I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8305 

To establish a payment program for unexpected loss of markets and revenues 

to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses due to major disasters, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 8, 2024 

Mr. GOLDEN of Maine (for himself, Mr. STAUBER, and Ms. PINGREE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To establish a payment program for unexpected loss of markets and revenues to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses due to major disasters, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Loggers Economic As5 sistance and Relief Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PAYMENT PROGRAM FOR TIMBER HARVESTING 

7 AND TIMBER HAULING BUSINESSES. 

8 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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1 (1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti2 ty’’ means any timber harvesting business or timber 

3 hauling business that harvested or hauled unrefined 

4 timber products in the previous calendar year. 

5 (2) MAJOR DISASTER.—The term ‘‘major dis6 aster’’— 

7 (A) has the meaning given the term in sec8 tion 102(2) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 

9 Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 

10 U.S.C. 5122(2)); and 

11 (B) includes an insect infestation declared 

12 a major disaster pursuant to such Act. 

13 (3) GROSS REVENUE.—The term ‘‘gross rev14 enue’’ means the gross revenue generated by an eli15 gible entity from timber harvesting or timber haul16 ing services within the normal range of operation of 

17 the eligible entity, as determined by the Secretary. 

18 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

19 the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Ad20 ministrator of the Farm Service Agency. 

21 (b) PAYMENTS.—The Secretary shall make payments 

22 in accordance with this section to eligible entities that as 

23 a result of a major disaster experienced a loss of not less 

24 than 10 percent in gross revenue in a 30-day period or 

25 quarter of a calendar year, as compared to the gross revVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:35 Jun 10, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8305.IH H8305

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1 enue of the eligible entity during the same 30-day period 

2 or quarter of the previous calendar year. 

3 (c) AMOUNT OF PAYMENT.—The amount of a pay4 ment made to an eligible entity under subsection (b) shall 

5 be equal to 10 percent of the gross revenue of the eligible 

6 entity during the applicable period under subsection (b). 

7 (d) ALLOWABLE USE.—The Secretary shall only 

8 make a payment under subsection (b) to an eligible entity 

9 that certifies to the Secretary that the payment will be 

10 used only for operating expenses. 

11 (e) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

12 of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Sec13 retary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of 

14 the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agri15 culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report 

16 describing the payments made under this section, includ17 ing— 

18 (1) the identity of each recipient of a payment; 

19 and 

20 (2) the amount of each payment provided to 

21 each recipient described in paragraph (1). 

22 (f) REGULATIONS.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise pro24 vided in this section, not later than 30 days after 

25 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 


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1 shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to 

2 carry out this section. 

3 (2) PROCEDURE.—The promulgation of regula4 tions under, and administration of, this section shall 

5 be made without regard to— 

6 (A) the notice and comment provisions of 

7 section 553 of title 5, United States Code; and 

8 (B) chapter 35 of title 44, United States 

9 Code (commonly known as the ‘‘Paperwork Re10 duction Act’’). 

11 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

12 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

13 $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 and 2025. 

Æ 


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