Sponsors (4)
The bill secures staff and resources to strengthen regional research and local land-management benefits in Puerto Rico and the Pacific Islands, but raises federal costs and creates staffing mandates that could strain appropriations and reduce managerial flexibility.
Researchers and staff at the Puerto Rico and Pacific Islands institutes will have guaranteed minimum staffing (50 positions in Puerto Rico, 30 in the Pacific Islands), providing job security and continuity for scientific personnel.
Both institutes receive an explicit obligation for adequate resources, strengthening research, monitoring, and knowledge exchange on forestry, climate, and species conservation that benefits scientists and nearby rural communities.
Improved institute capacity will support local land management, recreation, and sustainable-yield practices, benefiting nearby rural and tribal communities and local ecosystems.
Taxpayers and state governments face increased federal costs because hiring and resourcing the institutes will require new spending or reallocation of USDA funds, and if Congress does not appropriate enough money the requirement could be unmet or divert funds from other regional programs.
Mandated staffing minimums limit managerial flexibility to scale staff to changing research needs or local conditions, constraining federal and institute managers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the Secretary to ensure the Puerto Rico Institute has ≥50 staff and the Pacific Islands Institute has ≥30 staff and adequate resources to carry out their research duties.
Introduced February 11, 2026 by Jill Tokuda · Last progress February 11, 2026
Requires the USDA Secretary to ensure two federal tropical forestry research institutes are adequately staffed and resourced: at least 50 staff for the Institute of Tropical Forestry in Puerto Rico and at least 30 staff for the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, so they can carry out their statutory research duties. The bill preserves existing research topics and adds an explicit staffing minimum and an affirmative resource obligation for both institutes.