H.R. 9080

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9080 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9080

To establish a contracting preference for public buildings that use 
innovative wood products in the construction of those buildings, and 
for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 29, 2026

Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania (for himself and Ms. Salinas) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on 
Armed Services, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish a contracting preference for public buildings that use 
innovative wood products in the construction of those buildings, and 
for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Mass Timber Federal Buildings Act of 
2026''.

SEC. 2. MADE IN AMERICA MASS TIMBER.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
Administrator of General Services.
(2) Innovative wood product.--The term ``innovative wood 
product'' has the meaning given the term in section 8641 of the 
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (7 U.S.C. 7655c note; 
Public Law 115-334).
(3) Innovative wood product facility.--The term 
``innovative wood product facility'' has the meaning given the 
term in section 9013(a) of the Farm Security and Rural 
Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8113(a)).
(4) Mass timber.--The term ``mass timber'' has the meaning 
given the term in section 8641 of the Agriculture Improvement 
Act of 2018 (7 U.S.C. 7655c note; Public Law 115-334).
(5) Public building.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
(B), the term ``public building'' has the meaning given 
the term in section 3301(a) of title 40, United States 
Code.
(B) Inclusion.--The term ``public building'' 
includes a military installation (as defined in section 
2801(c) of title 10, United States Code).
(6) Restoration practices.--The term ``restoration 
practices'' means forest management practices based on forest 
type that re-establish or enhance ecosystem functions by--
(A) modifying or managing the composition, 
structure, and spatial arrangement of forest components 
for complexity and diversity; and
(B) establishing or re-establishing processes 
necessary to make forest and connected aquatic 
ecosystems ecologically functional, resilient to 
disturbance, or adaptive.
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Defense.
(b) Made in America Mass Timber Public Buildings Contracting 
Preference.--
(1) Contracting preference.--
(A) In general.--In entering into a contract for 
the construction, alteration, acquisition, or lease of 
a public building, the Administrator or the Secretary, 
as applicable, shall give priority to public buildings 
that use, to the maximum extent achievable as 
determined by the Administrator or the Secretary, as 
applicable, innovative wood products in the 
construction of those buildings that are--
(i) procured from an innovative wood 
product facility located within the United 
States; and
(ii) harvested from forestlands located 
within the United States, consistent with 
responsible sources.
(B) Responsible sources.--For purposes of 
subparagraph (A)(ii), innovative wood products produced 
from responsible sources are--
(i) produced according to an independently 
certified procurement standard; or
(ii) from jurisdictions with regulatory or 
quasi-regulatory programs to implement best 
management practices, including from Federal, 
State, and Tribal land.
(2) Contracts and priority.--
(A) In general.--In procuring innovative wood 
products for purposes of carrying out the requirements 
of paragraph (1), the Administrator or the Secretary, 
as applicable, shall--
(i) consider appropriate contracting 
options; and
(ii) give preference to innovative wood 
products that are sourced from--
(I) restoration practices;
(II) forest management actions 
designed to protect communities and 
critical infrastructure against 
catastrophic wildfire; or
(III) underserved forest owners, as 
determined by the Secretary of 
Agriculture, including Tribally owned 
forests and small family forests.
(B) Documentation required.--For purposing of 
verifying that an innovative wood product is sourced in 
accordance with subclause (I), (II), or (III) of 
subparagraph (A)(ii), the Administrator or the 
Secretary, as applicable, shall seek appropriate 
documentation.
(3) Lifecycle assessment; report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall 
conduct a cradle-to-gate whole-building lifecycle 
assessment considering the global warming potential, in 
compliance with International Organization for 
Standardization standards 14044 and 14020, of new 
public buildings that use innovative wood products in 
the construction of those buildings.
(B) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
on which the whole-building lifecycle assessment 
required under subparagraph (A) is completed, the 
Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Agriculture, shall submit to Congress, and make 
publicly available, a report describing the results of 
that assessment.
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