Why It Matters
The U.S. Forest Service is facing scrutiny over a major operational decision and significant budget cuts that could reshape the agency's ability to manage wildfire risk. The Trump administration has proposed eliminating funding entirely for Forest and Rangeland Research and State, Private, and Tribal Forestry accounts.
On July 22, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hear from Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz about the agency's direction as it navigates both budget constraints and immediate operational challenges.
The Big Picture
Forest Service Leadership and Priorities
Tom Schultz, the 21st Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, brings prior experience from the Idaho Department of Lands and Montana's Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. He will face questions about how the agency plans to operate under a proposed budget that strips funding from critical research and forestry programs while managing immediate crises like wilderness closures, such as temporarily closing the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota's Superior National Forest due to wildfires, beginning July 14.
The Forest Service is also undergoing organizational changes. The agency's headquarters is being relocated from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City, Utah, signaling a shift in how the agency will function.
Congressional Pressure and Lobbying Activity
Multiple stakeholders have been working to shape Forest Service policy through lobbying efforts. Game Aerospace LLC and Dauntless Air Inc. have both filed lobbying disclosures focused on U.S. Forest Service procurement issues, federal and state aerial firefighting policy reform, and small business contracting issues. Dauntless Air Inc. specifically lobbied on the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act in the third quarter of 2025.
Other interests have focused on different aspects of Forest Service operations. Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation has been lobbying on land transfer with the Forest Service, while the Public Timber Purchaser Group has lobbied on the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management timber sales programs. The American Wood Council has advocated for funding for Forest Service programs, including the Wood Innovation Grant program, before terminating its lobbying registration in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The Hearing
Rep. Dan Newhouse chairs the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture, with Rep. Andrea Salinas serving as Ranking Member.
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