[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1981 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 495
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 1981
To require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior to utilize grazing for wildfire risk reduction, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 5, 2025
Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself and Mr. Curtis) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
July 23, 2026
Reported by Mr. Lee, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior to utilize grazing for wildfire risk reduction, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Strategic Grazing to Reduce
Risk of Wildfire Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. UTILIZING GRAZING FOR WILDFIRE RISK
REDUCTION.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) National forest system.--The term ``National
Forest System'' has the meaning given the term in section 11(a)
of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of
1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Public lands.--The term ``public lands'' has
the meaning given the term in section 103 of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary
concerned'' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with
respect to National Forest System land; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the Secretary of the Interior, with
respect to public lands.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Strategy.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned, in
coordination with holders of permits to graze livestock on
Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned
and in consultation with other relevant stakeholders described
in paragraph (3), shall develop a strategy to utilize livestock
grazing as a wildfire risk reduction tool consistent with the
laws applicable to the Secretary concerned.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Considerations.--The strategy developed under
paragraph (1) shall consider--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the use of grazing on vacant grazing
allotments during instances of drought, wildfire, or
other natural disasters that disrupt grazing on
allotments already permitted;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the use of targeted grazing to reduce
hazardous fuels, including on Federal land within the
wildland urban interface (as defined in section 101 of
the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C.
6511)), and other critical areas identified by the
Secretaries concerned;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) recommending the use of targeted
grazing when providing technical assistance to
communities and Indian Tribes in their efforts to
reduce wildfire risk and implement wildfire management
strategies;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) the use of temporary permits to
promote targeted fuels reduction and reduction of
cheatgrass and other invasive annual grasses, including
any potential need for the use of grazing outside
permitted animal unit months and season of use, as
appropriate for the explicit purposes of targeted fuels
reduction of cheatgrass and other invasive annual
grasses;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) the use of targeted grazing to aid in
controlling invasive annual grasses, including
cheatgrass;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (F) the use of targeted grazing in
postfire recovery efforts, as appropriate;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (G) an integrated use of advanced
technologies such as virtual fencing to dynamically
adjust livestock placement;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (H) the use of grazing on Federal land in
a manner that--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) avoids conflicts with other
uses of that Federal land; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) is consistent with any
applicable land management plan;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (I) a workforce development plan to ensure
that Federal workers have the necessary skills to
manage livestock grazing programs and deploy
technologies;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (J) the use of cooperative agreements with
States, local governments, Indian Tribes, and local
firefighting agencies to reduce hazardous fuels and
invasive annual grasses, including reimbursements
authorized under other provisions of law, including
under good neighbor agreements under section 8206 of
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a);
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (K) other applicable statutory or
regulatory authorities, as determined by the Secretary
concerned.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Consultation.--In developing the strategy
under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall consult
with--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) applicable States;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) applicable units of local
government;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) applicable Indian Tribes;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) applicable utility
authorities;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) applicable firefighting
agencies;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (F) land management
organizations;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (G) outdoor recreation, conservation, and
sportsmen organizations; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (H) other interested members of the
applicable community.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Effect on Existing Grazing Programs.--Nothing in this
section affects any livestock grazing program being carried out as of
the date of enactment of this Act by the Secretary concerned.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Strategic Grazing to Reduce Risk of
Wildfire Act''.
SEC. 2. UTILIZING GRAZING FOR WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Indian tribe.--
(A) In general.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
5304).
(B) Inclusions.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' includes
a Native Hawaiian community-based organization or
Native Hawaiian organization (as those terms are
defined in section 6207 of the Native Hawaiian
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 7517)).
(2) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest
System'' has the meaning given the term in section 11(a) of the
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974
(16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
(3) Public lands.--The term ``public lands'' has the
meaning given the term in section 103 of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).
(4) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to
National Forest System land; and
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to
public lands.
(b) Strategy.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned, in coordination
with applicable holders of permits or leases to graze livestock
on Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary
concerned and in coordination with other relevant stakeholders
described in paragraph (3), shall develop a strategy to utilize
livestock grazing as a wildfire risk reduction tool consistent
with the laws applicable to the Secretary concerned.
(2) Considerations.--The strategy developed under paragraph
(1) shall consider--
(A) the use of grazing on vacant grazing allotments
during instances of drought, wildfire, or other natural
disasters that disrupt grazing on allotments already
permitted or leased, subject to the condition that the
Secretary concerned shall--
(i) prioritize the use of allotments that
would not pose significant management or
resource challenges for the permittee or the
Secretary concerned; and
(ii) plan to return permittees to their
original allotments as soon as practicable;
(B) the use of targeted grazing to reduce hazardous
fuels, including on Federal land within the wildland
urban interface (as defined in section 101 of the
Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C.
6511)), and other critical areas identified by the
Secretaries concerned;
(C) recommending the use of targeted grazing when
providing technical assistance to applicable entities
described in paragraph (3) in their efforts to reduce
wildfire risk and implement wildfire management
strategies;
(D) the use of temporary permits or leases to
promote targeted fuels reduction and reduction of
cheatgrass and other invasive annual grasses, including
any potential need for the use of grazing outside
permitted animal unit months and season of use, as
appropriate for the explicit purposes of targeted fuels
reduction of cheatgrass and other invasive annual
grasses;
(E) the use of targeted grazing to aid in
controlling invasive annual grasses, including
cheatgrass;
(F) the use of targeted grazing in postfire
recovery efforts, as appropriate;
(G) an integrated use of advanced technologies such
as virtual fencing to dynamically adjust livestock
placement;
(H) the use of grazing on Federal land in a manner
that--
(i) avoids conflicts with other uses of
that Federal land; and
(ii) is consistent with any applicable land
management plan; and
(I) the use of cooperative agreements with States,
local governments, Indian Tribes, and local
firefighting agencies to reduce hazardous fuels and
invasive annual grasses, including reimbursements
authorized under other provisions of law, including
under good neighbor agreements under section 8206 of
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a).
(3) Coordination.--In developing the strategy under
paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall coordinate with--
(A) applicable States;
(B) applicable State wildlife and fish and game
agencies;
(C) applicable units of local government;
(D) applicable Indian Tribes;
(E) applicable utility authorities; and
(F) applicable firefighting agencies.
(4) Public availability.--The Secretary concerned shall
post the strategy developed under paragraph (1) on a website of
the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the
Interior, as applicable.
(c) Effect.--Nothing in this section--
(1) affects any livestock grazing program being carried out
as of the date of enactment of this Act by the Secretary
concerned; or
(2) limits the requirements of the Secretary concerned to
provide permits or leases under the Act of June 28, 1934
(commonly known as the ``Taylor Grazing Act'') (48 Stat. 1269,
chapter 865; 43 U.S.C. 315 et seq.).
Calendar No. 495
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 1981
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior to utilize grazing for wildfire risk reduction, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 23, 2026
Reported with an amendment