S. 629 · Where this bill is now
Became law
Public Law 119-102, Jul 12, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summarySpeeds up aid for disaster-damaged farms and forests
When natural disasters damage farmland or forests, the government offers financial help through two programs. This act makes it easier and faster for farmers and forest owners to get that help by letting them receive advance payments covering more of their costs upfront, and by giving them more time to complete repairs. It also expands who qualifies for these programs to include damage from wildfires, even those not caused by nature.
How it affects you
If you own a farm or private forest land that gets damaged by a natural disaster like a wildfire, you could get more money upfront to pay for emergency repairs, and you'd have 180 days instead of 60 days to complete the work. This means less financial strain while you're recovering from the disaster.
Read the official summary (Public Law, Jul 12, 2026)
Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025
This act 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 act also provides additional options to receive an advance on cost-sharing payments before carrying out emergency measures.
The act 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 act 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 act 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 to natural causes; and (2) a wildfire that is caused by the federal government.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 629
AN ACT
Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) · Introduced Feb 19, 2025 · Agriculture and Food · 3 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jul 12, 2026: “Became Public Law No: 119-102.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsHouse · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass · Jun 23, 2026
Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass Passed 368–19
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 189 | 0 | 23 |
| Independents | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Republicans | 178 | 19 | 21 |
19 members voted against most of their party: 19 Republicans voted No.
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 3 official versions.