Sponsors (2)
The bill secures baseline staffing and clearer statutory authority for Puerto Rico and Pacific Islands forestry research—strengthening local research capacity and accountability—at the cost of higher federal spending and possible reallocation of USDA resources if new appropriations are not provided.
Researchers and staff at the Puerto Rico Institute and the Pacific Islands Institute will have guaranteed minimum staffing and resources (at least 50 staff for Puerto Rico and 30 for the Pacific Islands), enabling more stable, sustained tropical and island-forest research and knowledge exchange.
Federal administrators, institute staff, and state partners will face clearer statutory headings and structure, making responsibilities and implementation more transparent and improving accountability for institute activities.
USDA may need to reallocate existing program funds or staff to meet the new mandated staffing minimums if Congress does not provide additional appropriations, potentially reducing resources for other programs and partners.
Taxpayers could face higher federal costs if USDA increases hiring or funding to satisfy the new minimum staffing and resource requirements.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Mandates at least 50 staff for the Institute of Tropical Forestry (Puerto Rico) and at least 30 staff for the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, and requires adequate resources for both.
Introduced February 11, 2026 by Mazie Hirono · Last progress February 11, 2026
Requires the U.S. Forest Service to staff and resource two regional research institutes at minimum levels: the Institute of Tropical Forestry in Puerto Rico must have at least 50 staff and adequate resources, and the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry must have at least 30 staff and adequate resources. It also reorganizes the statute's subsection headings and clarifies that those institutes carry out defined activities and must be maintained with specified staffing and resources. The change adjusts statutory wording and layout, adds explicit subsection headings for general authority, activities, and staffing/resources, and sets concrete minimum staffing thresholds for each institute but does not itself appropriate funding.