Today, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a legislative hearing on four bills to bolster forest resiliency, improve research to fight wildfires and support local community needs, advancing President Trump’s recent executive actions, including Executive Order (EO) 14225, “Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production” and EO 14274, “Restoring Common Sense to Federal Office Space Management." Subcommittee Chairman Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) issued the following statement in response:

"Our nation’s forest health and wildfire crisis will continue to worsen if we do not take immediate action. Today, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands will consider critical legislation and advance solutions to address the excessive red tape and prolonged permitting process currently damaging our forests."

Background

H.R. 1045, the Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Kennedy (R-Utah), would establish a wildfire research institute in Utah to advance scientific research in wildfire ecology and help develop innovative solutions to mitigate wildfire risks. If enacted, this new Southwest Ecological Restoration Institute would partner with local, state, and federal agencies to support forest and rangeland management and implement long-term ecological restoration strategies.

H.R. 1655, the Wildfire Communications Resiliency Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), would enhance wildfire recovery by improving timelines for the reconstruction of communications infrastructure in the aftermath of wildfire by exempting rebuilding and enhancement projects from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) reviews in areas where a major disaster or emergency has been declared.

H.R. 3187, introduced by U.S. Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.), directs the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer a vacant U.S. Forest Service building and 0.81 acres of surrounding land in Perryville, Ark., to Perry County to meet local community needs. This property has been vacant since Oct. 2024, and the Forest Service has no future plans for it. 

H.R. 3444, the Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), would authorize federal land management agencies to enter into new co-management agreements with Tribal governments related to the administration and stewardship of federal lands.