Bill · H.R. 204· House(119-HR-204)
ACRES Act
- Introduced
- 1/3/2025
- Last activity
- 7/23/2026 — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 490.
- Sponsored by
- Thomas Tiffany
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Awaiting Senate
- On Senate calendar
What this bill would do
The ACRES Act requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to provide accurate reports on hazardous fuels reduction activities on Federal lands. These reports must be included in the materials submitted for the President's budget each fiscal year. The Act mandates that the secretaries record specific details such as acreage, wildfire risk levels, and the cost per acre. Additionally, the secretaries must implement standardized procedures for tracking this data. The Comptroller General is tasked with conducting a study on the implementation of this Act within two years. No additional funds are authorized to carry out these new requirements.
Yes· 3 of 7
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+5
The act mandates that hazardous fuels reduction reports be made publicly available on agency websites.
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?+4
The act mandates better data collection and transparency for federal land management activities.
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+3
The act enhances fire risk management and transparency in hazardous fuels reduction.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency and Accountability: The Act requires the secretaries to make reports publicly available on the websites of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior (Section 2(a)(3)). This allows the public to see how many acres are being treated and the effectiveness of those activities.
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Improved Wildfire Risk Management: The report must include information on the level of wildfire risk and the effectiveness of the reduction activities on reducing that risk (Section 2(a)(2)(B)). This could lead to better-informed efforts to protect communities.
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Standardized Data Tracking: The secretaries must implement standardized procedures, including regular data reviews and verification methods, to ensure data is accurate and timely (Section 2(b)(2)). This should lead to more reliable information regarding hazardous fuels reduction activities.
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Protection of Vulnerable Areas: The requirements include methods to distinguish which acres are located within the wildland-urban interface (Section 2(b)(2)(D)), which helps track activities in areas where people live near wildlands.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Budgetary Constraints: The Act explicitly states that no additional funds are authorized to carry out these requirements, meaning the new reporting and tracking duties must be handled with existing appropriations (Section 2(e)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Public Land Management+4Improves Environmental Protections+3Improves Disaster Relief And F E M A+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+5Increases Federal Power+1
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+2Good For Urban Residents+2
- 7/23/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee without amendment. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 490.
- 3/4/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 2/12/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
- 1/22/2025
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 1/21/2025
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H244-245)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H244-245)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 204.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H244-246)
- Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 1/3/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.