H.R. 471 Passed the House Public Lands and Natural Resources

Fix Our Forests Act

To expedite under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and improve forest management activities on National Forest System lands, on public lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, and on Tribal lands to return resilience to overgrown, fire-prone forested lands, and for other purposes.

  1. Introduced
  2. Committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To President
  6. Became law
Sponsor Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4] Introduced January 16, 2025 Cosponsors 56 (38 R, 17 D, 1 I) Latest action March 6, 2025

Summary

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.

Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Congress.gov

Roll-call votes

Actions

  1. Mar 6, 2025 Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-27.
  2. Jan 28, 2025 Received in the Senate.
  3. Jan 23, 2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  4. Jan 23, 2025 On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 279 - 141 (Roll no. 25). (text: CR H321-333)
  5. Jan 23, 2025 Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 279 - 141 (Roll no. 25). (text: CR H321-333)
  6. Jan 23, 2025 Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H346-347)
  7. Jan 23, 2025 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.
  8. Jan 23, 2025 The House adopted the amendments en gros as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
  9. Jan 23, 2025 The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  10. Jan 23, 2025 The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 471.
  11. Jan 23, 2025 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.
  12. Jan 23, 2025 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.

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