Statement by Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson
H.R. 2647, The Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015

--As Prepared for Delivery--

“I thank the gentleman. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

“I rise in support of H.R. 2647, the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015. This is bipartisan legislation that will address some of the burdensome regulations that have arisen from legal challenges and help get our forests actively managed the way we need.

“For some time now I have been concerned about efforts undertaken by extreme environmental groups to twist laws to their liking. This so-called “sue and settle” strategy has led to policy changes decided by activists and bureaucrats. These policy changes often ignore Congressional intent and fail to take into account constituent input and the real facts on the ground. Additionally, this means a less transparent and less accountable regulatory process.

“H.R. 2647 would simplify forest management activities; therefore reducing some of this bad behavior.

“The bill also includes an important budgetary fix to help address the rising costs of wildfires. Just this year, wildfires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres and caused millions of dollars in damage. H.R. 2647 will allow access for our land management agencies to the resources they need to fight wildfires without having to rob their other accounts. The current practice of “fire borrowing” leads to taking away resources from productively managing our forests to keep them healthy and less prone to fire. This bill would end this practice and ensure the agencies have access to the needed resources to fight wildfire disasters all year.

“Again, this is much-needed, bipartisan legislation that addresses many of the issues currently impacting forest management. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2647 and reserve the balance of my time.”
 

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