Sens. Ossoff, Hyde-Smith Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Georgia’s Forestry Industry from Pine Beetle Infestation

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is working across the aisle to help protect Georgia's forestry industry from pine beetle infestation.

This week, Sens. Ossoff and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) introduced the bipartisan Emergency Pine Beetle Response Act to help Georgia foresters recovering from pine beetle infestations.

"Georgia's forestry industry has long dealt with the threat of infestation, made worse by natural disasters like Hurricane Helene," Sen. Ossoff said. "We are introducing this bipartisan legislation to ensure one of Georgia's most important industries has the resources to fight southern pine beetle infestation."

"The end of drought conditions didn't end the pine beetle infestation or lessen costs to combat them. There is a real need to tailor USDA disaster programs to truly help states like Mississippi where most of its forests are privately owned or within city limits. Most of these folks do not have the upfront money to carry out timely or thorough eradication work," Senator Hyde-Smith said. "The Emergency Pine Beetle Response Act addresses these issues effectively."

The bipartisan bill is also cosponsored by Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), John Kennedy (R-LA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY).

According to an October report by 11Alive, the southern pine beetle has cost Georgia $254 million in damages over the past 50 years.

Sen. Ossoff continues working to support Georgia's foresters.

In February, Sens. Ossoff and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the bipartisan Forest Data Modernization Act, which would modernize and improve the U.S. Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis program to ensure reliable data is available to inform forest management decision making.

Last December, Sen. Ossoff successfully fought to pass a bipartisan disaster relief package that included $21 billion in agricultural disaster funding to help Georgia farmers recovering from the disastrous impacts of Hurricane Helene and farmers nationwide impacted by natural disasters.

Last July, Sen. Ossoff launched a push to pass the bipartisan Branch Out Implementation Act, which would extend the bipartisan infrastructure law's provision that makes $40 million available annually for states to implement their State Forest Action Plans.

Click here to read the bipartisan Emergency Pine Beetle Response Act.

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