§003.01F Adjustment For Wildfire Suppression

Adjustments

Adjustments for Discretionary Spending Limits

Under section 251(b) (BBEDCA), the discretionary spending limits set forth in subsection (c) of that section, may be adjusted by the Office of Management and Budget if certain circumstances are met. Section 251(b)(2)(C) (BBEDCA) allows for an adjustment for “Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments”.

Wildfire Suppression

The discretionary spending limit adjustment for spending on Wildfire Suppression was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, enacted on March 23, 2018. The House Budget Committee had objected to the inclusion of this provision, but after the Rep. Tom Price became Chairman in the 114th Congress, the influence of the Committee sank significantly.

The Wildfire Suppression and Management Funding Activities Act was enacted as Title I of Division O of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year. Hence the reference information is the same as that Act, only specific to that particular division. Section 101 states: “This division may be cited as the ‘Wildfire Suppression Funding and Forest Management Activities Act’.”

Adjustment For Wildfire Suppression

The following is the legislative text for the adjustment for the Wildfire Suppression adjustment.

(F) Wildfire suppression.—

(i) Additional new budget authority.—If, for fiscal years 2020 through 2027,^[6] a bill or joint resolution making appropriations for a fiscal year is enacted that provides an amount for wildfire suppression operations in the Wildland Fire Management accounts at the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior, then the adjustments for that fiscal year shall be the amount of additional new budget authority provided in that Act for wildfire suppression operations for that fiscal year, but shall not exceed—

(I) for fiscal year 2020, $2,250,000,000;

(II) for fiscal year 2021, $2,350,000,000;

(III) for fiscal year 2022, $2,450,000,000;

(IV) for fiscal year 2023, $2,550,000,000;

(V) for fiscal year 2024, $2,650,000,000;

(VI) for fiscal year 2025, $2,750,000,000;

(VII) for fiscal year 2026, $2,850,000,000; and

(VIII) for fiscal year 2027, $2,950,000,000.

(ii) Definitions.—In this subparagraph:

(I) Additional new budget authority.—The term “additional new budget authority” means the amount provided for a fiscal year in an appropriation Act that is in excess of the average costs for wildfire suppression operations as reported in the budget of the President submitted under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, for fiscal year 2015 and are specified to pay for the costs of wildfire suppression operations in an amount not to exceed the amount specified for that fiscal year in clause (i).

(II) Wildfire suppression operations.—The term “wildfire suppression operations” means the emergency and unpredictable aspects of wildland firefighting, including—

(aa) support, response, and emergency stabilization activities;

(bb) other emergency management activities; and

(cc) the funds necessary to repay any transfers needed for the costs of wildfire suppression operations.

Budget Concepts from Analytical Perspectives

OMB Definition of Cap Adjustment

Cap adjustment means either an increase or a decrease that is permitted to the statutory cap limits for each fiscal year under BBEDCA on the budget authority and outlays (only if applicable) provided by discretionary appropriations only if certain conditions are met. These conditions may include providing for a base level of funding, a designation of the increase or decrease by the Congress, (and in some circumstances, the President) pursuant to a section of the BBEDCA, or a change in concepts and definitions of funding under the cap. Changes in concepts and definitions require consultation with the Congressional Appropriations and Budget Committees. See the OMB Glossary of Budget Terms.

Office of Management and Budget, Budget of the U.S. Government, Fiscal Year 2018: Analytical Perspectives (May 23, 2017), pp. 88-91.