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.

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. Payment program for timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (2) Gross revenue The term gross revenue (3) Secretary The term Secretary (b) Payments The Secretary shall make payments in accordance with this section to eligible entities that, as a result of the COVID–19 pandemic, experienced a loss of not less than 10 percent in gross revenue during the period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on July 31, 2020, as compared to the gross revenue of the eligible entity during the same period in 2019. (c) Amount of payment The amount of a payment made to an eligible entity under subsection (b) shall be equal to 10 percent of the gross revenue of the eligible entity during the period beginning on January 1, 2019, and ending on July 31, 2019. (d) Allowable use The Secretary shall only make a payment under subsection (b) to an eligible entity that certifies to the Secretary that the payment will be used only for operating expenses. (e) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing the payments made under this section, including— (1) the identity of each recipient of a payment; and (2) the amount of each payment provided to each recipient described in paragraph (1). (f) Regulations (1) In general Except as otherwise provided in this section, not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out this section. (2) Procedure The promulgation of regulations under, and administration of, this section shall be made without regard to— (A) the notice and comment provisions of section 553 of title 5, United States Code; and (B) chapter 35 Paperwork Reduction Act (g) Funding There are appropriated, out of any amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as are necessary to make payments to eligible entities under this section.

Summary: This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make payments to a timber harvesting business or timber hauling business that, as a result of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, experienced a loss of not less than 10% in gross revenue during the period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on July 31, 2020, as compared to its gross revenue during the same period in 2019. The amount of a payment made to an eligible entity shall be equal to 10% of the gross revenue of the business during the period beginning on January 1, 2019, and ending on July 31, 2019. USDA shall make such a payment only to a business that certifies that the payment will be used only for operating expenses.