Senate Companion Bill Introduced for the Fix Our Forest Act

An NAHB-supported bipartisan Senate companion bill has been introduced for the Fix Our Forest Act, which passed the House in January.

Sens. John Curtis (R-Utah), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced the legislation, which will contribute to better forest management practices, help strengthen the nation’s housing supply chain and promote affordable housing opportunities for all Americans.

The Fix Our Forests Act will help improve the U.S. forest management system by expediting environmental reviews and ending frivolous litigation that often grinds needed forest management projects to a halt.

Better forest management has positive ecological benefits along with the economic benefit of increasing the supply of federal timber products. Despite America’s vast timber resources, the United States does not produce sufficient lumber to meet the housing industry’s demand, requiring costly imports.

Lumber and wood products are a major cost driver in housing affordability, accounting for approximately 15% of the cost of construction for a single-family house. Additional domestic supply can help stabilize what is otherwise a volatile market for wood products and give builders greater price stability.