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S. 2221Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

SAWMILL Act

Sponsored by Jeff MerkleySen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Introduced July 9, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 23, 2025 at 11:37 PM UTC

The SAWMILL Act creates a framework for the Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program, letting the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior support sawmills and wood‑processing facilities that can help with ecological restoration on federal lands. It defines which businesses and which federal lands qualify, and sets up a process for identifying those lands. The program can guarantee loans to eligible operators within 250 miles of the identified lands, aiming to lower the cost of vegetation‑removal projects.

Key Provisions

  • Defines an “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, that the Secretaries deem high or very high priority for ecological restoration involving vegetation removal.
  • Requires the Secretaries to identify eligible Federal land within one year of enactment and at least every five years thereafter.
  • Allows the Secretaries to provide loan guarantees to eligible entities that establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve a sawmill within 250 miles of eligible land, if the facility will substantially reduce restoration costs.
  • Sets a cap of $220 million total in loan guarantees that can be issued under the program.

Legislative Activity

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SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

July 9, 2025

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 9, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

July 9, 2025

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued July 9, 2025

II

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2221

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 9, 2025

Mr. Merkley (for himself and Mr. Sheehy) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

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.

1.

Short title

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

2.

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.