WASHINGTON — Legislation to modernize the Forest Service’s firefighting planes passed the U.S. Senate Thursday.
It would speed government contracts for seven new tankers by waiving a 30-day waiting period, according to the Associated Press.
The House hasn’t voted on the bill yet, and the tankers wouldn’t go into service for months.
Oregon Democratic Rep. Ron Wyden told AP that the government must move quickly after last weekend’s accidents that took two of the 11 available air tankers out of service.