Sponsors (32)
The bill quickly restores Forest Service staff and keeps ongoing recreation, restoration, and fuels-reduction projects running—providing wildfire-risk reduction and local economic benefits—but does so without new funding and with expedited, mandated actions that could strain budgets, reduce agency flexibility, and raise administrative, legal, or safety concerns.
Homeowners, nearby communities, and utilities benefit from continued forest management and fuels-reduction/restoration work that reduces wildfire risk and improves ecosystem health and recreation over National Forest System lands.
Visitors and local economies retain access to maintained trails, campgrounds, and facilities while ongoing IIJA/IRA-funded infrastructure and land-improvement projects continue, supporting local jobs and contractors.
Federal Forest Service employees who were involuntarily removed between Jan 20, 2025 and enactment would be reinstated quickly, restoring jobs and incomes; the bill authorizes using previously appropriated funds to implement these actions rapidly (within 30 days).
Because no new funding is authorized and the bill redirects previously appropriated funds, other USDA/Forest Service programs and projects could lose resources or be delayed, straining agency budgets and affecting communities that depend on those services.
The rapid 30-day reinstatement deadline and reinstating employees regardless of prior removal reasons could force hasty rehiring or reinstatement decisions, increasing administrative and legal risk and potentially creating workplace safety, performance, or morale problems.
Mandating continuation of all listed projects limits agency flexibility to reallocate resources to higher-priority needs or emergencies and may lock in outdated plans without fresh community input, leaving some communities with projects that no longer match local priorities.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Directs the Agriculture Secretary to increase Forest Service staffing, reinstate certain employees, and continue all existing funded Forest Service projects under listed laws using available funds.
Official title: To ensure that the Forest Service is fully staffed, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 21, 2025 by Joseph Neguse · Last progress May 21, 2025
Requires the Agriculture Department to boost Forest Service staffing using available funds and to reinstate people involuntarily removed from Forest Service employment between January 20, 2025 and enactment. Directs the relevant federal agencies to continue carrying out all existing, funded Forest Service projects that were authorized or appropriated under several named laws, without creating new funding or program changes.