United States · Bill · HR
H.R. 1873 (115th)
Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act
Introduced
4 April 2017
Last action
19 September 2017 · Committee
Status
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-485.
Sponsors
Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1], Rep. Schrader, Kurt [D-OR-5], Rep. Cheney, Liz [R-WY-At Large], Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21], Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4], Rep. O'Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1], Rep. Pearce, Stevan [R-NM-2], Sen. Sinema, Kyrsten [I-AZ], Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3], Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2], Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7], Rep. Simpson, Michael K. [R-ID-2], Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14], Rep. Meadows, Mark [R-NC-11], Rep. Rooney, Thomas J. [R-FL-17], Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41], Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3], Sen. McSally, Martha [R-AZ], Rep. Denham, Jeff [R-CA-10], Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5], Rep. Emmer, Tom [R-MN-6]
Subjects
Environment, Agriculture, Energy
Source updated
24 March 2026
Environment · Agriculture · Energy
Summary
Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act This bill requires the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to lands under their respective jurisdictions, to ensure that all existing and future rights-of-way for electrical transmission and distribution facilities on such lands include requirements for utility vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance activities that: are developed in consultation with the holder of the right-of-way; enable the owner or operator of a facility to operate it in good working order and comply with federal, state, and local electric system reliability and fire safety requirements; and minimize the need for case-by-case or annual approvals, and instead provide for expedited review and approval, for routine vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance activities within existing electrical transmission and distribution rights-of-way, as well as utility vegetation management activities necessary to control hazard trees within or adjacent to electrical transmission and distribution rights-of-way. Interior and the USDA shall give facility owners and operators the option to submit to the appropriate agency a vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan. Interior and the USDA shall apply its categorical exclusion process under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to plans developed under this bill. (A "categorical exclusion" under NEPA is a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and for which neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required.)
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
4 April 2017
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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.
Source: IntroReferral
4 April 2017
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
4 April 2017
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
4 April 2017
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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.
Source: IntroReferral
11 April 2017
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
Source: Committee
24 April 2017
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.
Source: Committee
27 April 2017
Vote
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 24 - 14.
Source: Committee
27 April 2017
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
27 April 2017
Committee
Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans Discharged.
Source: Committee
1 May 2017
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H2991)
Source: IntroReferral
12 June 2017
Calendars
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 110.
Source: Calendars
12 June 2017
Discharge
Committee on Agriculture discharged.
Source: Discharge
12 June 2017
Committee
Committee on Agriculture discharged.
Source: Committee
12 June 2017
Reported
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 115-165, Part I.
Source: Committee
12 June 2017
Reported
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 115-165, Part I.
Source: Committee
20 June 2017
Reported
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 392 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1873 and 1654, with 1 hour of general debate for each bill. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except a motion to recommit with or without instructions on each bill. Both measures will be considered read and have specified amendments.
Source: Floor
21 June 2017
Vote
On passage Passed by recorded vote: 300 - 118 (Roll no. 315).
Source: Floor
21 June 2017
Vote
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 300 - 118 (Roll no. 315).
Source: Floor
21 June 2017
Passed
The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H5027-5029)
Source: Floor
21 June 2017
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
21 June 2017
Floor
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Source: Floor
21 June 2017
Floor
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 1873.
Source: Floor
21 June 2017
Floor
The Speaker designated the Honorable Steve Womack to act as Chairman of the Committee.
Source: Floor
21 June 2017
Floor
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 392 and Rule XVIII.
Source: Floor
21 June 2017
Floor
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1873 and 1654, with 1 hour of general debate for each bill. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except a motion to recommit with or without instructions on each bill. Both measures will be considered read and have specified amendments.
Source: Floor
21 June 2017
Floor
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 392. (consideration: CR H5022-5032)
Source: Floor
22 June 2017
Introduced
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Source: IntroReferral
19 September 2017
Committee
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-485.
Source: Committee
Votes
21 June 2017 · passed · On Passage · Passed · Official source
Yes 300 · No 118 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 13
- Rep. Ferguson, A. Drew, IV [R-GA-3]Aye
- Rep. McEachin, A. Donald [D-VA-4]No
- Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20]No
- Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]Aye
Showing the first 4 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.
Versions
- Referred in Senate · 22 June 2017 · Download file
- Engrossed in House · 21 June 2017 · Download file
- Reported in House · 12 June 2017 · Download file
- Introduced in House · 4 April 2017 · Download file
Documents
11 official files
Referred in Senate (text)
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Referred in Senate (text)
Referred in Senate · EN · 22 June 2017
Referred in Senate (PDF)
Referred in Senate · EN · 22 June 2017
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Engrossed in House (text)
Engrossed in House · EN · 21 June 2017
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Engrossed in House (PDF)
Engrossed in House · EN · 21 June 2017
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Passed House amended
summary · EN · 21 June 2017
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Reported in House (text)
Reported in House · EN · 12 June 2017
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Reported in House (PDF)
Reported in House · EN · 12 June 2017
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Reported to House amended, Part I
summary · EN · 12 June 2017
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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 4 April 2017
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Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 4 April 2017
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 4 April 2017
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Sponsors
- Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Schrader, Kurt [D-OR-5] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Cheney, Liz [R-WY-At Large] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. O'Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Pearce, Stevan [R-NM-2] · R · Cosponsor
- Sen. Sinema, Kyrsten [I-AZ] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Simpson, Michael K. [R-ID-2] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Meadows, Mark [R-NC-11] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Rooney, Thomas J. [R-FL-17] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. McSally, Martha [R-AZ] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Denham, Jeff [R-CA-10] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Emmer, Tom [R-MN-6] · R · Cosponsor
- · sseg00 · Standing
- · hsag00 · Standing
- · hsii00 · Standing
Related records
- related to ← Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1873) to amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to enhance the reliability of the electricity grid and reduce the threat of wildfires to and from electric transmission and distribution facilities on Federal lands by facilitating vegetation management on such lands, and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1654) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to coordinate Federal and State permitting processes related to the construction of new surface water storage projects on lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture and to designate the Bureau of Reclamation as the lead agency for permit processing, and for other purposes.
- amends ← Amendment sought to ensure that owners and operators of electric transmission and distribution facilities submit management plans to the Secretary.
- amends ← An amendment numbered 2 printed in Part A of House Report 115-186 to ensure personnel of the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service involved in vegetation management decisions on transmission and distribution rights-of-way receive training on how unmanned technologies can be used to identify vegetation management needs, lower energy costs, and reduce the risk of wildfires.
- amends ← An amendment numbered 3 printed in Part A of House Report 115-186 to prohibit any loss of funds for wild-fire suppression.
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1873
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/115/hr/1873
- us · 115-hr-1873 · source updated 24 March 2026