Bill > S2033

This bill directs the Comptroller General (the head of the Government Accountability Office) to conduct a comprehensive two-year study on wildfire mitigation challenges and opportunities across different land ownership boundaries. The study will examine existing federal programs, rules, and authorities that either help or hinder wildfire mitigation efforts on both federal and non-federal lands. Specifically, the Comptroller General will investigate whether modifications to current programs could improve the ability of various government entities—including federal land management agencies, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Homeland Security, States, local governments, and Tribal governments—to access funding and increase their capacity for wildfire prevention. The study will also review existing activities under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, assessing how to make wildfire mitigation more effective and whether the current legal framework has improved funding access for land management agencies and states. By the end of the two-year period, the Comptroller General must submit a report to the House Natural Resources Committee and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, presenting study findings and recommendations for simplifying cross-boundary wildfire mitigation efforts between different levels of government.