H.R. 3476

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the forest conservation easement program, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · May 17, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Kelly of Mississippi · Committee: Committee on Agriculture

Table of contents

• SEC. 1. Short title
• SEC. 2. Forest Conservation Easement Program
• SEC. 3. Funding
• SEC. 4. Healthy Forests Reserve Program
• SEC. 5. Sense of Congress

SEC. 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the "Forest Conservation Easement Program Act of 2025".

SEC. 2. Forest Conservation Easement Program

(a) In general

Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801 et seq.) is amended— (1) by redesignating subtitle I (16 U.S.C. 3871 et seq.) as subtitle J; and

(2) by inserting after subtitle H (16 U.S.C. 3865 et seq.) the following:

.

(b) Conforming amendments

(1) Section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801(a)) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking "subtitles A through I:" and inserting "subtitles A through J:" .

(2) Section 1241(e)(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(e)(1)) is amended by striking "subtitle I" and inserting "subtitle J" .

(3) Section 1244(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3844(d)) is amended by striking "I." and inserting "J." .

SEC. 3. Funding

Section 1241 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting after ; and (B) by adding at the end the following:

(5) The forest conservation easement program established under subtitle I, using $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.; and

(2) in subsection (b), by inserting after .

SEC. 4. Healthy Forests Reserve Program

(a) Repeal

Title V of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6571 et seq.) is repealed.

(b) Transitional provisions

(1) The repeal made by subsection (a) shall not affect the validity or terms of any contract, agreement, or easement entered into by the Secretary of Agriculture under title V of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6571 et seq.) before the date of enactment of this Act, or any payments required to be made in connection with the contract, agreement, or easement.

(2) Funding (A) Notwithstanding the repeal made by subsection (a), any funds made available from the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out the healthy forests reserve program established under title V of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6571 et seq.) (as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act) shall be made available to carry out contracts, agreements, or easements referred to in paragraph (1) that were entered into prior to the date of enactment of this Act, subject to the condition that no such contract, agreement, or easement may be modified so as to increase the amount of any payment received. (B) The Secretary of Agriculture may use funds made available to carry out the forest conservation easement program established under subtitle I of the Food Security Act of 1985 to continue to carry out contracts, agreements, or easements referred to in paragraph (1) using the provisions of law (including regulations) applicable to those contracts, agreements, and easements as in existence on the day before the date of enactment of this Act.

(c) Conforming amendments

(1) The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (; 117 Stat. 1887) is amended by striking the items relating to title V. (Public Law 108–148)

(2) Section 1271A(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871a(1)) is amended by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the following:

(D) The forest conservation easement program established under subtitle I..

SEC. 5. Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that the costs of carrying out this Act shall be offset.