No Timber From Tyrants Act

Bill: 117-hr-7437
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4]
Introduced: 2022-04-07
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Alliances

Belarus

Collective security

Conflicts and wars

Congressional oversight

Europe

Forests, forestry, trees

Military operations and strategy

Russia

Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status

Trade restrictions

Ukraine
Latest action: action_date: 2022-05-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-04-07
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>No Timber From Tyrants Act</strong></p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>The bill generally prohibits Interior and USDA from approving a plan that reduces the allowable sale quantity of timber.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7437 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 7, 2022 Mr. Westerman (for himself, Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania , Mr. Wittman , Mr. Lamborn , Mr. Newhouse , Mrs. Radewagen , Mr. Gohmert , Mr. Babin , Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia , Ms. Malliotakis , Mr. Curtis , Mr. Fleischmann , Mr. Fulcher , Mr. Stewart , Mr. Timmons , Mr. Crawford , Mr. LaMalfa , Mr. Grothman , Mr. McKinley , Mrs. Miller-Meeks , Ms. Cheney , Mr. Amodei , Mr. Rouzer , Mr. Luetkemeyer , Mr. Guest , Mr. Buck , Mr. Garcia of California , Mr. Budd , Mr. Perry , Mr. Bost , Mr. Norman , Mrs. Rodgers of Washington , Mr. McClintock , Mr. Fallon , Mr. Carey , Mr. Burgess , Mr. Tiffany , Mr. Stauber , Mr. Moore of Utah , Mr. Dunn , Ms. Stefanik , Mr. Smith of Missouri , Mr. Bentz , Mrs. Boebert , Mr. Fitzpatrick , Mr. Diaz-Balart , Mr. Cole , Mr. Higgins of Louisiana , Mr. Long , Miss González-Colón , Mr. Johnson of Louisiana , Mrs. Spartz , Mr. Gooden of Texas , Mrs. Cammack , Mrs. Miller of Illinois , Mr. Owens , Mr. Hice of Georgia , Mrs. Bice of Oklahoma , Mr. Graves of Louisiana , Mr. Valadao , Mr. Moolenaar , Mr. Gimenez , Mrs. Wagner , Mr. Gallagher , Mr. Williams of Texas , Mr. Palazzo , Mr. Sessions , Mrs. Hartzler , Mr. Calvert , Ms. Herrera Beutler , Mr. Bergman , Mr. Carl , Mr. Carter of Georgia , Mr. Kustoff , Mr. Womack , Mr. Hill , Mr. Obernolte , Mr. Graves of Missouri , Mr. Simpson , Ms. Herrell , Mr. Webster of Florida , Mr. Rutherford , and Mr. Rosendale ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means , and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture , and Natural Resources , 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 A BILL To prohibit the importation of wood and related articles from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the No Timber From Tyrants Act . 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. 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.