Bill seeks to designate timber production as main use for O&C lands in U.S. House

U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz has introduced legislation in the U.S. House that would make timber production the foremost priority for O&C lands, while also safeguarding local economies and environmental standards, according to the U.S. Congress.

H.R.7603 was brought forward on Feb. 20, 2026, during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. Below is a summary, based on the original bill text, including some interpretation for clarity.

The legislation would amend the O&C Act of 1937 to confirm that permanent timber production is the primary use of O&C lands, generating income for county services. Other stated goals include bolstering economic stability for local areas, watershed protection, and recreation access. The bill calls for enhanced wildfire prevention by mandating that the Secretary of the Interior meet or surpass fire prevention standards used for neighboring Oregon lands, form agreements for fire protection, and compensate participating parties. It defines “timberlands” as lands capable of producing at least 300,000 board feet of timber per 40 acres, and requires that the Secretary update resource management plans within two years of its passage, using the new definitions.

Rep. Cliff Bentz (Republican-OR-2nd District) introduced the bill alone.

So far this session, Rep. Bentz has introduced seven other pieces of legislation.

Legislation in Congress may begin in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, with the exception of revenue bills, which must originate in the House. Once a bill is introduced, it is referred to committees for examination, hearings, potential amendments and debate before proceeding to votes in both chambers. If each chamber approves the same version, the measure moves to the president, who can sign it into law or issue a veto. Congressional terms last two years, are numbered consecutively, and have two sessions per term. The legislative process and official bill documentation are maintained by the U.S. Congress and are available through Congress.gov.

Cliff Bentz represents Oregon and previously served in the Oregon House from 2008-2018 and the Oregon Senate from 2018-2020, before being elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress and two subsequent Congresses, starting January 3, 2021.

Bentz earned a B.S. from Eastern Oregon State College in 1974 and received a J.D. from Lewis and Clark College in 1977. He also served as a member and chair of the Oregon Water Resources Commission from 1988 to 1996.

Information in this article comes from the U.S. Congress. Source data is available here.