I
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. R. 345
To require the standardization of reciprocal fire suppression cost share
agreements, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY13, 2025
Mr. H
ARDERof California (for himself and Mr. LAMALFA) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources,
and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and
Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To require the standardization of reciprocal fire suppression
cost share agreements, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fire Department Re-4
payment Act of 2025’’. 5
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•HR 345 IH
SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO CERTAIN FIRE SUP-1
PRESSION COST SHARE AGREEMENTS. 2
(a) E
STABLISHMENT OF STANDARDOPERATING 3
P
ROCEDURES.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 4
the enactment of this section, the Secretaries shall— 5
(1) establish standard operating procedures re-6
lating to payment timelines for fire suppression cost 7
share agreements established under the Act of May 8
27, 1955 (42 U.S.C. 1856a) (commonly known as 9
the ‘‘Reciprocal Fire Protection Act’’); and 10
(2) with respect to each fire suppression cost 11
share agreement in operation on such date— 12
(A) review each such agreement; and 13
(B) modify each agreement as necessary to 14
comply with the standard operating procedures 15
required under paragraph (1). 16
(b) A
LIGNMENT OFFIRESUPPRESSIONCOSTSHARE 17
A
GREEMENTS WITHCOOPERATIVEFIREPROTECTION 18
A
GREEMENTS.—The standard operating procedures re-19
quired under subsection (a)(1) shall include a requirement 20
that each fire suppression cost share agreement be aligned 21
with each of the cooperative fire protection agreements ap-22
plicable to the entity subject to such fire suppression cost 23
share agreement. 24
(c) P
AYMENTSPURSUANT TOCOSTSHAREAGREE-25
MENTS.—With respect to payments made pursuant to fire 26
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•HR 345 IH
suppression cost share agreements, the standard operating 1
procedures required under subsection (a)(1) shall require 2
that the Federal paying entity reimburse a local fire de-3
partment if such fire department submits an invoice in 4
accordance with cost settlement procedures. 5
(d) S
ENSE OFCONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-6
gress that the Secretaries should carry out reciprocal fire 7
suppression cost share agreement repayments to local fire 8
suppression organizations as soon as practicable after fire 9
suppression occurs but not later than 1 year after fire sup-10
pression occurs. 11
(e) S
ECRETARIESDEFINED.—In this section, the 12
term ‘‘Secretaries’’ means— 13
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture; 14
(2) the Secretary of the Interior; 15
(3) the Secretary of Homeland Security; and 16
(4) the Secretary of Defense. 17
Æ
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