SAWMILL Act
- Bill Number
- S. 2221
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-16T13:52:53Z
AI-Generated Summary
S. 2221 – Supporting American Wood and Mill Infrastructure with Loans for Longevity Act (SAWMILL Act)
Purpose
This bill creates specific rules for the Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program. The goal is to support the establishment, reopening, retrofit, expansion, or improvement of sawmills and wood-processing facilities in rural areas near certain federal lands, where such facilities would reduce the costs of ecological restoration projects involving vegetation removal.
Key Provisions
- Definitions:
- "Eligible entity" refers to an individual or business that owns or operates a sawmill or wood-processing facility in a rural area of the United States.
- "Eligible Federal land" means federal land units (including Indian forest land) identified as high or very high priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal.
- Land Identification: The Secretary of Agriculture, working with the Secretary of the Interior, must review federal lands and identify priority units for restoration at least once every five years, starting within one year of enactment.
- Loan Guarantees: The Secretary of Agriculture must offer loan guarantees to eligible entities for facilities located within 250 miles of identified priority lands, provided the facility would substantially lower the cost of restoration projects on those lands.
- Limits and Conditions: Total loan guarantees under the program may not exceed $220,000,000. Guarantees must follow conditions set by the Secretary.
- Coordination: The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior must work together on land identification and loan decisions.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill establishes formal requirements for carrying out the Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program. It does not amend other statutes but creates new statutory obligations for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior regarding land reviews, eligibility determinations, and loan guarantee administration.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Requires ongoing coordination and periodic reviews by the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior, potentially increasing administrative workload for land management and loan oversight.
- Citizens and Rural Areas: Could support job creation and economic activity in rural communities by expanding wood-processing infrastructure.
- Forest Management: May facilitate more efficient vegetation removal on federal lands by lowering restoration costs through nearby processing facilities.
- International Relations: No direct effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Owners and operators of sawmills and wood-processing facilities in rural areas.
- Federal land management agencies (Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior).
- Rural communities near federal lands prioritized for ecological restoration.
- Entities involved in forest restoration projects on federal lands.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Involves federal loan guarantees, which commit government resources to back private loans and may require future appropriations or risk management.
- Emphasizes interagency coordination between Agriculture and Interior on land-use decisions.
- Focuses on rural economic development tied to federal land management, with no apparent constitutional conflicts or major political restrictions noted in the text.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (4)
Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT], Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME], Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS], Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2025-07-09: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Supporting American Wood and Mill Infrastructure with Loans for Longevity Act — issued 2025-07-09 — PDF (4 pages)