What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 This bill revises the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) to expand eligibility for payments to agricultural producers and owners of forest land impacted by natural disasters. The bill also provides additional options to receive an advance on cost-sharing payments before carrying out emergency measures. The bill expands advance ECP payments to include payments for the rehabilitation of farmland or to repair or replace a farmland or conservation structure. Producers may receive an advance on cost-sharing payments for 75% of the cost of the replacement or rehabilitation and 50% of the cost of the repair. Current law limits advanced cost-sharing payments to 25% of the cost of the repair or replacement of fencing. The bill also expands eligibility for payments under ECP to include emergency measures to address damages caused by a wildfire that is not caused naturally (including a wildfire that is caused by the federal government), if the damage is caused by the spread of the wildfire due to natural causes. Under EFRP, the bill allows owners of nonindustrial private forest land impacted by a natural disaster to receive an advance on cost-sharing payments for up to 75% of the cost of the emergency measures. Recipients must use the funds within 180 days after the funds are disbursed. Currently, advance payments are not available under the program.
Vote Breakdown · How Congress voted on HR.1011
House
395-10
PASSED
Democrats
201 yea
0 nay
Republicans
194 yea
10 nay
⚠️ 10 members broke with party on this vote
Action Timeline
2026-04-15
Received in the Senate.
2026-04-14
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2026-04-14
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 395 - 10 (Roll no. 109). (text: CR H2844)
2026-04-14
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2874)
2026-04-14
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 395 - 10 (Roll no. 109). (text: CR H2844)
2026-04-14
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
2026-04-14
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1011.
2026-04-14
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2844-2846)
2026-04-14
Mr. Thompson (PA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
2025-03-07
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did HR.1011 pass?
HR.1011 is still alive. Current stage: PASSED_ONE. Pass likelihood: 42%.
What does HR.1011 do?
Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 This bill revises the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) to expand eligibility for payments to agricultural producers and owners of forest land impacted by natural disasters. The bill also provides additional options to receive an advance on cost-sharing payments before carrying out emergency measures. The bill expands advance ECP payments to include payments for the rehabilitation of farmland or to repair or replace a farmland or conservation structure. Producers may receive an advance…
Who sponsored HR.1011?
HR.1011 was sponsored by Julia Letlow (R-Louisiana).
Who voted against HR.1011?
10 members broke with their party on this vote. Notably, Jodey C. Arrington (R) voted nay.
Full Bill Text
119 HR 1011 EH: Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 U.S. House of Representatives text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 1011 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to remove barriers to agricultural producers in accessing funds to carry out emergency measures under the emergency conservation program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 . 2. Emergency conservation program Section 401 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2201 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting and other emergency conservation measures after fencing ; and (B) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows: (1) In general With respect to a payment to an agricultural producer under subsection (a) for the repair or replacement of fencing, or for other emergency measures to rehabilitate farmland or to repair or replace a farmland or conservation structure, the Secretary shall give the agricultural producer the option of receiving— (A) before carrying out such replacement or rehabilitation, not more than 75 percent of the payment for such replacement or rehabilitation, which shall be based on the fair market value of the replacement or rehabilitation, as determined by the Secretary; and (B) before carrying out such repair, not more than 50 percent of the payment for such repair, which shall be based on the fair market value of the repair, as determined by the Secretary. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (c) Wildfires A wildfire that causes damage with respect to which a payment may be made under subsection (a) includes any wildfire that is not caused naturally, including a wildfire that is caused by the Federal Government, if the damage is caused by the spread of the fire due to natural causes. . 3. Improving the emergency forest restoration program Section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2206 ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following: (e) Advance payments (1) In general The Secretary shall give an owner of nonindustrial private forest land the option of receiving, before the owner carries out emergency measures under this section, not more than 75 percent of the cost of the emergency measures, as determined by the Secretary based on the fair market value of the cost of the emergency measures using the estimated cost of the applicable practice published in the Field Office Technical Guide of each State by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. (2) Return of funds If the funds provided under paragraph (1) are not expended by the end of the 180-day period beginning on the date on which the owner of nonindustrial private forest land receives those funds, the funds shall be returned within a reasonable timeframe, as determined by the Secretary. . Passed the House of Representatives April 14, 2026. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.
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