No Timber From Tyrants Act
Bill: H.R.7437 | Sponsor: Rep. Westerman, Bruce (R-AR)
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance

Summary:
No Timber From Tyrants Act
This bill prohibits the importation of wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. It also directs the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to replace these prohibited imports with timber production on certain lands.
Specifically, the bill directs the President to prohibit the importation of all wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. The President may terminate this prohibition upon certification to Congress that certain conditions have been met, including that Russia or Belarus (or both, as applicable) reached an agreement to withdraw forces in Ukraine.
Additionally, the bill directs Interior and USDA to authorize timber harvest in an amount sufficient to equal the volume, with respect to calendar year 2021, of imports of wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. Interior may authorize timber harvest only on public lands and USDA may authorize timber harvest only on National Forest System lands.
The bill generally prohibits Interior and USDA from approving a plan that reduces the allowable sale quantity of timber.

To prohibit the importation of wood and related articles from the 
Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``No Timber From Tyrants Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON THE IMPORTATION OF WOOD AND RELATED ARTICLES 
              FROM THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS.

    (a) In General.--The President shall prohibit the importation into 
the United States of all wood and related articles classifiable under 
chapter 44 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States that 
are determined to originate from the Russian Federation or the Republic 
of Belarus, without regard to whether such articles are shipped through 
third countries.
    (b) Termination.--The President may terminate the prohibition under 
subsection (a) with respect to either the Russian Federation or the 
Republic of Belarus (or both) beginning 90 days after the date on which 
the President certifies to Congress that the Russian Federation or the 
Republic of Belarus (or both, as applicable)--
            (1) has reached an agreement relating to the respective 
        withdrawal of Russian or Belarusian forces (or both, if 
        applicable) and cessation of military hostilities that is 
        accepted by the free and independent Government of Ukraine;
            (2) poses no immediate military threat of aggression to any 
        North Atlantic Treaty Organization member; and
            (3) recognizes the right of the people of Ukraine to 
        independently and freely choose their own government.

SEC. 3. TIMBER PRODUCTION TO REPLACE PROHIBITED IMPORTS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary concerned--
            (1) shall authorize timber harvest in an amount sufficient 
        to equal the volume, with respect to calendar year 2021, of 
        imports of wood and related articles described in section 2; 
        and
            (2) may only authorize timber harvest under paragraph (1)--
                    (A) on public lands or National Forest System lands 
                designated as suitable for timber production; and
                    (B) in accordance with the allowable sale quantity 
                of timber applicable to such lands on the date of the 
                enactment of this Act.
    (b) Prohibition.--The Secretary concerned shall not approve any 
forest plan or land management plan revision that reduces the allowable 
sale quantity of timber under the plan unless the Secretary concerned 
submits a written explanation to the Committees on Agriculture and 
Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and Committees on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Energy and Natural Resources 
of the Senate certifying that such revision will not interfere with the 
obligations of the Secretary concerned under subsection (a).
    (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of the Interior 
shall each submit a report to the Committees specified in subsection 
(b) that includes--
            (1) a list of timber sales initiated and completed by the 
        Secretary concerned to fulfill the obligations established 
        under subsection (a); and
            (2) a list of planned timber sales proposed by the 
        Secretary concerned to fulfill the obligations established 
        under subsection (a).
    (d) Secretary Concerned Defined.--In this section, the term 
``Secretary concerned'' means--
            (1) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to public 
        lands; and
            (2) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to National 
        Forest System lands.
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