I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7690 

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

to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses due to the COVID– 

19 pandemic, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 20, 2020 

Mr. ROUZER (for himself and Mr. GOLDEN) 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 the COVID–19 pandemic, 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. PAYMENT PROGRAM FOR TIMBER HARVESTING 

4 AND TIMBER HAULING BUSINESSES. 

5 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

6 (1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti7 ty’’ means any timber harvesting business or timber 


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1 hauling business that harvested or hauled unrefined 

2 timber products in calendar year 2019. 

3 (2) GROSS REVENUE.—The term ‘‘gross rev4 enue’’ means the gross revenue generated by an eli5 gible entity from timber harvesting or timber haul6 ing services within the normal range of operation of 

7 the eligible entity, as determined by the Secretary. 

8 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

9 the Secretary of Agriculture. 

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

11 in accordance with this section to eligible entities that, as 

12 a result of the COVID–19 pandemic, experienced a loss 

13 of not less than 10 percent in gross revenue during the 

14 period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on July 

15 31, 2020, as compared to the gross revenue of the eligible 

16 entity during the same period in 2019. 

17 (c) AMOUNT OF PAYMENT.—The amount of a pay18 ment made to an eligible entity under subsection (b) shall 

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

20 entity during the period beginning on January 1, 2019, 

21 and ending on July 31, 2019. 

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

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

24 that certifies to the Secretary that the payment will be 

25 used only for operating expenses. 


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

2 of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 

3 the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representa4 tives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 

5 Forestry of the Senate a report describing the payments 

6 made under this section, including— 

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

8 and 

9 (2) the amount of each payment provided to 

10 each recipient described in paragraph (1). 

11 (f) REGULATIONS.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise pro13 vided in this section, not later than 30 days after 

14 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

15 shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to 

16 carry out this section. 

17 (2) PROCEDURE.—The promulgation of regula18 tions under, and administration of, this section shall 

19 be made without regard to— 

20 (A) the notice and comment provisions of 

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

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

23 Code (commonly known as the ‘‘Paperwork Re24 duction Act’’). 


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1 (g) FUNDING.—There are appropriated, out of any 

2 amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such 

3 sums as are necessary to make payments to eligible enti4 ties under this section. 

Æ 


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