U.S. House Passes Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 471) with 279-141 Vote in Response to California Wildfires

Jan 23, 2025, 08:47 PM

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 471) with a vote of 279-141. The legislation, introduced by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA), aims to reduce the intensity of wildfires and protect communities by simplifying and expediting environmental reviews for forest management projects. The bill's passage comes in response to recent devastating wildfires in California, which have underscored the need for improved forest management to prevent future disasters. Several representatives, including Rep. David Valadao, Rep. Tim Walberg, Rep. Jen Kiggans, Rep. Jay Obernolte, Rep. Kevin Kiley, Rep. MMM, Rep. Burgess Owens, Rep. Rob Wittman, Speaker Johnson, and the GOP Majority Whip, spoke in support of the bill on the House floor, emphasizing its role in restoring forest health, increasing resiliency to catastrophic wildfires, and protecting communities located dangerously close to wildland urban interfaces.