[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H4137-H4138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2025
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(S. 629) to amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to remove
barriers to agricultural producers in accessing funds to carry out
emergency measures under the emergency conservation program, and for
other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 629
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 ``Emergency Conservation
Program Improvement Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVING THE EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
Section 401 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16
U.S.C. 2201) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``and Other
Emergency Conservation Measures'' after ``Fencing'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by inserting ``or for other emergency measures to
replace or restore farmland or conservation structures
requiring an immediate response (as determined by the
Secretary),'' after ``replacement of fencing,''; and
(ii) by striking ``option of receiving'' and all that
follows through the period at the end and inserting the
following: ``option of receiving, before the agricultural
producer carries out the repair, replacement, or
restoration--
``(A) with respect to a payment to the agricultural
producer for a replacement, 75 percent of the cost of the
replacement, as determined by the Secretary; and
``(B) with respect to a payment to the agricultural
producer for a repair or restoration, 50 percent of the cost
of the repair or restoration, as determined by the
Secretary.''; and
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking ``60-day'' and inserting
``180-day''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Wildfire Determination.--A wildfire that causes
damage eligible for a payment under subsection (a) includes--
``(1) a wildfire that is not caused naturally, if the
damage is caused by the spread of the wildfire due to natural
causes; and
``(2) a wildfire that is caused by the Federal
Government.''.
SEC. 3. IMPROVING THE EMERGENCY FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM.
Section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16
U.S.C. 2206) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``wildfires,'' and
inserting ``wildfires (including a wildfire that is not
caused naturally, if the damage is caused by the spread of
the wildfire due to natural causes, and a wildfire that is
caused by the Federal Government),'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
``(e) Advance Payments.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall give an owner of
nonindustrial private forest land the option of receiving,
before the owner carries out emergency measures under this
section, not more than 75 percent of the cost of the
emergency measures, as determined by the Secretary.
``(2) Return of funds.--If the funds provided under
paragraph (1) are not expended by the end of the 180-day
period beginning on the date on which the owner of
nonindustrial private forest land receives those funds, the
funds shall be returned within a reasonable timeframe, as
determined by the Secretary.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) and the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Tokuda) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
General Leave
Mr. LUCAS. 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 the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Oklahoma?
There was no objection.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 629, the Emergency
Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025, introduced by Senator
Fischer of Nebraska.
The Emergency Conservation Program and the Emergency Forest
Restoration Program are two critical cost-share programs available to
landowners following a natural disaster. Given the natural disasters we
have witnessed, including wildfires, hurricanes, and flooding, these
programs have remained critically important.
Wildfires continue to present significant challenges, especially in
the West, due to their increasing intensity and the extensive number of
acres burned each year. Forest managers and wildfire experts have
predicted that 2026 will be a particularly challenging fire year. So
far this year, we have already witnessed approximately 2.7 million
acres burned in over 34,000 fires, and it is only June.
Recently, devastating wildfires have occurred in the plains of
Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas, instead of just being confined
to the forest and mountains of the West. This year, we saw
approximately 300,000 acres burn after multiple wildfires ignited in
Oklahoma and Kansas this past February.
In addition, due to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, we have observed
significant needs for emergency assistance resulting from the
devastation in southeastern States, including the Carolinas, Georgia,
and Florida. Natural disasters have inflicted great damage on private
property across the country at no fault of the landowners.
[[Page H4138]]
Under ECP, landowners can receive both technical and financial
assistance for repairs and restoration of land adversely affected by
natural disasters, including floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and
droughts. Additionally, EFRP provides financial assistance to
nonindustrial private forest landowners to support recovery efforts
following similar natural disasters.
While these programs are critical, participants have reported ongoing
issues with payment delays and insufficient upfront assistance to cover
the costs of urgent conservation needs.
To address this issue, S. 629 allows for advanced payments of up to
75 percent of the total project cost for both programs, clarifies
eligibility for cost-share payments, and allows for a longer period for
the use of ECP payments.
In addition, since receiving recommendations from both the Government
Accountability Office and the USDA Office of Inspector General, USDA
has indicated that the Department is taking actions to improve the
integrity and the administration of ECP. Given the significant
challenges that our producers and forest landowners are facing in the
aftermath of recent natural disasters, as well as the increased risk of
extreme fire damage this year, it is my hope that we can enhance this
program's integrity, while also providing timely assistance to those in
great need.
Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation and encourage my colleagues
to vote favorably.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 629.
Keeping food affordable starts with keeping farmers in business. As
natural disasters become more frequent and more devastating,
bipartisan, bicameral legislation like this is exactly what our
agricultural producers need.
Hawaii is still recovering from the Kona low storms that tore through
our islands this spring, leaving behind damage that communities and
producers will be rebuilding from for years to come.
I have walked farms across our State and seen firsthand the
waterlogged fields, crops buried in mud, and equipment totally
destroyed beyond repair. Our farmers are resilient, but resilience
alone cannot pay the bills after disaster strikes.
Hawaii is far from alone. This year, producers across the country
have faced devastating freezes, severe winter storms, flooding,
drought, and wildfire. These events are no longer isolated incidents.
They are becoming the reality of farming in America.
For many producers, the challenge isn't simply recovering from the
disaster. It is finding enough cash on hand to begin recovery in the
first place.
Today, even after USDA approves assistance, farmers are often forced
to pay costs up front and wait for reimbursement. For many family
farms, that delay can mean the difference between recovery and closure.
That is why this legislation matters.
Cash is king after a disaster, and flexibility is key. By extending
advance payments, this bill helps ensure USDA programs can meet farmers
and ranchers where they are and provide assistance when it makes the
greatest difference, not months later, but when recovery work must
begin.
{time} 1440
If this authority had been available following the Kona low storms,
eligible producers could have started rebuilding immediately instead of
scrambling to find the resources needed to bridge the gap. They could
have repaired damaged infrastructure, restored farmland, and returned
fields to production sooner.
This is a practical, commonsense policy that recognizes a simple
reality: When disaster strikes, recovery delayed is often recovery
denied.
Passing legislation is only half the job. The disaster after the
disaster would be enacting proactive policies like this while lacking
the workforce needed to deliver them. USDA programs are only as
effective as the workforce responsible for getting that help to farmers
on the ground.
Since the start of this administration, the Farm Service Agency
workforce has declined by more than 24 percent, while at least 158
county offices are operating without an FSA employee.
We cannot control Mother Nature. We cannot stop the next storm,
drought, wildfire, or flood, but we can ensure USDA has the staffing
capacity necessary to get assistance out the door quickly and
efficiently when producers need it most.
Our farmers and ranchers are not asking for a handout. They are
asking for a fighting chance to recover, rebuild, and continue
producing the food, fuel, and fiber our country depends on.
Let's give USDA the tools they need to meet this big challenge.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 629. I thank my
colleagues for their strong support of this bipartisan, bicameral
legislation.
Before we vote, I want to reflect on why this matters. When the Kona
low storms swept across Hawaii this spring, they left farms flooded,
infrastructure damaged, and producers facing months of costly recovery.
Many are still working to restore their operations today.
Even as that work continued, a 6.0 earthquake struck our island chain
just last month, less than a month ago, damaging roads and water
systems on Hawaii Island, our State's largest agricultural producer.
It is a reminder that disaster doesn't wait for recovery to finish
before the next challenge arrives. Whether storms, drought, wildfire,
or earthquakes, our producers are increasingly operating in a world
where disruption is becoming the norm rather than the exception.
That is why S. 629 is so important. This bill recognizes that timing
matters. For farmers and ranchers trying to get back on their feet,
access to resources when recovery begins can make all the difference in
how quickly they can restore production and keep their operations
viable.
While the need is clear, success depends on more than good policy
alone. Congress can provide USDA with the right tools, but those tools
must be backed by the workforce needed to put them into action. Passing
legislation without the capacity to implement helps no one.
We cannot prevent every disaster that comes our way, but we can make
sure the Federal response is faster, more flexible, and better equipped
to support the people who grow the food we depend on.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to strongly support S. 629, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
Mr. Speaker, I simply want to thank my colleague for her efforts on
this piece of legislation and on the floor today.
The challenges that this bill is designed to address are real, and
they are not just one particular locality, whether it is Hawaii,
various States on the East or West Coasts, or across the country. We
need to pass this legislation to make the process work more
efficiently.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote for this piece
of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, S. 629.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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