Docket HopperPart I · Bills · 119th H.R. 471
H.R. 471 · 119th CongressPublic Lands and Natural Resources

Fix Our Forests Act passed the House 7 days after introduction and awaits a vote in the Senate

Sponsored by Westerman, Bruce R-AR · 56 cosponsors: 17 Democrats, 39 Republicans
IntroducedJan 16, 2025
Reported—
Passed one chamberJan 23, 2025
Passed both—
Law—
What it changes · CRS summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service [2]. 246 words.

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.

Context
Committees
House Agriculture Committee
House Natural Resources Committee
House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
Policy area
Public Lands and Natural Resources: 136 of 3,779 bills became law, 113th–118th (3.6%)
Sponsor
4 of 64 bills enacted since 2013
Text versions
2, from introduced in house to engrossed in house · 17,495 words
Subjects
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAgricultural practices and innovationsAlternative and renewable resourcesBuilding constructionCaliforniaClimate change and greenhouse gases +43 more
Latest action
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.
Records
Congress.gov · Bill text
Exhibit 1Passage odds band at each stage, rated when the bill reached it [4]
Related bills · 4

Each bill appears once, under its strongest link. 4 in all.

Procedural (rules, motions) · 1
  • 119th H.Res. 53 Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 471) to expedite under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and improve forest manage R · Agreed to
Related, per CRS or House · 3

See these 10 bills on the network map →

Exhibit 2Articles naming the bill per day, last 90 days, US sources [3]