Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup of 14 bills, including legislation advancing forest management and active wildfire suppression in the wake of the Dragon Bravo Fire affecting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. These bills also advance several of President Trump’s Executive Orders (EO). House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources is responding in real time to ensure tragedies like the Dragon Bravo Fire never happen again. This fire should have never been allowed to burn and now irreplaceable treasures are lost forever. Today’s legislation ensures we can actively manage our forests and immediately suppress fires when they ignite, protecting communities and our public lands. I'd like to thank the tireless work of my colleagues to move this extensive slate of legislation forward, and I await the opportunity to support these bills as they continue though the legislative process."

Background

H.R. 178, the Put Out The Fire Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), will give clear direction to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Department of the Interior to immediately suppress wildfires on lands identified as being under specific drought conditions or at high risk of wildfire, in addition to times when the nation is at its highest fire preparedness level. This bill helps advance President Trump’s EO 14308, “Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response.” 

H.R. 179, the Proven Forest Management Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), makes an existing 10,000-acre categorical exclusion only available in the Tahoe Basin available throughout the entire National Forest System and on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This bill helps advance President Trump’s EO 14308, “Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response.”

H.R. 839, the No Federal Expansion Designation in West Texas Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), prohibits the implementation, administration and enforcement of the finalized land management plan for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. The Biden administration previously announced a more than 100-fold expansion of the refuge as part of its radical 30x30 Initiative. 

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 prevention and help study and develop innovative solutions to mitigate wildfire risks. If enacted, the new Southwest Ecological Restoration Institute would partner with local, state and federal agencies to support forest and rangeland management. This bill helps advance President Trump’s EO 14308, “Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response.” 

H.R. 1276, introduced by U.S. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), removes certain National Park Service restrictions on a parcel of land used for recreation by the Oscar Cross Boys & Girls Club of Paducah, Ky. This will allow the club to advance its renovation plans and ensure continued service to current and future generations of McCracken County youth. 

H.R. 2294, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Miss.), reauthorizes the Integrated Ocean Observing System, a public-private partnership of coastal observation systems that collects data to inform decision-making along our nation’s coasts and in marine waters.

H.R. 2302, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), places approximately 85 acres of BLM land and 118 acres of fee simple land owned by the Tribe into trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians.

H.R. 2400, the Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), places approximately 584 acres of land owned by the USFS, known as the “Four Corners,” and 40 acres of fee land into trust for the Pit River Tribe.

H.R. 3620, the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska), conveys certain federal property to the Southcentral Foundation in Anchorage, Alaska, to support its health care services. Southcentral Foundation is the Alaska Native tribal health organization designated by Cook Inlet Region, Inc. and eleven federally recognized tribes to provide healthcare services to beneficiaries of the Indian Health Service under a 638 compact.

H.R. 3857, the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Reauthorization Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd (R- Colo.), reauthorizes the Bureau of Reclamation’s Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program, empowering water managers with new technologies to conduct snow monitoring and water supply forecasting and make decisions based on the best available science.

H.R. 4285, the Semiquincentennial Tourism and Access to Recreation Sites (STARS) Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-Utah), designates September 17, 2026, Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, as a fee-free day at National Park System units in celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence. 

H.R. 345, the Fire Department Repayment Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.), would require the Secretaries of Agriculture, the Interior, Homeland Security and Defense to establish standard operating procedures for payment timelines of fire suppression cost-sharing agreements.

H.R. 528, the Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), requires federal land management agencies to carry out priority reforestation projects with non-federal partners following wildfires and other natural disasters. A version of this legislation was included in the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act that passed the House earlier this year in the wake of devastating fires in Los Angeles County, Calif.

H.R. 2290, the World War II Women's Memorial Location Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), would authorize the location of the World War II women's memorial on or near the National Mall. The memorial honors the more than 18 million women who served the war effort across every sector of American society. This legislation advances the goals of President Trump's EO 14252, "Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful."