HB4665, titled the Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act, would create a federal payment program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Farm Service Agency for timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that suffer disaster-related revenue losses. An eligible business would be one that harvested or hauled unrefined timber products in the prior calendar year and then experienced at least a 10 percent drop in gross revenue during a 30-day period or quarter compared with the same period in the previous year, due to a major disaster. The bill also expressly includes certain insect infestations declared major disasters under the Stafford Act.
The payment would equal 10 percent of the eligible business’s gross revenue for the affected period, and recipients would have to certify that the funds are used only for operating expenses. The Secretary of Agriculture would be required to issue regulations quickly, report recipient identities and payment amounts to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter, and carry out the program without notice-and-comment rulemaking or Paperwork Reduction Act procedures. The bill authorizes $50 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2029.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would add a new federal disaster-relief program specifically for timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses, expanding agricultural disaster assistance into the forestry supply chain. It would direct USDA/FSA to determine eligibility, calculate losses, make payments, and report program activity to Congress, while also authorizing appropriations of $200 million over four fiscal years. The bill would not amend state law, but it would create a new federal funding and administrative framework affecting loggers, timber haulers, and related rural businesses.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to have a supportive and bipartisan framing, with sponsors from both parties and a focus on economic relief for a specific industry affected by disasters. There is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials, so no formal opposition or support can be measured from proceedings. The overall tone of the bill is remedial and targeted, emphasizing continuity of operations for businesses disrupted by natural disasters or insect infestations.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to be the narrow scope of the program, the use of federal funds for a specialized industry, and the expedited regulatory process that bypasses notice-and-comment and Paperwork Reduction Act procedures. Some may question whether a 10 percent revenue-loss threshold and a payment equal to 10 percent of gross revenue are the right standards, or whether the program should cover a broader set of forestry-related businesses. Others may focus on oversight and transparency, although the bill does require reporting of recipients and payment amounts to congressional agriculture committees.
Revenue and taxation; exclude from the calculation of taxable net income certain disaster relief or assistance grant program payments for agricultural losses suffered due to Hurricane Helene