H.R. 471: Fix Our Forests Act · WHAT THE LAW DOIN

What it does

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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.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in House, Jan 16, 2025).

Our plain-language breakdown, with what it means for you and the case for and against, is written once a bill starts to move.

What has happened

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2025-01-23Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 279 - 141 (Roll no. 25). (text: CR H321-333) Roll call recordLibrary of Congress
2025-01-16Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

Show all 23 recorded actions

Cosponsors

Rep. Mark E. Amodei R-NV-2
Rep. Andy Barr R-KY-6
Rep. Nicholas J. Begich R-AK-At Large
Rep. Cliff Bentz R-OR-2
Rep. Ami Bera D-CA-6
Rep. Lauren Boebert R-CO-4
Rep. Ken Calvert R-CA-41
Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter R-GA-1
Rep. Mike Collins R-GA-10
Rep. J. Luis Correa D-CA-46
Rep. Jim Costa D-CA-21
Rep. Jeff Crank R-CO-5
Rep. Mike Ezell R-MS-4
Rep. Vince Fong R-CA-20
Rep. Russell Fry R-SC-7
Rep. John Garamendi D-CA-8
Rep. Jared F. Golden D-ME-2
Rep. Paul A. Gosar R-AZ-9
Rep. Adam Gray D-CA-13
Rep. Harriet M. Hageman R-WY-At Large
Rep. Josh Harder D-CA-9
Rep. J. French Hill R-AR-2
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer D-MD-5
Rep. Wesley Hunt R-TX-38
Rep. Jeff Hurd R-CO-3
Rep. Darrell Issa R-CA-48
Rep. Dusty Johnson R-SD-At Large
Rep. John Joyce R-PA-13
Rep. Mike Kennedy R-UT-3
Rep. Jennifer A. Kiggans R-VA-2
Rep. Kevin Kiley I-CA-3
Rep. Young Kim R-CA-40
Rep. Doug LaMalfa R-CA-1
Rep. Susie Lee D-NV-3
Rep. Celeste Maloy R-UT-2
Rep. Tom McClintock R-CA-5
Rep. Addison P. McDowell R-NC-6
Rep. Mark Messmer R-IN-8
Rep. Kevin Mullin D-CA-15
Rep. Dan Newhouse R-WA-4
Rep. Jay Obernolte R-CA-23
Rep. Jimmy Panetta D-CA-20
Rep. Scott H. Peters D-CA-50
Rep. Brittany Pettersen D-CO-7
Rep. Pete Sessions R-TX-17
Rep. Pete Stauber R-MN-8
Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi D-NY-3
Rep. Mike Thompson D-CA-4
Rep. Thomas P. Tiffany R-WI-7
Rep. David G. Valadao R-CA-22
Rep. Gabe Vasquez D-NM-2
Rep. Tim Walberg R-MI-5
Rep. George Whitesides D-CA-27
Rep. Tony Wied R-WI-8
Rep. Robert J. Wittman R-VA-1
Rep. Ryan K. Zinke R-MT-1