What This Bill Does
This bill changes how money from timber sales is handled under "good neighbor agreements" (contracts where government agencies work with others on forest restoration). The bill adds Indian tribes and counties to the list of groups that can enter these agreements and keep money from selling timber on federal land.
Who It Affects
Governors, Indian tribes, and counties that participate in good neighbor agreements with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior.
Key Provisions
• Indian tribes and counties can now enter into good neighbor agreements to sell timber on federal forest land, just like governors currently can (Sec. 2(a)(1) and Sec. 2(a)(2)(A))
• Money received from timber sales must be kept and used by the governor, Indian tribe, or county to pay for forest restoration work required under their agreement (Sec. 2(a)(2)(B)(i)(I))
• If money remains after completing their own restoration work, groups can use leftover funds to pay for restoration work under other good neighbor agreements (Sec. 2(a)(2)(B)(i)(II))
What Changes
Paragraph (4) of the current law is removed entirely. Indian tribes and counties gain the same ability as governors to enter agreements, sell timber, and keep and spend the money from those sales for authorized restoration services.
Important Definitions
None explicitly defined in the bill text.
Effective Date
The changes apply to projects started under good neighbor agreements either before the bill becomes law (if started after the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) or on or after the bill becomes law (Sec. 2(c)).
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 697
To amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 to modify the treatment of revenue
from timber sale contracts and certain payments made by counties to
the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior under
good neighbor agreements, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 8, 2023
Mr. RISCH introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
A BILL
To amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 to modify the treat-
ment of revenue from timber sale contracts and certain
payments made by counties to the Secretary of Agri-
culture and the Secretary of the Interior under good
neighbor agreements, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Treating Tribes and
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Counties as Good Neighbors Act’’.
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•S 697 IS
SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN
1
REVENUE
AND
PAYMENTS
UNDER
GOOD
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NEIGHBOR AGREEMENTS.
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(a) GOOD NEIGHBOR AUTHORITY.—Section 8206 of
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the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a) is amend-
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ed—
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(1) in subsection (a)(6), by striking ‘‘or Indian
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tribe’’; and
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(2) in subsection (b)—
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(A) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ‘‘,
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Indian tribe,’’ after ‘‘Governor’’;
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(B) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking clause
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(i) and inserting the following:
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‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Funds received
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from the sale of timber by a Governor, an
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Indian tribe, or a county under a good
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neighbor agreement shall be retained and
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used by the Governor, Indian tribe, or
18
county, as applicable—
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‘‘(I) to carry out authorized res-
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toration services under the good
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neighbor agreement; and
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‘‘(II) if there are funds remain-
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ing after carrying out subclause (I),
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to carry out authorized restoration
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•S 697 IS
services under other good neighbor
1
agreements.’’;
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(C) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘, In-
3
dian tribe,’’ after ‘‘Governor’’; and
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(D) by striking paragraph (4).
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(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 8206(a)
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of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a(a)) is
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amended—
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(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ‘‘, Indian
9
tribe,’’ after ‘‘Governor’’; and
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(2) in paragraph (5), by inserting ‘‘, Indian
11
tribe,’’ after ‘‘Governor’’.
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(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
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this Act apply to any project initiated pursuant to a good
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neighbor agreement (as defined in section 8206(a) of the
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Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a(a)))—
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(1) before the date of enactment of this Act, if
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the project was initiated after the date of enactment
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of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public
19
Law 115–334; 132 Stat. 4490); or
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(2) on or after the date of enactment of this
21
Act.
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Æ
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