[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 211 (Monday, December 15, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H5876-H5878]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UTAH WILDFIRE RESEARCH INSTITUTE ACT OF 2025
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1045) to amend the Southwest Forest Health and Wildfire
Prevention Act of 2004 to require the establishment of an additional
Institute under that Act.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1045
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Utah Wildfire Research
Institute Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL INSTITUTE.
(a) In General.--Section 5(b)(2) of the Southwest Forest
Health and Wildfire Prevention Act of 2004 (16 U.S.C.
6704(b)(2)) is amended--
[[Page H5877]]
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) the State of Utah.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 5(e)(1) of the Southwest
Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention Act of 2004 (16 U.S.C.
6704(e)(1)) is amended by striking ``and Colorado'' and
inserting ``Colorado, and Utah''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Stauber) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr.
Hernandez) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
General Leave
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 1045, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Minnesota?
There was no objection.
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1045, the Utah Wildfire
Research Institute Act of 2025, offered by Representative Kennedy of
Utah.
Across the West, and particularly in Utah, wildfire risk is
increasing. In 2024, more than 90,000 acres burned in the State. Along
the Wasatch Front, the number of fire weather days has grown by 15
since 1973, meaning fires now have a longer window to ignite and
spread. This is exacerbated by the accumulation of hazardous fuels,
caused by a century of fire suppression and a lack of active
management.
In 2004, Congress created the Southwest Ecological Restoration
Institutes, or SWERI, in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico to advance
wildfire research and promote science-based forest management. These
institutes have been invaluable partners to Federal and State land
managers, producing peer-reviewed research, improving forest health,
and helping reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires across the West.
Despite facing the same wildfire threats as its Four Corners
neighbors, Utah is the only State in the region without a SWERI center.
Representative Kennedy's legislation corrects this oversight by
authorizing an additional institute in Utah, allowing the State to
expand research, strengthen watershed restoration, and develop
innovative fuel-reduction strategies.
We know that forest management is the single most crucial factor in
determining wildfire severity. This bill builds on a proven model and
will bolster Utah's ability to confront wildfire risks head-on.
Mr. Speaker, I commend Representative Kennedy and the chairman of the
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator Lee, for their
leadership on this issue. Their legislation has broad support in the
State of Utah, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it
today.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC, September 3, 2025.
Hon. Glenn Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson: I write regarding H.R. 1045, the
``Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act of 2025,'' which was
ordered reported by the Committee on Natural Resources on
July 23, 2025.
I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall
within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Agriculture and
appreciate your willingness to forgo further consideration of
the bill. I acknowledge that the Committee on Agriculture
will not formally consider H.R. 1045 and agree that the
inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not
waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained
therein.
I am pleased to support your request to name members of the
Committee on Agriculture to any conference committee to
consider such provisions. I will ensure that our exchange of
letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor
consideration of the bill and will include such letters in
the committee report on H.R. 1045. I appreciate your
cooperation regarding this legislation.
Sincerely,
Bruce Westerman,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Agriculture,
Washington, DC, September 3, 2025.
Hon. Bruce Westerman,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: This letter confirms our mutual
understanding regarding H.R. 1045, the ``Utah Wildfire
Research Institute Act of 2025.'' Thank you for collaborating
with the Committee on Agriculture on the matters within our
jurisdiction.
The Committee on Agriculture will forego any further
consideration of this bill. However, by foregoing
consideration at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction
over any subject matter contained in this or similar
legislation. The Committee on Agriculture also reserves the
right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of
conferees, should it become necessary, and ask that you
support such a request.
We would appreciate a response to this letter confirming
this understanding with respect to H.R. 1045 and request a
copy of our letters on this matter be published in the
Congressional Record during Floor consideration.
Sincerely,
Glenn ``GT'' Thompson,
Chairman.
Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Representative Kennedy's bill, the
Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act of 2025.
This bill would expand wildfire research capacity by including Utah
in the Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes network, also known
as SWERI. The SWERI program has proven to be a valuable model for
scientific collaboration and forest health innovation, assisting in
wildfire restoration and preparedness across the Southwest.
This legislation proposes Utah State University as the host
university, which would partner with local, State, and Federal agencies
to enhance forest and rangeland management and implement strategies for
long-term ecological restoration. Adding a fourth institute in Utah has
the potential to increase and accelerate the reach and impact of SWERI.
While I support adding another SWERI to the existing network, I must
also note that I remain very concerned about the administration's
proposed deep cuts to our land management agencies, which partner with
SWERI and fund their key research efforts. The administration's attacks
on these agencies threaten the very existence of current SWERI and the
viability of the new Utah site.
We need sustained investment for research to protect our communities
and landscapes, and the administration's proposed level of investment
would certainly not be sufficient to support the existing program, let
alone the expansion proposed by this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation, but I also call
upon my colleagues to join us in standing up to this administration's
reckless cuts.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Kennedy), the lead sponsor of this bill.
Mr. KENNEDY of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill,
H.R. 1045, the Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act of 2025.
Utah is in a wildfire crisis. Our unique environment makes wildfires
a constant danger. It is common to drive down I-15, a major
thoroughfare in Utah, in the warm months and see fire on the side of
our beautiful mountains.
In 2004, Congress created three regional centers in Arizona,
Colorado, and New Mexico dedicated to strengthening forest health and
reducing wildfire risk. These centers, now collectively known as the
Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes, or SWERI, serve as hubs
for research, data sharing, and on-the-ground collaboration. They bring
together the expertise of our universities with the experience of
State, local, and Federal land managers.
Since 2004, Utah has had over 23,000 wildfires and over 3 million
acres burned. These aren't mere statistics but represent impacted
livelihoods, damaged watersheds, strained emergency responders, and
long-term burdens on our economy, infrastructure, and public safety.
These fires have scarred our lands and endangered our growing
population. For us in Utah, the next major wildfire is not a question
of if but when and how devastating it will be.
That is why the Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act is essential. By
passing this bill, Congress has the opportunity to strengthen how we
understand, prevent, and respond to wildfire in the Mountain West.
[[Page H5878]]
As the only Four Corners State to not have a SWERI facility, it is
only right for Utah to have a dedicated hub focused on the wildfire
challenges facing Utah and the surrounding States.
It will allow our universities, firefighters, land managers, and
Federal partners to work together. It will help us understand fire
behavior in high-elevation deserts. It will support innovations in fuel
management, post-fire watershed recovery, and community resilience.
More importantly, the Utah wildfire institute will ensure that we are
not simply reacting to each crisis as it comes but planning ahead.
This bill reflects what Utahns already know, that collaboration,
science-based planning, and proactive management are the most effective
tools we have to protect our land and our people. It is a vote for
safer communities, healthier forests and rangelands, and responsible
stewardship of the places that we call home.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Utah Wildfire
Research Institute Act as this investment will protect Utah for
generations to come.
{time} 1620
Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation is straightforward. It builds on the
proven success of the Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes in
Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico by finally extending this important
program to Utah.
Establishing a SWERI in Utah will expand wildlife research,
strengthen collaboration with land managers, and provide new tools to
improve forest health and reduce catastrophic wildfires. I urge my
colleagues to support Representative Kennedy's bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1045.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________