U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman led an oversight hearing examining the U.S. Forest Service and called for Senate passage of the Fix Our Forests Act on June 2. The bipartisan legislation aims to mitigate wildfire threats and improve forest management.
In his opening statement, Boozman welcomed Chief of the U.S. Forest Service Tom Shultz as a witness before the committee. “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,” Boozman said.
Boozman highlighted that the Forest Service manages about 193 million acres across the country, including nearly three million acres in Arkansas’s Ozark-St. Francis and Ouachita National Forests. He noted these forests support local economies and provide recreational access for residents, with research partnerships involving institutions like the University of Arkansas at Monticello and state agencies.
The chairman referenced recent changes announced by USDA regarding moving Forest Service headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, along with a shift from a region-based structure to a state-based structure. He said he looks forward to learning how these changes will affect mission delivery during peak fire season.
“As summer begins, the Forest Service’s capacity to fight wildfires is top of mind for many people,” Boozman said, citing over five million acres burned last year and 8.9 million in 2024 so far. He described predictions for another active fire season as grim.
Boozman also addressed progress on legislation: “This committee also reported the Fix Our Forests Act…in October of last year.” He thanked Senators Curtis, Hickenlooper, Sheehy, Padilla—and House Chairman Westerman—for their roles in advancing FOFA (Fix Our Forests Act), as well as colleagues who voted for it from both parties. “I am committed to working with leadership to get FOFA across the floor and to the President’s desk,” he said.
The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee operates as a standing committee affiliated with the U.S. Senate; it includes 23 members—12 Republicans and 11 Democrats—and manages legislation related to agriculture, nutrition, forestry, food security, and hunger issues domestically and internationally, according to its official website.