Fire Department Repayment Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
In Committee
Summary
Standardize and speed reimbursements to local fire departments. This bill would require the Secretaries of Agriculture, the Interior, Homeland Security, and Defense to write standard operating procedures within 1 year and to review and update existing fire suppression cost share agreements so federal payments follow those procedures and align with cooperative fire protection agreements.
Show full summary
- Local fire departments: Would get clearer invoicing rules and a faster path to be paid when they submit an approved invoice. The bill includes a Sense of Congress urging payments as soon as practicable and no later than 1 year after suppression.
- Federal agencies: The four named departments would have to adopt SOPs within 1 year and modify every active cost share agreement to match those SOPs and applicable cooperative agreements.
- Local governments and partners: Existing cost share agreements would be reviewed and adjusted to create more consistent billing and reimbursement practices across jurisdictions.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Faster federal payments to fire departments
If enacted, the Secretaries of Agriculture, Interior, Homeland Security, and Defense would have one year to set standard payment timelines for fire suppression cost-share agreements under the Reciprocal Fire Protection Act. The procedures would align each cost-share agreement with any cooperative fire protection agreement for the same entity. Federal paying agencies would have to reimburse a local fire department when it submits an invoice that follows the cost settlement rules. Within one year of enactment, the agencies would review every agreement in operation on that date and modify it to meet the new rules.
Congress urges fire payments within one year
The bill would state Congress’s view that agencies should repay local fire groups as soon as possible after a fire. It says payments should happen no later than one year after the fire. This guidance would not create a binding deadline.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
CA • D
Cosponsors
LaMalfa
CA • R
Sponsored 1/13/2025
Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40]
CA • R
Sponsored 1/22/2025
Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21]
CA • D
Sponsored 1/22/2025
Edwards
NC • R
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13]
OH • D
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50]
CA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/17/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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