HR 471

119th Congress

Environment

Public Safety

Government Operations

Fix Our Forests Act

Sponsor: Bruce Westerman (Republican-AR)January 16, 2025

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-27.

Forest management would get faster to protect communities from wildfires and support firefighters.

This bill would create new programs and change existing rules to make it easier and faster to manage forests, especially in areas prone to wildfires. It affects federal agencies, state and local governments, Indian Tribes, private landowners, and especially firefighters and communities near wildlands. The goal is to reduce wildfire risks, restore forest health, and ensure support for wildland firefighters and their families.

What Would Change

Today, forest management projects often face lengthy environmental reviews and potential lawsuits that can delay efforts to reduce wildfire risks. Support for families of injured or fallen wildland firefighters may also be less coordinated. After this bill, federal agencies would be able to speed up many forest management projects, especially in high-risk areas, and work more closely with states, tribes, and local groups. Families of wildland firefighters would have a dedicated program for assistance.

Key Provisions

Creates a new "Fireshed Center" to use data and technology to predict and manage wildfires and smoke.
Allows federal agencies to carry out forest management projects in high-risk areas with faster environmental reviews.
Increases the size of certain forest management projects that can use expedited environmental reviews from 3,000 or 4,500 acres to 10,000 acres.
Changes court rules to make it harder to stop forest management projects through lawsuits.
Changes how federal agencies must consult on forest plans under the Endangered Species Act, removing requirements to reinitiate consultation in certain circumstances.
Establishes a program to help communities reduce wildfire risk, including a single online application for federal grants.

View on Congress.gov

HR 471 · 119th Congress · January 16, 2025 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 8/10

Party	Yes	No	NV
Republicans	214	0	3
Democrats	64	141	10
Independents	1	0	0

Lobbying Activity

193 filings mentioned this bill

Top Lobbying Clients

SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT

$360K

4 filings

WHITE OAK INITIATIVE GOVERNMENT POLICY COMMITTEE

$200K

4 filings

AMERICAN PROPERTY CASUALTY INSURANCE ASSOCIATION

$140K

4 filings

CAPITOL COUNSEL, LLC ON BEHALF OF EARTH FORCE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

$120K

3 filings

SAZERAC COMPANY, INC.

$120K

3 filings

CAPITOL COUNSEL, LLC ON BEHALF OF ORORATECH GMBH

$120K

3 filings

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION

$120K

5 filings

COUNTY OF VENTURA

$120K

2 filings

ASSOCIATION OF FIRETECH INNOVATION

$120K

2 filings

PARTNERSHIP OF RANGELAND TRUSTS

$100K

4 filings

Top Lobbying Firms

1.CROSSWINDS SOLUTIONS13 filings

2.CAPITOL COUNSEL LLC11 filings

3.BRUMIDI GROUP9 filings

4.COLLECTIVE STRATEGIES & COMMUNICATIONS (FORMERLY COLLECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS LLC)8 filings

5.MEGUIRE WHITNEY7 filings

6.COALITION AGAINST BIGGER TRUCKS6 filings

7.THE NATURE CONSERVANCY6 filings

8.CITIZENS' CLIMATE LOBBY6 filings

9.COLLECTIVE STRATEGIES & COMMUNICATIONS5 filings

10.CAIRN STRATEGIC CONSULTING, LLC5 filings

Amounts reflect total quarterly lobbying spend reported to the Senate, not bill-specific spending. Source: Senate LDA filings.

193 filings mentioned this bill

Top Lobbying Clients

SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT

$360K

4 filings

WHITE OAK INITIATIVE GOVERNMENT POLICY COMMITTEE

$200K

4 filings

AMERICAN PROPERTY CASUALTY INSURANCE ASSOCIATION

$140K

4 filings

CAPITOL COUNSEL, LLC ON BEHALF OF EARTH FORCE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

$120K

3 filings

SAZERAC COMPANY, INC.

$120K

3 filings

CAPITOL COUNSEL, LLC ON BEHALF OF ORORATECH GMBH

$120K

3 filings

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION

$120K

5 filings

COUNTY OF VENTURA

$120K

2 filings

ASSOCIATION OF FIRETECH INNOVATION

$120K

2 filings

PARTNERSHIP OF RANGELAND TRUSTS

$100K

4 filings

Top Lobbying Firms

1.CROSSWINDS SOLUTIONS13 filings

2.CAPITOL COUNSEL LLC11 filings

3.BRUMIDI GROUP9 filings

4.COLLECTIVE STRATEGIES & COMMUNICATIONS (FORMERLY COLLECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS LLC)8 filings

5.MEGUIRE WHITNEY7 filings

6.COALITION AGAINST BIGGER TRUCKS6 filings

7.THE NATURE CONSERVANCY6 filings

8.CITIZENS' CLIMATE LOBBY6 filings

9.COLLECTIVE STRATEGIES & COMMUNICATIONS5 filings

10.CAIRN STRATEGIC CONSULTING, LLC5 filings

Amounts reflect total quarterly lobbying spend reported to the Senate, not bill-specific spending. Source: Senate LDA filings.

Fix Our Forests Act

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Party Breakdown

Vote Details

Lobbying Activity

Top Lobbying Clients

Top Lobbying Firms

Top Lobbying Clients

Top Lobbying Firms

Party Breakdown

Vote Details