S. 629

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 629 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 629

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to remove barriers to 
agricultural producers in accessing funds to carry out emergency 
measures under the emergency conservation program, 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 ``Emergency Conservation Program 
Improvement Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVING THE EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM.

Section 401 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2201) 
is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``and 
Other Emergency Conservation Measures'' after 
``Fencing'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by inserting ``or for other emergency 
measures to replace or restore farmland or 
conservation structures requiring an immediate 
response (as determined by the Secretary),'' 
after ``replacement of fencing,''; and
(ii) by striking ``option of receiving'' 
and all that follows through the period at the 
end and inserting the following: ``option of 
receiving, before the agricultural producer 
carries out the repair, replacement, or 
restoration--
``(A) with respect to a payment to the agricultural 
producer for a replacement, 75 percent of the cost of 
the replacement, as determined by the Secretary; and
``(B) with respect to a payment to the agricultural 
producer for a repair or restoration, 50 percent of the 
cost of the repair or restoration, as determined by the 
Secretary.''; and
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking ``60-day'' and 
inserting ``180-day''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Wildfire Determination.--A wildfire that causes damage 
eligible for a payment under subsection (a) includes--
``(1) a wildfire that is not caused naturally, if the 
damage is caused by the spread of the wildfire due to natural 
causes; and
``(2) a wildfire that is caused by the Federal 
Government.''.

SEC. 3. IMPROVING THE EMERGENCY FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM.

Section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2206) 
is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``wildfires,'' and 
inserting ``wildfires (including a wildfire that is not caused 
naturally, if the damage is caused by the spread of the 
wildfire due to natural causes, and a wildfire that is caused 
by the Federal Government),'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
``(e) Advance Payments.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall give an owner of 
nonindustrial private forest land the option of receiving, 
before the owner carries out emergency measures under this 
section, not more than 75 percent of the cost of the emergency 
measures, as determined by the Secretary.
``(2) Return of funds.--If the funds provided under 
paragraph (1) are not expended by the end of the 180-day period 
beginning on the date on which the owner of nonindustrial 
private forest land receives those funds, the funds shall be 
returned within a reasonable timeframe, as determined by the 
Secretary.''.

Passed the Senate March 24, 2026.

Attest:

Secretary.
119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 629

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to remove barriers to 
agricultural producers in accessing funds to carry out emergency 
measures under the emergency conservation program, and for other 
purposes.