National Fire Academy Reporting Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4702
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Emergency Management
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-23: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-05T08:05:42Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This legislation, titled the "National Fire Academy Reporting Act," aims to improve transparency and accountability in the operations of the National Fire Academy (part of the U.S. Fire Administration) by requiring annual reports to Congress on its training courses and programs for firefighters.
Key Provisions
- Annual Reporting Requirement: The Administrator of the U.S. Fire Administration must submit a report to Congress by November 30 each year, starting from the first full year after the bill's enactment. The report covers activities from the previous fiscal year.
- Report Contents:
- Total number of fire departments with personnel who attended Academy courses or programs, including identification of the departments and the states where they are located.
- Total number of fire department personnel who attended, broken down by whether they are career (paid) or volunteer firefighters.
- Total number of courses and programs offered by the Academy.
- Total number of courses and programs that were cancelled.
- Total funds awarded under existing law (subsection (f) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act) to state and local fire service training programs.
- Total funds awarded under existing law (subsection (i)) to students attending Academy courses or programs.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 7 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2206) by redesignating the current subsection (n) as (o) and inserting a new subsection (n) that mandates the annual reporting described above.
- This introduces a new, ongoing obligation for detailed data collection and disclosure that was not previously required, focusing specifically on the Academy's educational and financial activities.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases administrative workload for the U.S. Fire Administration to compile and submit annual reports, promoting better oversight of federal fire training investments.
- On Citizens: Firefighters and fire departments may benefit indirectly from greater visibility into training opportunities, potentially leading to more equitable access to programs and funding; no direct impact on the general public.
- On International Relations: No apparent impact, as the bill focuses solely on domestic fire training programs.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Fire Administration and National Fire Academy: Responsible for preparing and submitting the reports.
- Fire Departments and Personnel: State and local departments (including career and volunteer firefighters) whose participation and funding will be tracked and reported.
- Congress: Gains detailed data to inform future policy decisions on fire safety and training funding.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes a straightforward reporting mandate without creating new enforcement mechanisms or penalties; relies on existing administrative structures under the 1974 Act.
- Constitutional: No significant issues, as it involves congressional oversight of executive branch activities, which aligns with separation of powers principles.
- Political: Enhances legislative accountability for federal spending on fire prevention, potentially supporting bipartisan efforts to strengthen emergency services; could influence future budget allocations for fire training based on reported data.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]
Cosponsors (23)
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3], Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42], Rep. Hoyer, Steny H. [D-MD-5], Rep. Ivey, Glenn [D-MD-4], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7], Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4], Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2], Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9], Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2], Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-23: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- 2025-07-23: Introduced in House
- 2025-07-23: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- National Fire Academy Reporting Act — issued 2025-07-23 — PDF (3 pages)