# Forest Service Law Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2022

This bill directs the U.S. Forest Service to hire more law enforcement officers and investigators to patrol and protect America's national forests. Right now, the Forest Service has open positions that haven't been filled, and this bill says the Agriculture Secretary needs to fill those empty jobs and then add even more positions beyond that. The goal is to beef up the agency's ability to enforce laws and investigate crimes on public forest lands.

The bill prioritizes hiring in two specific situations: forests that face high or very high risk of wildfires, and forests that get a lot of visitor traffic. This makes sense because these areas need more boots on the ground to prevent illegal activities, respond to emergencies, and protect public safety. Forest Service law enforcement officers handle everything from catching people illegally logging trees to investigating arson, drug operations, and other crimes that happen on federal forest land.

To make this happen, the bill authorizes spending $10 million per year for 2023 and 2024 to pay for these new positions and related costs. The bill limits administrative overhead to just 3 percent of that budget, meaning most of the money goes directly toward hiring actual officers rather than bureaucratic expenses. For everyday people, this means more visible law enforcement presence in national forests, potentially better protection against wildfires, and improved safety for hikers, campers, and others who use these public lands.

Forest Service Law Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2022

O'Halleran, Tom

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.