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 the replacement, repair, or restoration of farmland or conservation structures requiring an immediate response. Producers may receive an advance on cost-sharing payments for 75% of the cost of the replacement and 50% of the cost of the repair or restoration. Current law limits advance payments to 25% of the cost of the repair or replacement of fencing. 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. Currently, advance payments are not available under the program. ECP and EFRP recipients must use the funds within 180 days after the funds are disbursed. This provides additional time to ECP recipients who currently must use the funds within 60 days. The bill also expands eligibility for payments under the programs to include emergency measures to address damages caused by (1) a wildfire that is not caused naturally, if the damage is caused by the spread of the wildfire due
Vote Breakdown · How Congress voted on S.629
House
368-19
PASSED
Democrats
188 yea
0 nay
Republicans
177 yea
19 nay
Independents
3 yea
0 nay
⚠️ 12 members broke with party on this vote
Action Timeline
2026-06-30
Presented to President.
2026-06-30
Presented to President.
2026-06-23
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 368 - 19 (Roll no. 223). (text: CR H4137)
2026-06-23
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): 368 - 19 (Roll no. 223). (text: CR H4137)
2026-06-23
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4192)
2026-06-23
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.
2026-06-23
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 629.
2026-06-23
Mr. Lucas moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
2026-06-23
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4137-4138)
2026-06-23
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did S.629 pass?
Yes. S.629 (Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025) was enacted into law. Bill stage: ENACTED.
What does S.629 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 the replacement, repair, or restoration of farmland or conservation structures requiring an immediate response. Producers may receive an a…
Who sponsored S.629?
S.629 was sponsored by Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska).
Who voted against S.629?
12 members broke with their party on this vote. Notably, Jodey C. Arrington (R) voted nay.
Full Bill Text
119 S629 ES: Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 U.S. Senate 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. 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 629 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 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. Improving the 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 ; (B) in paragraph (1)— (i) by inserting or for other emergency measures to replace or restore farmland or conservation structures requiring an immediate response (as determined by the Secretary), after replacement of fencing, ; and (ii) by striking option of receiving and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: option of receiving, before the agricultural producer carries out the repair, replacement, or restoration— (A) with respect to a payment to the agricultural producer for a replacement, 75 percent of the cost of the replacement, as determined by the Secretary; and (B) with respect to a payment to the agricultural producer for a repair or restoration, 50 percent of the cost of the repair or restoration, as determined by the Secretary. ; and (C) in paragraph (2), by striking 60-day and inserting 180-day ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (c) Wildfire determination A wildfire that causes damage eligible for a payment under subsection (a) includes— (1) a wildfire that is not caused naturally, if the damage is caused by the spread of the wildfire due to natural causes; and (2) a wildfire that is caused by the Federal Government. . 3. Improving the Emergency Forest Restoration Program Section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2206 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking wildfires, and inserting wildfires (including a wildfire that is not caused naturally, if the damage is caused by the spread of the wildfire due to natural causes, and a wildfire that is caused by the Federal Government), ; (2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and (3) 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. (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 Senate March 24, 2026. Secretary
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