Led by a New Mexico senator and congressman, bipartisan legislation that would allow the Department of Defense to sell excess aircraft and aircraft parts to be used for wildfire suppression is headed to the president's desk after sailing through the House on Tuesday.

With the president's signature, the legislation could help aerial firefighting companies experiencing shortages in airplane parts, including those based in New Mexico. Several legislators from western states, including New Mexico, Washington, Montana, Arizona and California, were vocal supporters of the bill. Catastrophic wildfires in the West have displaced communities and cost cities millions in recent years, most prominently the Los Angeles fires in January, which killed at least 29.

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