AERIAL FIREFIGHTING ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2025

On 2025-04-08, Senator Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY) delivered a floor speech titled "AERIAL FIREFIGHTING ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2025" in the Senate.

AERIAL FIREFIGHTING ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2025

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S2480] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] AERIAL FIREFIGHTING ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2025 Ms. LUMMIS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Armed Services Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 160, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 160) to amend the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 to reauthorize the sale by the Department of Defense of aircraft and parts for wildfire suppression purposes, and for other purposes. There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the Senate proceeded to consider the bill. Ms. LUMMIS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Sheehy amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment (No. 2223) was agreed to, as follows: (Purpose: To modify the period for exercise of authority for the sale by the Department of Defense of aircraft and parts for wildfire suppression purposes) On page 3, line 3, strike ``October 1, 2025,'' and insert ``the date of the enactment of the Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act of 2025''. The bill (S. 160), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and passed as follows: S. 160 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 ``Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. MODIFICATION AND REAUTHORIZATION OF AUTHORITY FOR SALE BY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OF AIRCRAFT AND PARTS FOR WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION PURPOSES. Section 2 of the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-307; 10 U.S.C. 2576 note) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)(1)-- (A) by striking ``a period'' and inserting ``the period''; and (B) by inserting ``or water'' after ``fire retardant''; (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``sold under subsection (a)'' and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting ``sold under subsection (a) may be used only for the provision of aircraft services for wildfire suppression purposes.''; (3) in subsection (c), by inserting ``or water'' after ``fire retardant''; (4) in subsection (d)(1), in the second sentence, by striking ``subsection (a)(1)'' and inserting ``subsection (g)''; and (5) by striking subsection (g) and inserting the following: ``(g) Period for Exercise of Authority.--The period specified in this subsection is the period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act of 2025 and ending on October 1, 2035.''. ____________________

Referenced legislation: S160, S160