Chairman Boozman Leads Oversight Hearing of U.S. Forest Service, Urges Senate Passage of Fix Our Forests Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) led an oversight hearing examining the U.S. Forest Service and renewed his call for Senate passage of the Fix Our Forests Act, bipartisan legislation to mitigate wildfire threats and improve forest management.

The following is the Chairman's opening statement as prepared for delivery:

"Good morning and welcome. It is my privilege to call this hearing to examine the work of the United States Forest Service and the challenges facing our national forests and communities that depend on them. I welcome our witness, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, Tom Shultz.

"Thank you for being here today to share the work of the Forest Service to support our national forests, especially as fire season begins.

"The Forest Service manages and oversees roughly 193 million acres of forests and grasslands across this country. My state of Arkansas is home to two of those National Forests, the Ozark-St. Francis and the Ouachita, which account for nearly 3 million acres between the two.

"These National Forests not only support their local communities' economies, but also by provide recreational access to Arkansans.

"The University of Arkansas at Monticello and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture also have close relationships that support research and local engagement. Needless to say, the impact of the Forest Service is well known in Arkansas and we are immensely proud of them.

"Earlier this year, USDA announced it will be moving Forest Service headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as moving from a region-based structure to a state-based structure.

"I understand the sentiment of moving people closer to the communities they serve, and I look forward to hearing how the Forest Service will continue to support its mission during this move, especially as we are already in the early part of peak fire season.

"As summer begins, the Forest Service's capacity to fight wildfires is top of mind for many people. Wildfires are indifferent to federal, state, tribal, and private property lines or political subdivisions. Last year, we saw over five million acres burned, with another 8.9 million burned in 2024.

"The outlook for this year looks grim with many predicting another active fire season. I look forward to hearing your insight and strategy on how the Forest Service will handle these challenges this year.

"This committee also reported the Fix Our Forests Act, also called FOFA, in October of last year. I want to thank Senators Curtis, Hickenlooper, Sheehy, and Padilla for introducing that important legislation in the Senate and thank Chairman Westerman for championing it in the House.

"I also want to thank my Republican and Democrat colleagues who voted for FOFA, including Ranking Member Klobuchar and Senators Fetterman, Lujan, Slotkin, Warnock, and Welch. I am committed to working with leadership to get FOFA across the floor and to the President's desk. FOFA will provide the Forest Service much needed streamlined authorities to reduce catastrophic wildfires and improve forest health.

"Once again, thank you Chief Schultz for appearing before the committee today, and I look forward to our discussion."