Thanks to a strong bipartisan showing, the U.S. House passed the Fix Our Forests Act by a vote of 279-141. Sixty-four Democrats and 215 Republicans joined to approve the measure.
After the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation distributed a call-to-action alert, members sent more than 5,000 messages to 417 members of Congress over a 30-hour period prior to the vote.
“The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has long supported reforms of federal policy to actively manage our forests, sagebrush and grasslands for improved wildlife habitat and reduced catastrophic fire risk. That is why we strongly support the passage of the Fix Our Forests Act sponsored by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Representative Scott Peters (D-CA),” said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO. “This bipartisan legislation addresses numerous RMEF priorities to improve forest management throughout the U.S. by expediting and streamlining the review of forest management projects, strengthening Good Neighbor Authority, and removing the duplicative procedural requirements stemming from the Cottonwood decision. This legislation reduces litigation and increases management to protect people from wildfire and ensure the future of elk, mule deer and other big game and wildlife.”
To become law, the Senate must also approve the measure followed by a presidential signature. For more details, including a portal to send a message to individual senators, click here.
(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)