Bill · S. 306· Senate(119-S-306)
Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 1/29/2025
- Last activity
- 9/11/2025 — Held at the desk.
- Sponsored by
- Maria Cantwell
- Cosponsors
- - 4 - 4
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Awaiting House
What this bill would do
This Act establishes a coordinated fire weather services program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The program aims to improve the forecasting, detection, and modeling of wildfires, fire weather, and wildfire smoke. It includes the creation of a fire weather testbed to evaluate new technologies and uncrewed systems for data collection. Additionally, the bill establishes an Incident Meteorologist Service to provide on-site decision support. The legislation also creates a Fire Science and Technology Working Group to coordinate interagency research and strategic planning. Finally, the act includes provisions for workforce support and emergency response pay considerations.
Yes· 3 of 13
Does this put more money into scientific research?+7
The bill authorizes significant funding for research and development in fire weather and earth system modeling.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+6
The bill mandates parity in fire forecasts and warning services for remote, isolated, and rural communities.
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+6
The bill enhances the monitoring and prediction of wildfires, smoke, and post-fire hazards like flooding.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Wildfire Safety and Readiness: The establishment of a coordinated fire weather services program aims to support the readiness, responsiveness, and resilience of the United States to wildfires and associated hazards (Section 3(b)(1)).
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Enhanced Decision Support for Emergency Personnel: The program will develop impact-based decision support services to help core partners, such as emergency personnel and public safety officials, make decisions regarding lives and livelihoods (Section 2(6) and Section 3(b)(3)).
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Better Communication for Rural Communities: The Act prioritizes developing communication networks to ensure parity of fire forecasts and warnings for remote, isolated, and rural communities (Section 3(b)(6) and Section 3(c)(4)).
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Increased Safety via Advanced Technology: The use of uncrewed systems and a fire weather testbed is intended to improve data collection and the transition of new capabilities into operational use (Section 4(a) and Section 4(b)(1)).
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Support for Meteorologist Well-being: The Incident Meteorologist Service includes provisions for professional counseling and other forms of support to assist with the emotional and mental health of employees responding to extreme fire weather events (Section 7(f)).
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Protection of Pay for Emergency Workers: For the 2025 calendar year, the bill allows covered employees to receive premium pay for services like wildland firefighting or acting as an incident meteorologist without it counting against certain pay limitations (Section 8(b)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Potential for Airspace Restrictions: The deployment of uncrewed systems for fire weather and environment observations must follow specific procedures and restrictions established by agencies with jurisdiction over the airspace where wildfire response occurs (Section 4(b)(3)(A)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+6Good For Native Americans+4Good For Low Income Households+2Good For Veterans+1
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+6Improves Rural Development+5
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+7
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+3Improves Fiscal Responsibility+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+3
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves International Alliances+2
- Healthcare
- Improves Opioid Crisis Response+1
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+1
- 9/11/2025
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Held at the desk.
- Received in the House.
- 9/10/2025
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6549-6555; text: CR S6549-6555)
- 7/16/2025
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-42.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 119.
- 2/5/2025
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 2/4/2025
- Star Print ordered on the bill.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/29/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 7 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Ted CruzRepublican · Texas
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Lisa MurkowskiRepublican · Alaska
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
Jacky RosenDemocrat · Nevada
Brian SchatzDemocrat · Hawaii
Dan SullivanRepublican · Alaska
Tim SheehyRepublican · Montana