Fix Our Forests Act

Bill: 119-hr-471
Sponsor: Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Agricultural practices and innovations
Alternative and renewable resources
Building construction
California
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Community life and organization
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Department of Agriculture
Department of the Interior
Ecology
Emergency planning and evacuation
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Forests, forestry, trees
Geography and mapping
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Horticulture and plants
Indian lands and resources rights
Intergovernmental relations
Internet, web applications, social media
Judicial procedure and administration
Judicial review and appeals
Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Motor fuels
Nevada
Public contracts and procurement
Public participation and lobbying
Public-private cooperation
Research and development
Roads and highways
Rural conditions and development
Soil pollution
State and local finance
State and local government operations
Technology transfer and commercialization
Water use and supply
Watersheds
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Fix Our Forests Act

This bill establishes requirements for managing forests on federal land, including requirements concerning reducing wildfire threats, expediting the review of certain forest management projects, and implementing forest management projects and other activities.

Specifically, the bill (1) designates certain firesheds at high risk for wildfires as fireshed management areas; (2) directs the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Geological Survey to jointly establish an interagency Fireshed Center that is responsible for duties related to assessing and predicting fire, including maintaining a fireshed registry on a publicly accessible website that provides interactive geospatial data on individual firesheds; and (3) makes other requirements related to reducing wildfire.

Next, the bill expedites the review of certain forest management projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and exempts certain activities from NEPA review. It also establishes intra-agency strike teams to accelerate the review and any interagency consultation processes under NEPA, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the National Historic Preservation Act. It also limits consultation requirements concerning threatened and endangered species under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land Management and Policy Act of 1976. Finally, it limits litigation involving fireshed management projects and limits remedies that courts may provide.

Additionally, the bill supports reducing community wildfire risks, carrying out forest restoration and stewardship activities (including watershed protection and restoration), conducting biochar demonstration projects, advancing technologies to address forest wildfires, and assisting wildland firefighters and their families.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-03-06
text: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-27.
action_date: 2025-01-28
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 279 - 141 (Roll no. 25). (text: CR H321-333)
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 279 - 141 (Roll no. 25). (text: CR H321-333)
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H346-347)
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 471, the Chair put the question on passage of the bill and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Peters demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: The House adopted the amendments en gros as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 471.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 53, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Carbajal amendment No. 2.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 53, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Perry amendment No. 1.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 471.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: The Speaker designated the Honorable Dale W. Strong to act as Chairman of the Committee.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 53 and Rule XVIII.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 471 and S. 5. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 471 under a structured rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit. Also, the resolution provides for consideration of S. 5 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to commit.
action_date: 2025-01-23
text: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 53. (consideration: CR H312-335)
action_date: 2025-01-21
text: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 53 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 471 and S. 5. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 471 under a structured rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit. Also, the resolution provides for consideration of S. 5 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to commit.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in House