Forest Service Law Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2022

Forest Service Law Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2022

This bill directs the Forest Service to (1) fill all vacancies in the Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations organization; and (2) upon filling such vacancies, increase the number of positions available in such organization.

The Forest Service must prioritize filling vacancies and increasing the number of positions that (1) are at high or very high risk of wildfires, and (2) are areas of substantial public use.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8162 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8162

 To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to fill vacancies and increase 
the number of positions available in the Forest Service Law Enforcement 
        and Investigations organization, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 21, 2022

Mr. O'Halleran introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                        Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to fill vacancies and increase 
the number of positions available in the Forest Service Law Enforcement 
        and Investigations organization, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Forest Service Law Enforcement 
Enhancement Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. FILLING VACANCIES AND INCREASING NUMBER OF POSITIONS AVAILABLE 
              IN THE FOREST SERVICE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INVESTIGATIONS 
              ORGANIZATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 
Chief of the Forest Service, shall--
            (1) fill all vacancies in the Forest Service Law 
        Enforcement and Investigations organization; and
            (2) upon filling such vacancies, increase the number of 
        positions available in the Forest Service Law Enforcement and 
        Investigations organization.
    (b) Priority.--In seeking to fill vacancies and increase the number 
of positions under subsection (a), the Secretary shall prioritize 
filling vacancies and increasing the number of positions in the Forest 
Service that--
            (1) are at high or very high risk of wildfires; and
            (2) are areas of substantial public use.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
        carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
        2023 and 2024.
            (2) Administrative expenses.--Not more than 3 percent of 
        the amount made available for a fiscal year under paragraph (1) 
        may be used by the Secretary for the administrative costs of 
        carrying out this section.
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