H.R. 9243

119 HR 9243 IH: Wildfire Smoke Emergency Declaration Act of 2026
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-06-10
 text/xml
 EN
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 9243  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   June 10, 2026   Mr. Harder of California  introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure , and in addition to the Committees on  Small Business , and  the Budget , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned   A BILL
To authorize the President to declare a smoke emergency, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Wildfire Smoke Emergency Declaration Act of 2026  .
2.
Assistance for smoke emergency declaration
(a)
In general
The President may declare a smoke emergency in any State in which the President determines there is, or anticipates there will be, a significant decrease in air quality due to wildland fire smoke in 1 or more States.
(b)
Request from Governor
The Governor, or other appropriate agency, of a State that is or will be affected by a significant decrease in air quality due to wildland fire smoke may request a declaration under subsection (a).
(c)
Assistance
If the President declares a smoke emergency under subsection (a), the President, acting through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other appropriate Federal agencies, may provide smoke emergency assistance to States and local communities that are or will be affected by the smoke emergency, including grants, equipment, supplies, and personnel and resources for establishing smoke shelters, air purifiers, and additional air monitoring sites.
(d)
SBA grants
The Administrator of the Small Business Administration may provide grants to any small business concern, as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 ), that loses a significant amount of revenue due to wildland fire smoke in an area in which the President has declared a smoke emergency under subsection (a).
(e)
Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
3.
Budget adjustment for smoke emergency assistance
Section 251(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 ( 2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2) ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(H)
Smoke emergency assistance
(i)
If, for any fiscal year, appropriations for discretionary accounts are enacted that Congress designates as being for smoke emergency assistance in statute, the adjustment for a fiscal year shall be the total of such appropriations for the fiscal year in discretionary accounts designated as being for smoke emergency assistance.
(ii)
For purposes of this subparagraph, the term  smoke emergency assistance  means assistance provided under a determination under section 2 of the  Wildfire Smoke Emergency Declaration Act of 2026 .
(iii)
Appropriations considered smoke emergency assistance under this subparagraph in a fiscal year shall not be eligible for adjustments under subparagraph (A) for the fiscal year.
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