Save Our Forests Act of 2025
HB3559, the Save Our Forests Act of 2025, is a federal bill aimed at ensuring the U.S. Forest Service is fully staffed and able to continue carrying out existing forest management and restoration work. The bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to use previously appropriated funds within 30 days of enactment to increase staffing needed to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of National Forest System lands. It also requires the reinstatement of individuals who were involuntarily removed or otherwise terminated from Forest Service employment between January 20, 2025, and the date of enactment.
In addition to staffing requirements, the bill would require the Forest Service to continue projects already authorized or funded under several existing laws and funding streams, including the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, certain provisions of title 54 of the U.S. Code, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The measure is framed as a continuity and workforce-stabilization bill for federal forest management, with an emphasis on preventing disruption to ongoing projects and preserving agency capacity.
If enacted, the bill would impose new statutory duties on the Secretary of Agriculture and the Forest Service to restore staffing levels, reinstate certain recently terminated employees, and maintain ongoing projects supported by specified federal laws and appropriations. It would not create a new forest program so much as direct the agency to continue and staff existing work, potentially affecting personnel decisions, project administration, and implementation of forest-related infrastructure, recreation, and climate/resilience investments. The bill would also reinforce the use of previously appropriated funds for these purposes.
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or bipartisan support in the available record. Based on the bill text and title, the measure appears to be presented in a protective, pro-agency posture focused on staffing stability, continuity of operations, and maintaining forest health. The overall framing suggests support from sponsors concerned about workforce reductions and project delays.
The main point of potential contention is the bill’s requirement to reinstate individuals who were involuntarily removed or otherwise terminated from Forest Service employment during a specific recent period, which could be viewed as interfering with executive branch personnel actions. Another likely area of dispute is the mandate to increase staffing using previously appropriated funds, which may raise questions about budget authority, agency discretion, and implementation feasibility. Stakeholders favoring administrative flexibility or workforce reductions may oppose these provisions, while supporters of forest management, wildfire resilience, recreation, and conservation staffing are likely to back them.