[105th Congress Public Law 108]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
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[DOCID: f:publ108.105]
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UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEARS
1998 AND 1999
[[Page 111 STAT. 2264]]
Public Law 105-108
105th Congress
An Act
To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for the
United States Fire Administration, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Nov.
20, 1997 - [S. 1231]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: United States
Fire Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999. 15
USC 2201 note.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``United States Fire Administration
Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 17(g)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of
1974 (15 U.S.C. 2216(g)(1)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (E);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (F)
and inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(G) $29,664,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30,
1998; and
``(H) $30,554,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30,
1999.''.
SEC. 3. SUCCESSOR FIRE SAFETY STANDARDS.
The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2201
et seq.) is amended--
(1) <<NOTE: 15 USC 2225.>> in section 29(a)(1), by inserting
``or any successor standard to that standard'' after
``Association Standard 74'';
(2) in section 29(a)(2), by inserting ``, or any successor
standard to that standard'' before ``, whichever is
appropriate,'';
(3) in section 29(b)(2), by inserting ``, or any successor
standard to that standard'' after ``Association Standard 13 or
13-R'';
(4) <<NOTE: 15 USC 2227.>> in section 31(c)(2)(B)(i), by
inserting ``or any successor standard to that standard'' after
``Life Safety Code)''; and
(5) in section 31(c)(2)(B)(ii), by inserting ``or any
successor standard to that standard'' after ``Association
Standard 101''.
SEC. 4. TERMINATION OR PRIVATIZATION OF FUNCTIONS. <<NOTE: 15 USC 2204
note.>>
(a) In General.--Not later than 60 days before the termination or
transfer to a private sector person or entity of any significant
function of the United States Fire Administration, as described in
subsection (b), the Administrator of the United States Fire
Administration shall transmit to Congress a report providing notice of
that termination or transfer.
(b) Covered Terminations and Transfers.--For purposes of subsection
(a), a termination or transfer to a person or entity
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described in that subsection shall be considered to be a termination or
transfer of a significant function of the United States Fire
Administration if the termination or transfer--
(1) relates to a function of the Administration that
requires the expenditure of more than 5 percent of the total
amount of funds made available by appropriations to the
Administration; or
(2) involves the termination of more than 5 percent of the
employees of the Administration.
SEC. 5. NOTICE. <<NOTE: 15 USC 2204 note.>>
(a) Major Reorganization Defined.--With respect to the United States
Fire Administration, the term ``major reorganization'' means any
reorganization of the Administration that involves the reassignment of
more than 25 percent of the employees of the Administration.
(b) Notice of Reprogramming.--If any funds appropriated pursuant to
the amendments made by this Act are subject to a reprogramming action
that requires notice to be provided to the Committees on Appropriations
of the Senate and the House of Representatives, notice of that action
shall concurrently be provided to the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science of the
House of Representatives.
(c) Notice of Reorganization.--Not later than 15 days before any
major reorganization of any program, project, or activity of the United
States Fire Administration, the Administrator of the United States Fire
Administration shall provide notice to the Committees on Science and
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committees on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Appropriations of the Senate.
SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE YEAR 2000 PROBLEM.
With the year 2000 rapidly approaching, it is the sense of Congress
that the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration should--
(1) give high priority to correcting all 2-digit date-
related problems in the computer systems of the United States
Fire Administration to ensure that those systems continue to
operate effectively in the year 2000 and in subsequent years;
(2) as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of
this Act, assess the extent of the risk to the operations of the
United States Fire Administration posed by the problems referred
to in paragraph (1), and plan and budget for achieving
compliance for all of the mission-critical systems of the system
by the year 2000; and
(3) develop contingency plans for those systems that the
United States Fire Administration is unable to correct by the
year 2000.
SEC. 7. <<NOTE: 15 USC 2218 note.>> ENHANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND
MATHEMATICS PROGRAMS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the United States Fire Administration.
(2) Educationally useful federal equipment.--The term
``educationally useful Federal equipment'' means computers and
related peripheral tools and research equipment that is
appropriate for use in schools.
[[Page 111 STAT. 2266]]
(3) School.--The term ``school'' means a public or private
educational institution that serves any of the grades of
kindergarten through grade 12.
(b) Sense of Congress.--
(1) In general.--It is the sense of Congress that the
Administrator should, to the greatest extent practicable and in
a manner consistent with applicable Federal law (including
Executive Order No. 12999), donate educationally useful Federal
equipment to schools in order to enhance the science and
mathematics programs of those schools.
(2) Reports.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter,
the Administrator shall prepare and submit to the
President a report that meets the requirements of this
paragraph. The President shall submit that report to
Congress at the same time as the President submits a
budget request to Congress under section 1105(a) of
title 31, United States Code.
(B) Contents of report.--The report prepared by the
Administrator under this paragraph shall describe any
donations of educationally useful Federal equipment to
schools made during the period covered by the report.
SEC. 8. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration
(referred to in this section as the ``Administrator'') shall prepare and
submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate and the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives a
report that meets the requirements of this section.
(b) Contents of Report.--The report under this section shall--
(1) examine the risks to firefighters in suppressing fires
caused by burning tires;
(2) address any risks that are uniquely attributable to
fires described in paragraph (1), including any risks relating
to--
(A) exposure to toxic substances (as that term is
defined by the Administrator);
(B) personal protection;
(C) the duration of those fires; and
(D) site hazards associated with those fires;
[[Page 111 STAT. 2267]]
(3) identify any special training that may be necessary for
firefighters to suppress those fires; and
(4) assess how the training referred to in paragraph (3) may
be provided by the United States Fire Administration.
Approved November 20, 1997.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1231 (H.R. 1272):
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-62 accompanying H.R. 1272 (Comm. on Science).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-124 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 143 (1997):
Nov. 4, considered and passed Senate.
Nov. 9, considered and passed House.
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