HR 345

This bill aims to improve how the federal government shares costs with local fire departments during wildfire suppression efforts. It requires federal agencies – the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, Homeland Security, and Defense – to create standardized procedures for paying these costs. These procedures will ensure agreements align with existing cooperative fire protection plans and require timely reimbursement to fire departments when they submit invoices according to established cost settlement processes. The bill also expresses Congress’s desire for prompt repayment after wildfire suppression.