Alex Padilla (D-CA)
Wildfire Emergency Act of 2025
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Wildfire Emergency Act of 2025 aims to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to implement landscape-scale forest restoration and help communities become more resilient to wildfires. It establishes a pilot program for conservation finance agreements to leverage non-Federal investment for forest restoration projects. The bill also creates a program to improve the energy resilience of critical facilities through microgrids and renewable energy. Additionally, it provides for weatherization retrofits to help communities become more fire-resilient. The legislation includes provisions for wildfire detection equipment and the establishment of Western prescribed fire centers for training and research. Finally, it creates workforce development and community stewardship grant programs to support these efforts.
Yes· 3 of 16
- Scored +6
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill allocates a specific set-aside for Indian Tribes and provides grants for Tribal management.
- Scored +6
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill focuses on forest restoration and wildfire resilience which directly benefits rural communities.
- Scored +6
Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power?
The bill establishes a program to improve energy resilience through microgrids and renewable energy for critical facilities.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Landscape-Scale Forest Restoration: The bill authorizes a pilot program to increase the pace of forest restoration through conservation finance agreements, which can include local employment opportunities (Section 102).
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Energy Resilience for Critical Facilities: A program will be established to improve the energy resilience of critical facilities—such as hospitals, police stations, and fire stations—using microgrids, renewable energy, and on-on-site storage (Section 201).
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Fire-Resilient Community Retrofits: The bill amends weatherization programs to allow for the use of fire- and drought-resistant building materials, such as mass timber, to help homeowners prepare for wildfires (Section 202).
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Improved Wildfire Detection: The bill seeks to expedite the placement of detection equipment like sensors and cameras, as well as expand the use of satellite and remote sensing data to assist in wildfire response and firefighter safety (Section 203).
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Workforce Development: An innovative forest workforce development program will assist in creating careers in fields like timber operations, ecological restoration, and wildland firefighting through various training and education opportunities (Section 302).
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Support for Disadvantaged Communities: The National Community Capacity and Land Stewardship Grant Program provides funding to eligible entities in disadvantaged communities to support land stewardship and forest restoration (Section 303).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Risk of Agreement Cancellation Due to Funding: Under the conservation finance pilot program, if funds are not made available in subsequent fiscal years, agreements may be canceled, terminated, or modified (Section 103).
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Financial Risk in Conservation Finance: The Secretary may need to pay the costs associated with canceling or terminating a conservation finance agreement if funding for the completion of the agreement is not appropriated (Section 103).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill allocates a specific set-aside for Indian Tribes and provides grants for Tribal management. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill focuses on forest restoration and wildfire resilience which directly benefits rural communities. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill provides stewardship grants and workforce development specifically for low-income communities. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill creates workforce development programs and educational opportunities for new careers in forestry. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill includes support for disadvantaged communities which includes Latino persons. Would people in cities be better off under this? — The bill enhances the resilience of critical infrastructure used by urban populations. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill supports disadvantaged communities which can include immigrant populations.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill establishes a forest workforce development program and landscape-scale restoration projects that create local employment opportunities. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill supports business development through workforce development and land stewardship grants for local entities.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power? — The bill establishes a program to improve energy resilience through microgrids and renewable energy for critical facilities. Does this improve buses, trains and other public transport? — The bill invests in resilient built infrastructure for critical community facilities.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill funds the establishment of Western prescribed fire centers to advance interdisciplinary science and research.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill funds energy resilience for critical facilities including hospitals and outpatient clinics.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the disclosure of non-confidential wildfire data assets to the public.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill provides grants and workforce development targeting disadvantaged and low-sincome communities.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill includes federal facilities such as military bases in its critical infrastructure resilience program.
- 7/17/2025
- Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 7/9/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/30/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Steve DainesRepublican · Montana
Jacky RosenDemocrat · Nevada