H.R. 9121 would allow Indian tribal governments to request fire management assistance declarations and receive grants directly from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Under current law, only states can directly request FEMA for a declaration that the threat of a fire sufficient to constitute a major disaster exists. If the declaration is made, FEMA provides funds to the state to help them and local and tribal governments mitigate, manage, and control major fires on publicly or privately owned forests or grasslands.

CBO expects that implementing H.R. 9121 would expedite the process by which Indian tribal governments receive grant funding. Because tribes currently receive funding from state declarations and grants as well as from other disaster and emergency declarations and grants, CBO expects that implementing H.R. 9121 would not significantly increase the amount of grant funds that Indian tribes receive. 

CBO also expects that FEMA would need to engage in rulemaking to update the application process for fire assistance grants. 

On that basis, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 9121 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2024-2029 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.