Republicans have reintroduced a bill to make the chief of the Forest Service a political appointee confirmed by the Senate.
The legislation, the “Forest Service Accountability Act,” S. 1061, mirrors a proposal its Senate sponsor, Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee of Utah, made late last year. Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) introduced a companion bill in the House.
“It is time for the American people to hold the Chief of the Forest Service accountable,” Lee said in a news release.
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Lee added, “The U.S. Forest Service has a profound impact on countless communities and millions of acres across the nation, including in Utah, making it crucial for the head of the department to be a Senate-confirmed position.”
