ACRES Act | ChamberLight

PASSED HOUSE· 119TH CONGRESS

House BillHR 204Forests, forestry, treesHazardous wastes and toxic substances

ACRES Act

INTRO JAN 3· LAST ACTION MAR 4

READING

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LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 4 / 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

Wildfires are a growing and devastating problem across the United States, threatening lives, homes, and natural resources. This bill matters because it addresses a critical issue: ensuring that government agencies are accurately reporting their efforts to reduce wildfire risks. Currently, there can be confusion or inconsistencies in how federal agencies count and report on hazardous fuels reduction, making it difficult to assess the true scale and effectiveness of their work.

If this bill becomes law, it would provide a clearer, more consistent picture of where and how much work is being done to prevent wildfires, including the costs and measured effectiveness. This improved data would allow Congress, the public, and agencies themselves to make more informed decisions about funding, strategies, and priorities for wildfire management. Without it, there's a risk of misallocating resources, failing to address the highest-risk areas, and ultimately, being less prepared for future wildfire seasons.

KEY PROVISIONS

4AI-extracted

PROVISION 01

Requires annual public reports from the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior detailing hazardous fuels reduction activities on federal land, counting each acre only once.

This ensures consistent and non-duplicative reporting, providing a clearer picture of the actual land area treated for wildfire risk.

PROVISION 02

Mandates that these reports include specific details such as location in the wildland-urban interface, wildfire risk levels, types of activities, cost per acre, and effectiveness in reducing risk.

This provides critical context and performance metrics beyond simple acreage, allowing for better evaluation of program success and resource allocation.

PROVISION 03

Directs the Secretaries to implement standardized procedures for tracking data related to hazardous fuels reduction activities, including regular reviews and verification methods.

Standardized, verified data collection is essential for accurate reporting and for making sound management decisions regarding wildfire prevention.

PROVISION 04

Requires a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study within two years of enactment to assess the implementation and any limitations of the new reporting and data tracking requirements.

The GAO study provides an independent oversight mechanism to ensure the bill's objectives are being met and to identify areas for further improvement.

SPONSORSHIP

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ACTION TIMELINE

13 EVENTS

MAR 4

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

COMMITTEE

FEB 12

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.

COMMITTEE

JAN 22

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

SENATE · INTROREFERRAL

JAN 21

Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

HOUSE · FLOOR

BILL INFO

TypeHouse Bill

NumberHR 204

Congress119th

StatusPassed House

IntroducedJan 3, 2025

Last actionMar 4, 2026

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PASSED HOUSE· 119TH CONGRESS · AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED JAN 3, 2025

House BillHR 204Forests, forestry, treesHazardous wastes and toxic substances

ACRES Act

INTRODUCED JAN 3, 2025· LAST ACTION MAR 4, 2026

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

5 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps Congress.gov

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 4 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Requires annual public reports from the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior detailing hazardous fuels reduction activities on federal land, counting each acre only once.

This ensures consistent and non-duplicative reporting, providing a clearer picture of the actual land area treated for wildfire risk.

high

Mandates that these reports include specific details such as location in the wildland-urban interface, wildfire risk levels, types of activities, cost per acre, and effectiveness in reducing risk.

This provides critical context and performance metrics beyond simple acreage, allowing for better evaluation of program success and resource allocation.

med

Directs the Secretaries to implement standardized procedures for tracking data related to hazardous fuels reduction activities, including regular reviews and verification methods.

Standardized, verified data collection is essential for accurate reporting and for making sound management decisions regarding wildfire prevention.

med

Requires a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study within two years of enactment to assess the implementation and any limitations of the new reporting and data tracking requirements.

The GAO study provides an independent oversight mechanism to ensure the bill's objectives are being met and to identify areas for further improvement.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

Beginning with the first fiscal year that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act, and each fiscal year thereafter

Annual hazardous fuels reduction reports to be included in materials supporting the President's budget.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act

Implementation of standardized procedures for tracking data related to hazardous fuels reduction activities.

Not later than 2 weeks after implementing the standardized procedures

Report to Congress describing standardized procedures and policy recommendations.

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act

Comptroller General (GAO) study on the implementation of the Act and report to Congress.

GLOSSARY

AI-written

Hazardous fuels reduction activity: Any effort to manage vegetation, like clearing brush or controlled burning, to lower the risk of wildfires. It does not include giving out contracts for this work.
Wildland-urban interface (WUI): Areas where homes and communities meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland vegetation, making them especially vulnerable to wildfires.
Secretary concerned: Refers to either the Secretary of Agriculture (for National Forests) or the Secretary of the Interior (for public lands and National Parks), depending on whose land is being discussed.
Federal lands: Land managed and owned by the U.S. federal government, such as national forests, national parks, and Bureau of Land Management lands.
Fiscal year: A 12-month period used by governments for budgeting and accounting purposes. The U.S. federal fiscal year runs from October 1st to September 30th.
President's budget: A document submitted annually by the President to Congress proposing federal government revenues and spending for the upcoming fiscal year.
Comptroller General of the United States

ACTION TIMELINE

13 EVENTS

MAR 4

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

COMMITTEE

FEB 12

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.

COMMITTEE

JAN 22, 25

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

INTROREFERRAL

JAN 21, 25

Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

FLOOR

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Committee Referrals

Agriculture CommitteeReferred

Jan 3, 2025

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Related Hearings

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Video

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Energy and Natural Resources Committee (senate)Mar 4, 2026

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ACRES Act

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ACRES Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

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