Sponsors (2)
The bill speeds recovery and boosts Tribal and local involvement—helping communities, tourism, and ecosystem recovery—at the cost of greater federal spending and emergency contracting flexibilities that raise risks of higher taxpayer costs, reduced competition, and oversight challenges.
Residents, visitors, and local businesses in the Grand Canyon/Kaibab area: receive faster restoration, rebuilding, and reopening of damaged recreation sites and infrastructure after the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires, shortening recovery time and restoring tourism activity.
Tribal communities and tribal-lands residents: gain a formal role in planning and reconstruction, which supports Tribal cultural ties, increases local input into rebuilding decisions, and honors federal responsibilities to affected Tribes.
Rural communities and local governments: benefit from targeted forest management (hazard tree removal, erosion control, reseeding) and a focus on large-scale ecosystem damage that speeds ecological recovery and reduces wildfire safety risks.
Taxpayers and federal budgets: face higher spending risks because emergency restoration authorities, noncompetitive contracting, and expanded procurement flexibilities can increase costs without specified offsets or funding timelines.
Taxpayers, local governments, and oversight bodies: face elevated risk of waste, fraud, conflicts of interest, and weakened oversight because rapid, noncompetitive contracting and concentrated awards (including to concessioners) plus multi-year authorities can shorten safeguards.
Small businesses, tourism-dependent communities, and visitors: may experience temporary disruptions (access restrictions, closures) and short-term loss of visitor revenue as heavy equipment and restoration activities proceed.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes time-limited emergency contracting and recovery authorities for rebuilding and restoring Grand Canyon and Kaibab National Forest areas burned by two 2025 wildfires, with tribal/local involvement and reporting to Congress.
Official title: Authorize direct emergency acquisition flexibilities for the National Park Service and Forest Service for the purpose of retaining, vetting, approving, and expediting contractor approval for the clearing, rebuilding, maintenance, and improvement of areas of the Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest damaged by certain wildfires, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 5, 2026 by Ruben Gallego · Last progress February 5, 2026
Authorizes emergency contracting flexibilities and recovery planning to restore parts of Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest burned by the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires. It directs Interior and Agriculture officials to use streamlined procurement for rebuilding and restoration, prioritize tribal and local participation and contracting, allow limited noncompetitive contracts with existing concessioners, and provide periodic reports to Congress on costs and contractor use. Requires the two Secretaries to consult and involve affected Indian Tribes, local governments, nonprofits, and businesses in planning and reconstruction, and to study and report jointly on recovery costs. The emergency contracting authority is time-limited and includes reporting, a one-time extension mechanism if another fire affects the area, and an overall expiration tied to completion or five years after enactment.