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119th Congress Public Lands and Natural Resources

H.R. 471: Fix Our Forests Act

Passed HouseJan 23, 2025

  1. Introduced (completed)Jan 16, 2025
  2. Passed House (completed)Jan 23, 2025, 279–141
  3. Passed Senate (not reached)
  4. To the President (not reached)
  5. Became law (not reached)

Summary

Introduced in House, Jan 16, 2025

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.

Read the full summary

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.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Key votes

House final vote, Jan 23, 2025

On Passage

Passed 279–141

Yea 279majority 211Nay 141

  • Democrats64 yea, 141 nay
  • Republicans214 yea, 0 nay
  • Independents1 yea, 0 nay

Broke with their party: Maxine Waters (D-CA), Eugene Vindman (D-VA), Gabriel (Gabe) Vasquez (D-NM), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Derek Tran (D-CA), Norma Torres (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Hillary Scholten (D-MI) and Kim Schrier (D-WA) voted Yea; and 54 more

See how all 420 members voted

Showing 433 of 433 members

Yea 279

Republicans (214)

Democrats (64) broke with their party

Independents (1)

Nay 141

Democrats (141)

Not voting 13

Republicans (3)

Senate

Not yet voted

Passed the House Jan 23, 2025. Awaiting Senate action.

Roll calls

1 vote on this bill

Showing 1 of 1 roll calls

  • Jan 23, 2025HouseOn PassageFinal passagePassed, yea-nay 279–141
    Roll call 25 tally by party
    PartyYeaNayPresentNot voting
    Democrats64141010
    Republicans214003
    Independents1000
    Total279141013

    House roll call 25: On Passage. Passed.

    64 crossed party lines: 64 Democrats

    How each member voted (433)

Amendments

2 offered

Showing 2 of 2 amendments

  • H.Amdt. 3Salud Carbajal D-CAAgreedJan 23, 2025Jan 23, 2025: On agreeing to the Carbajal amendment (A002) Agreed to by voice vote.
  • H.Amdt. 2Scott Perry R-PAAgreedJan 23, 2025Jan 23, 2025: On agreeing to the Perry amendment (A001) Agreed to by voice vote.

Cosponsors

56

Bipartisan support.

Who scored on this bill

700 points earned
  1. 1Bruce Westerman R-AR SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, reached a cosponsor milestone, introduced, passed House5 events+48
  2. 2Salud Carbajal D-CA1 maverick vote; 1 amendment offered, 1 agreed3 events+28
  3. 3Scott Perry R-PA1 amendment offered, 1 agreed2 events+22
  4. 4Ami Bera D-CA1 maverick vote; cosponsored; cosponsored bill passed3 events+10
  5. 4Jim Costa D-CA1 maverick vote; cosponsored; cosponsored bill passed3 events+10
See all scorers and every scoring event

Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.

Other bills by Bruce Westerman

History

  1. Jan 23, 2025Passed the House, 279–141.
  2. Jan 16, 2025Introduced in the House by Bruce Westerman.
Show the full action history (20 actions)
  1. Mar 6, 2025Committee 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, 2025Received in the Senate.
  3. Jan 23, 2025Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 53. (consideration: CR H312-335)
  4. Jan 23, 2025Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 471 and S. 5. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 471 under a structured rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit. Also, the resolution provides for consideration of S. 5 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to commit.
  5. Jan 23, 2025House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 53 and Rule XVIII.
  6. Jan 23, 2025The Speaker designated the Honorable Dale W. Strong to act as Chairman of the Committee.
  7. Jan 23, 2025GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 471.
  8. Jan 23, 2025DEBATE - 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.
  9. Jan 23, 2025DEBATE - 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.
  10. Jan 23, 2025The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 471.
  11. Jan 23, 2025The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  12. Jan 23, 2025The House adopted the amendments en gros as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
  13. Jan 23, 2025POSTPONED 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.
  14. Jan 23, 2025Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H346-347)
  15. Jan 23, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 279 - 141 (Roll no. 25). (text: CR H321-333)
  16. Jan 23, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 279 - 141 (Roll no. 25). (text: CR H321-333)
  17. Jan 23, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  18. Jan 21, 2025Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 53 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 471 and S. 5. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 471 under a structured rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit. Also, the resolution provides for consideration of S. 5 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to commit.
  19. Jan 16, 2025Introduced in House
  20. Jan 16, 2025Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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.