Richard McCormick (R-GA)
Forestry Protection Act of 2026
A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Forestry Protection Act of 2026 aims to reduce financial burdens on certain importers. It requires that duties and import restrictions on finished forestry products be reduced by 50 percent if the importer proves the product contains 100 percent raw wood material from the United States. The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is tasked with creating regulations to implement this, including fraud prevention. Additionally, the bill changes how the President can impose or modify duties on these products. It requires a 90-day public notice in the Federal Register before any changes take effect. This notice must include specific details like the rate, the law used, and a justification. Finally, the bill mandates a public comment period of at least 60 days.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +6
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates specific public notice and a 60-day comment period before the President can modify duties on forestry products.
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
Importers of forestry products can significantly reduce their costs if they use 100 percent domestic raw wood.
- Scored +4
Would farmers be better off under this?
Increased demand for domestic raw wood could benefit those involved in the production of raw wood materials.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Reduced Costs for Importers: Importers of finished forestry products can receive a 50 percent reduction in duties and covered import restrictions if they can demonstrate the product contains 100 percent raw wood material originating in the United States (Section 2(a)).
-
Increased Transparency and Public Input: The President cannot impose or modify duties on finished forestry products without a 90-day public notice in the Federal Register, which must include the rate, the specific law, a description of the affected products, and a justification (Section 3(a) and 3(b)).
-
Opportunity for Public Feedback: Interested parties will have a period of at least 60 days to submit written comments to the President regarding the imposition or modification of duties (Section 3(c)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Regulatory Burden for Importers: To receive the 50 percent reduction, importers must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection that their product contains 100 percent raw wood material originating in the United States (Section 2(a)).
-
Requirement for New Regulations: The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the United States Trade Representative must work together to issue new regulations, including procedures for verification and fraud prevention (Section 2(b)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Importers of forestry products can significantly reduce their costs if they use 100 percent domestic raw wood. Would farmers be better off under this? — Increased demand for domestic raw wood could benefit those involved in the production of raw wood materials.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates specific public notice and a 60-day comment period before the President can modify duties on forestry products.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this make trade with other countries easier? — The bill incentivizes domestic raw wood usage through reduced import duties, affecting trade relationships.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill provides significant duty reductions for importers utilizing domestic raw wood, which benefits businesses in the forestry sector.
- 4/29/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Introduced in House