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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6154 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6154
To provide for the establishment of regional wildland fire research
centers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 19, 2025
Mr. Min (for himself and Mr. Evans of Colorado) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and
Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the establishment of regional wildland fire research
centers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Regional Leadership in Wildland Fire
Research Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry, the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate;
(B) the Committee on Agriculture, the Committee on
Natural Resources, and the Committee on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives; and
(C) any other committee of Congress with the
authority to facilitate the development of wildland
fire research.
(2) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the National Center
Coordination Board established by section 3(c)(1).
(3) Career pathway.--The term ``career pathway'' has the
meaning given that term in section 3 of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(4) Chief.--The term ``Chief'' means the Chief of the
Forest Service.
(5) Federal science agency.--The term ``Federal science
agency'' has the meaning given that term in section 103(f) of
the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C.
6623(f)).
(6) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(7) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that
term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(8) Land-grant colleges and universities.--The term ``land-
grant colleges and universities'' has the meaning given that
term in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research,
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103).
(9) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
serving institution'' means an institution defined in any of
paragraphs (1) through (7) of section 371(a) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).
(10) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory''
has the meaning given that term in section 2 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
(11) Regional center.--The term ``regional center'' means a
regional wildland fire research center established under
section 3.
(12) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior.
(13) Tribal organization.--The term ``Tribal organization''
has the meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
5304).
(14) Wildland fire.--The term ``wildland fire'' means any
non-structure fire that occurs in vegetation or natural fuels
and includes wildfires originating from an unplanned ignition
or prescribed fire.
(15) Wildland fire management agencies.--The term
``wildland fire management agencies'' means--
(A) the Forest Service;
(B) the Bureau of Land Management;
(C) the National Park Service;
(D) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service;
and
(E) the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
(16) Wildland fire research.--The term ``wildland fire
research'' means research to better understand--
(A) the causes and consequences of wildland fires,
including antecedent and contemporaneous factors that
increase the risk of catastrophic events;
(B) the spread and behavior of wildland fires,
including fires in the wildland-urban interface;
(C) the efficacy of mitigation strategies for
wildland fires;
(D) the impact of wildland fires on public health,
safety, and the environment;
(E) the rehabilitation and restoration of affected
ecosystems after wildland fires; and
(F) the development of mitigation strategies and
techniques to improve the safety of wildland fire
managers and firefighters.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF REGIONAL WILDLAND FIRE RESEARCH CENTERS.
(a) In General.--The Secretaries shall establish a competitive
process for the selection and establishment of regional wildland fire
research centers in accordance with subsection (b).
(b) Selection and Establishment of Regional Centers.--
(1) In general.--The Secretaries shall select not fewer
than 8 institutions of higher education or land-grant colleges
and universities at which to establish, in accordance with the
timeline described in paragraph (2), regional centers to
coordinate the development of wildland fire research.
(2) Timeline.--In establishing regional centers under
paragraph (1), the Secretaries shall establish--
(A) as soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, subject to the availability of
appropriations, a pilot program under which not fewer
than 2 regional centers shall be established; and
(B) not later than 2 years after the date on which
the pilot program is established under subparagraph
(A), the remaining regional centers.
(3) Criteria for selection.--
(A) In general.--In establishing a regional center
at an institution of higher education or land-grant
college or university under this section, the
Secretaries shall prioritize the selection of
institutions, colleges, or universities that meet not
fewer than one of the following criteria:
(i) Have existing programs of record in
wildland fire research.
(ii) Have existing partnerships with
research institutions of the Federal Government
and other academic institutions and entities
relating to wildland fire research.
(iii) Participate in or lead a program
under the Joint Fire Science Program.
(iv) Are a minority-serving institution.
(B) Regions.--The Secretaries shall establish not
fewer than 1 regional center in each of the following
regions of the United States, as defined by the
Secretaries:
(i) Alaska.
(ii) California.
(iii) The Pacific Northwest.
(iv) The Pacific Islands.
(v) The Plains and Northeast.
(vi) The Rockies.
(vii) The Southeast.
(viii) The Southwest.
(4) Purpose.--Each regional center, with respect to the
region covered by the regional center, shall--
(A) to the extent practical, coordinate research
with other wildland fire research entities, such as
other academic institutions, the Environmental
Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, the National Science Foundation, the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the
Department of Energy, the research and development
program of the Forest Service, the National
Laboratories, the United States Geological Survey, and
State and regional research organizations;
(B) improve the understanding of wildland fire
through wildland fire research that can be applied by
wildland fire management agencies;
(C) develop technologies and other tools to
understand, monitor, and predict wildland fire,
including--
(i) models to predict fire potential and
the spread and behavior of wildland fire and
smoke;
(ii) models to predict how vegetation will
respond to changes in the environment and
wildland fire;
(iii) the integration of technologies to
predict the spread and behavior of wildland
fire and smoke in as near-real-time as
possible; and
(iv) other innovations to be integrated
into operational decision support systems
relating to wildland fire, such as the Wildland
Fire Decision Support System and the
Interagency Fuel Treatment Decision Support
System;
(D) develop technologies and other tools to safely
support land management activities to reduce the
severity of wildland fire;
(E) leverage predictive capabilities to reduce the
impact of smoke on communities and wildfire incident
management teams, including wildland firefighters;
(F) improve the understanding of post-fire risk to
the landscape, including flash flooding potential and
watershed impacts;
(G) test and operate models to support land
management decision-making, including through--
(i) operating models to support management
of wildland fire and vegetation;
(ii) the demonstration of integration
technologies to support management of wildland
fire in as near-real-time as possible; and
(iii) the incorporation of decision science
and social science that examines the perception
and adoption of information related to wildland
fire risk;
(H) develop a career pathway training program with
respect to carrying out wildland fire research;
(I) develop data management protocols to allow for
full and open exchange of data pursuant to the
principles of findability, accessibility,
interoperability, and reusability (commonly referred to
as the ``FAIR principles'') and archive and access that
data;
(J) develop training programs for prescribed fire
implementation; and
(K) make its work and data fully and openly
available.
(c) National Center Coordination Board.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established a coordination
board, to be known as the ``National Center Coordination
Board''.
(2) Composition.--
(A) Members.--
(i) In general.--The Board shall be
composed of one member representing each
regional center.
(ii) Appointment.--Each member under clause
(i) shall be selected by the relevant regional
center.
(B) Chair.--The Administrator and the Chief shall
serve as the Co-Chairs of the Board.
(3) Duties.--The Board shall--
(A) establish wildland fire science, data
management, and sharing protocols, and technological
research priorities in cooperation with each regional
center and informed by the operational needs of
wildland fire management agencies;
(B) coordinate data collection efforts supporting
the efforts of each regional center, including--
(i) building data layers across each region
described in subsection (b)(2)(B); and
(ii) providing updates on the development
of wildland fire research models;
(C) ensure the coordination of, and avoid
unnecessary duplication of, the activities of the
regional centers and the activities of institutions of
higher education, land-grant colleges and universities,
Federal science agencies, and State research
organizations with respect to wildland fire research,
including--
(i) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration;
(ii) the National Laboratories;
(iii) the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration;
(iv) the Environmental Protection Agency;
(v) the United States Fire Administration;
(vi) the United States Geological Survey;
and
(vii) any other relevant entity with
specialized expertise in wildland fire
research; and
(D) support end-to-end applications that assist
wildland fire management agencies in adopting
technologies and incorporating research findings
produced by the regional centers.
(4) Meetings.--
(A) Board meetings.--The Board shall meet
quarterly.
(B) Public meetings.--
(i) In general.--The Board shall hold
public meetings with affected stakeholders to
solicit information from the general public
regarding the development and implications of
wildland fire research.
(ii) Frequency.--Not less frequently than
annually, the Board shall hold at least one
public meeting in each State covered by a
region described in subsection (b)(2)(B).
(5) Term.--A member of the Board shall be appointed for a
term of 4 years, except that of the members first appointed,
the Secretaries shall ensure that approximately--
(A) \1/3\ of members are appointed for a term of 4
years;
(B) \1/3\ of members are appointed for a term of 3
years; and
(C) \1/3\ of members are appointed for a term of 2
years.
(6) Vacancies.--
(A) In general.--A vacancy on the Board--
(i) shall not affect the powers of the
Board; and
(ii) shall be filled in the same manner as
the original appointment was made by not later
than 180 days after the date on which the
vacancy occurs.
(B) Filling unexpired term.--An individual chosen
to fill a vacancy shall be appointed for the unexpired
term of the member replaced.
(7) Recommendations.--Not less frequently than annually,
the Board shall submit to the Secretaries recommendations to
improve wildland fire research to be included in the report
described in subsection (e).
(d) Advisory Boards.--
(1) In general.--In accordance with chapter 10 of title 5,
United States Code (commonly referred to as the ``Federal
Advisory Committee Act''), the Secretaries shall establish at
each regional center an advisory board, to be known as the
``Regional Advisory Board'', to carry out the duties described
in paragraph (4).
(2) Composition.--
(A) In general.--Each Regional Advisory Board shall
consist of members, who shall be from, or have
responsibility covering, the region covered by the
relevant regional center, including at minimum--
(i) 1 regional representative from each
wildland fire management agency, appointed by
that agency;
(ii) 1 representative a State government
agency from each State located in that region
with expertise in forestry and wildland fire
mitigation and management, appointed by the
Governor of that State;
(iii) 1 representative from an Indian Tribe
or Tribal organization from that region with
expertise in forestry and wildland fire
mitigation and management on Tribal or Federal
land, appointed by the Secretaries; and
(iv) additional representatives elected
under subparagraph (B)(ii).
(B) Elected membership.--
(i) Subcommittee.--Each Regional Advisory
Board shall solicit and approve, on at least an
annual basis, nominations for individuals with
operational expertise in wildland fire
mitigation and management to serve as a
representative on a subcommittee to the
Regional Advisory Board for the purposes of
clause (ii), composed of not more than 15
individuals, including representatives from, as
applicable--
(I) institutions of higher
education or land-grant colleges and
universities;
(II) nongovernmental organizations;
(III) private industry;
(IV) the wildland firefighter
community, including organizations that
represent the interests of wildland
firefighters; and
(V) Southwest Ecological
Restoration Institutes established
under section 5(a) of the Southwest
Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention
Act of 2004 (16 U.S.C. 6704(a)).
(ii) Election.--The subcommittee described
in clause (i) for a Regional Advisory Board may
elect a member or members of the subcommittee
to serve as a member of the Regional Advisory
Board under subparagraph (A)(iv) for a 2-year
term.
(3) Compensation.--Each member of a Regional Advisory Board
shall serve on a voluntary basis without compensation.
(4) Duties.--Each Regional Advisory Board shall--
(A) ensure and support the coordination of wildland
fire research between the relevant regional center and
Federal and State land management agencies in that
region;
(B) communicate the operational needs of Federal
and State land management agencies and wildland fire
management agencies in that region to the relevant
regional center and to the Board;
(C) advise, in coordination with the relevant
regional center, on research goals and objectives; and
(D) assist the relevant regional center with the
dissemination of research outputs and data to Federal
and State land management agencies and wildland fire
management agencies in that region.
(5) Meetings.--Each Regional Advisory Board shall meet
quarterly.
(6) Term.--Unless specified otherwise, a member of a
Regional Advisory Board shall serve for a term of 4 years.
(7) Vacancies.--
(A) In general.--A vacancy on a Regional Advisory
Board--
(i) shall not affect the powers of the
Regional Advisory Board; and
(ii) shall be filled in the same manner as
the original appointment was made by not later
than 180 days after the date on which the
vacancy occurs.
(B) Filling unexpired term.--An individual chosen
to fill a vacancy shall be appointed for the unexpired
term of the member replaced.
(e) Report on Wildland Fire Research.--Not later than each of 2
years and 4 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretaries, in consultation with the Board, shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a report describing--
(1) the progress each regional center has made in the
development of wildland fire research; and
(2) recommendations to improve wildland fire research.
(f) Consultation.--In carrying out the requirements of this
section, the Secretaries shall consult with--
(1) Federal science agencies; and
(2) the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Regional centers.--For establishing and
administering the regional centers established under
subsection (a), there is authorized to be
appropriated--
(i) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;
(ii) $61,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;
(iii) $62,000,000 for fiscal year 2028;
(iv) $63,000,000 for fiscal year 2029; and
(v) $64,000,000 for fiscal year 2030.
(B) Board.--For the Board established under
subsection (c), there is authorized to be appropriated
$1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
(2) Eligible use of funds.--A regional center may use
amounts appropriated pursuant to an authorization of
appropriations under paragraph (1)(A) for construction or the
acquisition of equipment necessary to carry out the
requirements of this Act.
(3) Flexibility.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
Secretaries shall adjust appropriations under paragraph
(1) between the regional centers established under
subsection (a) as needed to account for differences in
administrative costs and research challenges specific
to a particular region.
(B) Notice.--Before adjusting appropriations under
subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, the Administrator
shall--
(i) include that adjustment in the budget
justification materials submitted by the
Administrator and the Chief in support of the
budget of the President (as submitted to
Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United
States Code) for that fiscal year; and
(ii) provide notice of that adjustment to
the appropriate committees of Congress.
(4) Transfer of funds.--A Federal science agency may
transfer, as necessary, additional appropriated amounts to a
regional center for the purpose of carrying out wildland fire
research described in subsection (b)(3)(B).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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