HR 390 United States House · 119th Congress

ACERO Act

Summary
Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations Act or the ACERO Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project. The ACERO project conducts research and development activities regarding aerial response to wildfires using uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and other advanced aviation technologies. It is administered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).  The bill directs the ACERO project to address airspace management and deconfliction during wildfire response efforts, including through real-time information sharing among response teams and the development of a platform to provide situational awareness of aerial assets. The bill also directs the ACERO project to establish a multiagency concept of operations to facilitate the coordination of aerial wildfire response among federal, state, and local government agencies. NASA must consult with other federal agencies and departments to avoid duplication of these efforts.  NASA generally may not procure UAS manufactured or assembled by specified foreign entities, including entities domiciled in or controlled by China, for use by the ACERO project.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
President
Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Last action Feb 24, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House Engrossed in House · 4 edits · Feb 23, 2026
MODERATE
The Engrossed version of HR 390 (ACERO Act) makes several substantive changes: it removes the $15 million authorization of appropriations for fiscal year 2026, weakens the research goals from mandatory to permissive language, and drops a requirement for annual reports to assess effectiveness in preventing injuries and loss of life. These changes significantly reduce both the funding commitment and the accountability requirements of the bill.
Scope change
The bill's scope was narrowed in practice by removing the funding authorization (no new money is authorized) and by making the research goals optional rather than required. However, the addition of 'or appropriate successor project or projects' slightly broadens the legal scope to cover future rebranding of the program.
FISCAL

The entire authorization of appropriations subsection was removed, eliminating the $15,000,000 authorized for fiscal year 2026 to carry out the ACERO project. The bill no longer authorizes any new funding.

REQUIREMENT

Section 2(b) changed from 'shall, to the extent practicable, address the following' to 'may include the following,' converting the four research and development goals from mandatory (with a practicability qualifier) to purely optional activities NASA may choose to pursue.

ENFORCEMENT

Annual report requirement item (3) was removed, which had required an assessment of the effectiveness of activities in preventing injuries and loss of life, protecting property, and reducing economic damage. This eliminates a key accountability metric from the reporting requirements.

SCOPE

Section 2(a) added the phrase 'or appropriate successor project or projects' after the ACERO project name, allowing NASA to continue activities under a renamed or restructured project without requiring new legislation.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
14
Key actions
3
Committee
4
Amendments
3
Feb 24, 2026
Committee
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
upper
Feb 23, 2026
Introduced
The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
lower
Feb 23, 2026
Introduced
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2241)
lower
Feb 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2241)
lower
Feb 23, 2026
Introduced
Mr. Babin moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
lower
Feb 20, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 119-501.
lower
Jun 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
lower
Jan 14, 2025
Committee
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
lower
Jan 14, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 7 co-sponsors

Sponsors