The US Senate passed a new bipartisan bill co-authored by California Senator Alex Padilla, re-approved the Department of Defense for excess aircraft and aircraft parts to firefighters, helping us fight wildfires.
The Air Fire Expansion Act of 2025 allows US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses to sell aircraft equipment to both people or businesses who contract with the US government to combat wildfires. This includes companies such as Coulson Aviation, Neptune Aviation, Bridger Aerospace and Dauntless Air.
The bill allows for sale until 2035.
The aircraft played a key role in the fight against the wildfires in January 2025, particularly in difficult-to-reach rural environments near the Angels National Forest, during Eton Fire.
“The Californians saw firsthand the power of our wildfire suppression fleet in our air in launching the Los Angeles fires as soon as possible,” Senator Padilla said. “It’s a life-saving, common sense priority to reinforce aviation firefighters by allowing the Department of Defense to sell excess aircraft parts, and I’m happy to see the Senate come together and pass this bipartisan law unanimously.”
The new bill amended the 1996 Wildfire Control Aircraft Relocation Act, which allowed excessive aircraft and parts to be sold between 1996 and 1996 and 2005 between DOD. From 2012 to 2017, windows that have once again remained dormant for the past eight years have reopened.
The bill will be sent home for the aisle before it is fully enacted.
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