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 disas-
ters, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 8, 2024 
Mr. GOLDEN of Maine (for himself, Mr. STAUBER, and Ms. PINGREE) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agri-
culture 
A BILL 
To establish a payment program for unexpected loss of mar-
kets and revenues to timber harvesting and timber haul-
ing businesses due to major disasters, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Loggers Economic As-
sistance and Relief Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PAYMENT PROGRAM FOR TIMBER HARVESTING 
AND TIMBER HAULING BUSINESSES. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means any timber harvesting business or timber 
hauling business that harvested or hauled unrefined 
timber products in the previous calendar year. 
(2) MAJOR DISASTER.—The term ‘‘major dis-
aster’’— 
(A) has the meaning given the term in sec-
tion 102(2) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5122(2)); and 
(B) includes an insect infestation declared 
a major disaster pursuant to such Act. 
(3) GROSS
REVENUE.—The term ‘‘gross rev-
enue’’ means the gross revenue generated by an eli-
gible entity from timber harvesting or timber haul-
ing services within the normal range of operation of 
the eligible entity, as determined by the Secretary. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Ad-
ministrator of the Farm Service Agency. 
(b) PAYMENTS.—The Secretary shall make payments 
in accordance with this section to eligible entities that as 
a result of a major disaster experienced a loss of not less 
than 10 percent in gross revenue in a 30-day period or 
quarter of a calendar year, as compared to the gross rev-
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enue of the eligible entity during the same 30-day period 
or quarter of the previous calendar year. 
(c) AMOUNT OF PAYMENT.—The amount of a pay-
ment made to an eligible entity under subsection (b) shall 
be equal to 10 percent of the gross revenue of the eligible 
entity during the applicable period under subsection (b). 
(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, and annually thereafter, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report 
describing the payments made under this section, includ-
ing— 
(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 pro-
vided in this section, not later than 30 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
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shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to 
carry out this section. 
(2) PROCEDURE.—The promulgation of regula-
tions 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 of title 44, United States 
Code (commonly known as the ‘‘Paperwork Re-
duction Act’’). 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 and 2025. 
Æ 
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