House Accepts Senate Amendment to HR 7077 – USFA Fire Investigations

Today, the House completed their action on the Senate amendment to HR 7077, accepting that amendment by a recorded vote of 349 to 80. The House took up the HR 7077 on Monday under the House suspension of the rules process. After about seven minutes debate on Monday a recorded vote was demanded and that vote (along with a number of other bills considered under the same rule) was delayed until a future time. This afternoon, under provisions of H Res 1518, a rule for the consideration of three other bills, the House took up HR 7077 and twelve other bills pending votes under suspension of the rules. All twelve bills were passed by the single vote.

HR 7077, as amended, would allow the US Fire Administration to conduct non-criminal investigations of major fires to find ways to prevent similar fires and more efficiently fight those fires. These investigations would be similar to those conducted by the Chemical Safety Board for chemical incidents and the National Transportation Safety Board for transportation incidents.

The bill now goes to President Biden for signature.