U.S. House passes slate of Natural Resources bills

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. House has passed 14 Natural Resources bills supporting protections and management of areas around the country, including promoting coastal resiliency.

A bill of nationwide significance, the Fix Our Forests Act, H.R. 8790, passed with a bipartisan support by a vote of 268-151. This comprehensive bill boosts forest restoration and growth projects, along with pro-active management efforts to reduce wildfires, and support for community resiliency. This bill was sponsored by Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), the only professional forester by education in the U.S. Congress, with Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.).

Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, a Vice Chairman of the Western Caucus, is a cosponsor of this legislation, which will now be considered by the U.S. Senate. It builds on continued efforts in legislation to foster healthy forests, support firefighting, incentivize science-driven work with overgrown and fire-prone areas, and promote seedling husbandry and cultivation.

Congresswoman Amata said, “Currently, in the United States, there are 26 active large wildfires, and an astonishing 7.3 million acres have burned. I’m proud of our own island firefighters who have joined that effort, and place high value on their training and professionalism for ongoing readiness. Our beautiful tropical islands experience plentiful rainfall, but we must be vigilant, and this bill provides support for our forests nationwide.”

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said, “The Fix Our Forests Act creates responsible land management practices and encourages healthy, vibrant forests that our children and grandchildren will enjoy for generations to come. I commend Rep. Westerman’s leadership in protecting America’s natural beauty.”

Chairman Westerman said, “(Tuesday), the House took decisive action on the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act, which will empower local land managers and agencies with tools to enact the most vital forest management projects. The time to fix our forests is now.”

Among these bipartisan bills, the House passed H.R. 1726, led by the Hawaii House delegation, to control and research Rapid Ohia Death protecting trees by federal, state and private efforts; the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023, H.R. 2950; and the Bolstering Ecosystems Against Coastal Harm (BEACH) Act, H.R. 5490.