the ,executive ,schedule under section 
#ecaf of that title4  #g4 ,termination  
of ,commission ,the ,commission shall   
terminate on the date that is #ahj days 
after the date on which the ,commission 
has submitted the reports under         
subsections 7a7 and 7b7 of section #d4  
#h4 ,authorization of appropriations    
,there is authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this ,act #a1jjj1jjj4