Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act
- Bill Number
- S. 2399
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Emergency Management
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4626)
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T21:56:37Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act (S. 2399) aims to provide financial support to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that suffer unexpected revenue losses due to major disasters, such as wildfires, floods, or severe insect infestations. It establishes a targeted payment program to help these businesses cover operating expenses and maintain economic stability in affected areas.
Key Provisions
- Eligibility: Businesses involved in harvesting or hauling unrefined timber products (e.g., logs) in the previous calendar year qualify if they experience at least a 10% drop in gross revenue (total income from normal operations) over a 30-day period or a full quarter, compared to the same period in the prior year, directly caused by a major disaster.
- Payments: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its Farm Service Agency (FSA), will issue payments equal to 10% of the business's gross revenue during the affected period. Payments are restricted to operating expenses (e.g., fuel, maintenance, wages), and businesses must certify this use.
- Major Disaster Definition: Draws from the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (a federal law defining large-scale calamities like hurricanes or earthquakes), but explicitly includes insect infestations if declared as such.
- Reporting and Oversight: USDA must submit an annual report to Senate and House Agriculture Committees, detailing payment recipients and amounts. Regulations to implement the program must be issued within 30 days of enactment.
- Funding: Authorizes $50 million annually from fiscal years 2025 through 2029, though actual funding depends on congressional appropriations.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new, standalone payment program specifically for timber-related businesses, which does not appear to amend or expand prior disaster relief laws like the Stafford Act. A key procedural change allows USDA to bypass standard rulemaking processes—such as public notice-and-comment periods under the Administrative Procedure Act and paperwork burden reviews under the Paperwork Reduction Act—to enable faster rollout.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Places administrative burden on USDA and FSA to process claims, issue payments, and report to Congress quickly, potentially straining resources in disaster-heavy years but streamlining aid delivery.
- On Citizens and Businesses: Provides direct financial relief to small, often rural timber operations, helping prevent closures and job losses in forestry-dependent communities. It could stabilize local economies in disaster-prone regions like the Pacific Northwest or Appalachia, but benefits are limited to qualifying losses and uses.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the program is domestic and focused on U.S. timber industries.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Timber Businesses: Primary beneficiaries—harvesting (cutting and processing trees) and hauling (transporting logs) companies facing disaster-related revenue dips.
- Federal Government: USDA/FSA handles implementation; Congress oversees via reports and funding decisions.
- Rural Communities: Indirectly supported through preserved jobs and economic activity in logging areas.
- Taxpayers: Fund the program through authorized appropriations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The waiver of notice-and-comment rulemaking could face challenges if seen as overly hasty, though it aligns with emergency provisions in federal law for rapid disaster response. Payments are tied to certifications, reducing fraud risk but relying on USDA verification.
- Constitutional: No major issues; it falls under Congress's spending power (Article I, Section 8) to regulate commerce and provide for the general welfare, particularly in agriculture and disaster aid.
- Political: Supports bipartisan interests in rural and forestry states (introduced by senators from Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire), potentially aiding recovery from climate-related disasters. However, the fixed authorization may spark debates over long-term funding amid budget constraints, and annual reporting promotes transparency but could invite scrutiny of aid distribution.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4626)
- 2025-07-23: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act — issued 2025-07-23 — PDF (4 pages)