H.R. 6248 (112th): Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 2012

HR 6248 IH

To provide for the transfer of excess Department of Defense aircraft to the Forest Service for wildfire suppression activities, and for other purposes.

August 1, 2012

Mr. CALVERT (for himself, Ms. CHU, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. LEWIS of California, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mrs. BONO MACK, Mr. ISSA, and Mr. CAMPBELL) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture and Oversight and Government Reform, 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

To provide for the transfer of excess Department of Defense aircraft to the Forest Service for wildfire suppression activities, 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 ‘Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 2012’.

SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF EXCESS AIRCRAFT FOR WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION PURPOSES.

(a) In General- Not later than 90 days after the aircraft specified in subsection (b) are declared excess to the needs of the Department of Defense, the Secretary of Defense shall transfer such aircraft to the Secretary of Agriculture for use by the Forest Service for wildfire suppression purposes. The transfer of any excess aircraft under this subsection shall be without reimbursement.

(b) Aircraft- The aircraft transferred under subsection (a) are 14 C-27J aircraft that are--

(1) excess to the needs of the Department of Defense, as determined by the Secretary of Defense; and

(2) acceptable for use by the Forest Service, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.

(c) Priority in Transfer- The Secretary of Agriculture shall be afforded a priority in the transfer under subsection (a) of excess aircraft of the Department of Defense described in subsection (b) before any other department or agency of the Federal Government.

(d) Conditions of Transfer- Excess aircraft transferred under subsection (a)--

(1) may be used only for wildfire suppression purposes; and

(2) may not be flown or otherwise removed from the United States unless dispatched by the National Interagency Fire Center in support of an international agreement to assist in wildfire suppression efforts or for other purposes approved by the Secretary of Agriculture in writing in advance.

(e) Expiration of Authority- The authority to transfer excess aircraft under subsection (a) shall expire upon the completion of the transfer of all the excess aircraft specified in subsection (b).

SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF SALE OF AIRCRAFT AND PARTS FOR WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION PURPOSES.

Section 2 of the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 (10 U.S.C. 2576 note) is amended--

(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘during the period beginning on October 1, 1996, and ending on September 30, 2005’ and inserting ‘during a period specified in subsection (g)’;

(2) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and

(3) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection (g):

‘(g) Periods for Exercise of Authority- The periods specified in this subsection are the following:

‘(1) The period beginning on October 1, 1996, and ending on September 30, 2005.

‘(2) The period beginning on October 1, 2012, and ending on September 30, 2017.’.

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