A Senate committee easily passed legislation Tuesday to reduce legal and environmental checks on forest thinning and logging aimed at reducing wildfire risks.
The 18-5 vote in the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee was the latest indication that the “Fix Our Forests Act,” S. 1462, from Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah), appears to have momentum after similar bills have languished in Congress.
Five Democrats — Sens. Adam Schiff of California, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Dick Durbin of Illinois and Michael Bennet of Colorado — were the sole votes against the bill, a slightly altered version of a measure that’s already passed the House with more than 60 Democratic votes.
The Senate committee’s ranking Democrat, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, voted for the measure but said it needs improvement — including a way to pay for new programs — as House and Senate leaders try to advance it.
