H.R. 6277House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

SAWMILL Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated December 17, 2025 at 9:26 AM UTC

The SAWMILL Act creates a Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program that lets the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior guarantee loans for sawmills and other wood‑processing facilities located near certain federal lands. The goal is to encourage these facilities to open, expand, or upgrade so they can help lower the cost of ecological restoration projects that involve removing vegetation on high‑priority federal lands. The program targets owners or operators of such facilities in rural areas within 250 miles of the identified lands.

Key Provisions

Defines "eligible entity" as a person or business that owns or runs a sawmill or wood‑processing plant in a rural area.
Defines "eligible Federal land" as federal land, including Indian forest or rangeland, identified as high or very high priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal.
Requires the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to review and identify eligible Federal land within one year of enactment and at least every five years.
Allows the Secretaries to guarantee loans for eligible entities that establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve a sawmill within 250 miles of eligible land, provided the facility would substantially reduce restoration costs.
Sets conditions for loan guarantees as determined by the Secretaries.
Limits total loan guarantees under the program to $220 million.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee

January 13, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

November 21, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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.

Agriculture Committee

November 21, 2025

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee

January 13, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued November 21, 2025

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 6277

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 21, 2025

Mr. Newhouse (for himself and Ms. Sewell) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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

A BILL

To establish requirements under which the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall carry out the Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Supporting American Wood and Mill Infrastructure with Loans for Longevity Act or the SAWMILL Act.

Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means an individual or entity that owns or operates a sawmill or other wood-processing facility located in a rural area (as defined in section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a))) of the United States.

(2)

Eligible Federal land

The term eligible Federal land means any unit of Federal land, including Indian forest land or rangeland, that has been identified by the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, as high or very high priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal under subsection (b).

(3)

Program

The term Program means the Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program of the Department of Agriculture.

(4)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.

(b)

Identification of eligible Federal land

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than once every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, shall—

(1)

review Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior; and

(2)

identify units of Federal land that, as determined by the Secretaries, are high or very high priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal.

(c)

Loan guarantees

(1)

In general

The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, shall provide loan guarantees under the Program to eligible entities seeking to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve a sawmill or other wood-processing facility located within a 250-mile radius of, a unit of eligible Federal land, if the presence of a sawmill or other wood-processing facility would, or does, substantially decrease the cost of conducting ecological restoration projects involving vegetation removal on the eligible Federal land, as determined by the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior.

(2)

Conditions

A loan guarantee under the Program shall be provided in accordance with such conditions as the Secretary determines to be necessary.

(3)

Maximum amount

The Secretary may provide a total of not more than $220,000,000 in loan guarantees under the Program.