H.R. 345: Fire Department Repayment Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Fire Department Repayment Act of 2025, aims to standardize the reimbursement process for local fire departments that participate in fire suppression efforts. Here’s a breakdown of its main components:

Establishment of Standard Procedures

The bill requires the relevant federal Secretaries (including those from Agriculture, Interior, Homeland Security, and Defense) to:
1. Develop standard operating procedures concerning payment timelines for fire suppression cost-sharing agreements.
2. Review and modify existing agreements to ensure compliance with the new standard operating procedures.

Alignment with Cooperative Fire Protection Agreements

Under the bill, the standard operating procedures must ensure that fire suppression cost-share agreements are consistent with any cooperative fire protection agreements applicable to the local fire departments involved.

Payment Procedures

The bill stipulates that local fire departments should be reimbursed by the federal government following the submission of an invoice that conforms to established cost settlement procedures. This aims to streamline and clarify the payment process.

Timely Reimbursements

The bill expresses the sense of Congress that these reimbursements should occur as soon as feasible after a fire suppression action but must be completed no later than one year after the incident.

Definition of Relevant Federal Secretaries

The term "Secretaries," within the context of this bill, refers to:
- The Secretary of Agriculture
- The Secretary of the Interior
- The Secretary of Homeland Security
- The Secretary of Defense

Implementation Timeline

The bill mandates that the standard operating procedures must be established within one year of the bill's enactment.

Relevant Companies

None found