Last week, House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) introduced the No Timber From Tyrants Act. This legislation would prohibit imports of forest products from Russia and Belarus while ramping up responsible harvesting of American timber to create new jobs, produce more sustainable wood products and make U.S. federal lands more resilient to catastrophic wildfires.

"As Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine continues, the United States must keep looking for ways to cut off funding to Putin’s war machine. The No Timber from Tyrants Act will not only take away another revenue stream from Putin, but also enhance American forest management and create economic opportunities for American workers to produce more wood products here at home." - U.S. Rep. Mike Carey (R-Ohio)

"The war in Ukraine has showed us just how dependent we have become upon other nations for basic needs such as timber. Rather than financing Putin’s senseless violence, we should be directing funds toward American enterprise." - U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.)

"I’m proud to join Congressman Westerman in introducing the No Timber From Tyrants Act. It’s imperative that the U.S. does not provide funding to our adversaries. Instead, we should be supporting American industries like the timber industry. Putting American timber first would spur economic growth in America and prevent American money from fueling Russia’s malicious acts of war against Ukraine. Our bill would also help prevent forest fires by allowing for increased forest management practices such as harvesting timber from federal forests. I hope this commonsense bill receives wide, bipartisan support in Congress." - U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.)

"States across America, including my home state of Mississippi, have huge amounts of timber ready to be harvested for wood products. By increasing domestic timber harvesting, we can create more jobs for hard-working Americans while divesting from tyrants who are determined to undermine global stability and democracy across the world. No one can fill U.S. demand for timber better than America and our allies, and I’m proud to join Ranking Member Bruce Westerman in support of this important legislation." - U.S. Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.)

"There is no reason the United States should be importing timber – period – let alone from hostile nations like Russia or Belarus. Rural communities across the country are more than capable of supplying the timber products we need, all while preventing catastrophic wildfires and promoting healthy and resilient forests. I’m proud to join my friend, Rep. Westerman, in supporting American timber communities while crippling Putin’s economic reach." - U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.)

"I am proud to cosponsor the No Timber from Tyrants Act. This bill takes the sensible step of replacing the roughly half a billion dollars’ worth of wood products the United States currently imports from Russia and Belarus with timber harvested from our habitually undermanaged federal forests. Not only will this put increased pressure on Russia to end their invasion of Ukraine, but it could significantly reduce the risk of wildfire we face in California’s 8th District and across the West." - U.S. Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.)

"Last year, the U.S. imported over $500,000,000 worth of wood products from Russia and Belarus, funding Russia's economy as they plotted a war of aggression against Ukraine. The No Timber From Tyrants Act is a no-brainer to revive American dominance, support Utah's federal lands, create high-paying jobs, and ensure tyrants like Vladimir Putin stand alone." - U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah)

"We need to stop funding Putin’s war chest. I’m proud to join my colleague, Ranking Member Bruce Westerman, in introducing the No Timber From Tyrants Act, which bans the import of wood products from Russia and Belarus while boosting timber production at home. Let’s put American loggers to work while improving forest health and driving rural economies." - U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.)

"Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has escalated with innocent Ukrainian women and children being intentionally killed. We need an all-of-the-above approach to truly hit the heart of the Russian economy and stop Putin’s murderous regime. Just like oil and natural gas, the U.S. should prohibit all wood imports from Russia and Belarus and rely on our resources here at home instead of economically propping up Putin’s war. The No Timber From Tyrants Act will keep another $500 million out of Russia while bolstering American timber." - U.S. Rep. William Timmons (R-S.C.)

"The U.S. should not help fund Putin’s war in Ukraine. Just like energy production, we have the ability to hit Putin where it hurts economically by banning the import of wood products from Russia and leaning into our domestic capabilities. I’m proud to co-sponsor this legislation that would help create new jobs, improve forest management, and reduce the risk of wildfires." - U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.)

"Active forest management and timber harvests protect the health of our forests, and can create domestic jobs, support rural communities, and reduce U.S. reliance on Russian and Belarusian wood and timber products. This legislation will further hold Putin accountable for his heinous, evil attacks on Ukrainians while strengthening our national security and domestic product." - U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.)

"From energy to wood, we must continue to cut our resource dependence on Russia and deplete Putin of the funding he is using in his deplorable actions against Ukraine. I urge my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to join this effort to sever ties with Russia and Belarus' 'conflict lumber' and instead amplify American wood products and improve our nation’s forests." - U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.)

"America should play no part in subsidizing Putin's brutal war machine. Banning the import of all Russian timber severs another level of this tyrant’s resources, dealing a blow to further isolate a murderous regime. While defending freedom, it will also boost American enterprise, jobs, and promote more sustainable timber production. I’m proud to help introduce this important measure and urge its immediate consideration on the House floor." - U.S. Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.)

"The invasion of Ukraine should encourage Americans to consider where their consumer products come from. Rather than lining the pockets of Russian oligarchs, we should be seeking to increase the production of American-made lumber and other renewable wood products that support our own workers. The No Timber From Tyrants Act provides multiple benefits. It will promote the sustainable management of our federal forests, improve forest health, reduce wildfire risks, fight inflation and enable America to meet its own needs for this vital resource. We applaud Ranking Member Westerman for offering yet another solution that benefits our forests, our economy and our communities." - Travis Joseph, president, American Forest Resource Council

"The United States can meet its timber needs domestically without importing timber and forest products from counties that do not practice sustainable forest management at the same high standards practiced by American land managers and loggers.

Let's use American resources, American loggers, American truckers, and American mills to provide products to the American public instead of funding tyrannical governments aggressive military campaigns against innocent civilians in democratic countries. This is an opportunity to improve forest health, reduce wildfires, and maintain and create rural jobs." - Scott Dane, executive director, American Loggers Council

"The Arkansas timber industry plays a major role in the state’s agriculture economy and any steps we can take to prioritize domestic timber products is a positive outcome." -Rich Hillman, president, Arkansas Farm Bureau

"We applaud Congressman Westerman for introducing the No Timber from Tyrants Act to ban wood products from Russia and Belarus. The atrocities in Ukraine underscore the need to sustainably harvest more timber domestically, and the forest health restoration needs on our federal public lands, including over 80 million acres of U.S. Forest Service lands alone, can be tackled through this legislation while improving wildlife habitat and providing better hunting opportunities for American sportsmen and women." -Jeff Crane, president and CEO, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

"We applaud Ranking Member Westerman and members of the House for introducing the No Timber From Tyrants Act. As the brutal assault on Ukraine continues, we must use all possible means to isolate Russia’s economy and limit its ability to wage war. Amid reports that Russia is now defaulting on its foreign debts, now is the time to increase the pressure. This legislation could keep an additional half-a-billion dollars out of Putin’s hands while simultaneously opening economic opportunities in rural communities for America’s wood products industry." - Jeff Kupfer, president, ConservAmerica

"The American people are facing significant challenges from inflation, including a staggering increase in housing costs. Our National Forests can help meet the needs of our domestic lumber and panel markets, and they can do so sustainably. In fact, right now, the National Forests are badly under managed, which contributes to both the ongoing forest health and wildfire crisis and to unsustainably high housing costs. Under current Forest Plans, we can double the amount of harvest, and do it sustainably. The No Timber From Tyrants Act doesn’t open a single new acre of National Forest to harvest, and doesn’t waive any environmental laws. We can meet domestic timber market needs from National Forests and BLM lands without compromising our environmental standards or helping support international aggression." -Bill Imbergamo, executive director, Federal Forest Resources Coalition

"Supporting the 'No Timber from Tyrants'Act is an important step we can take to stand against the Russian Regime’s horrific atrocities and brutality in Ukraine and a way to express our heartfelt concern and empathy for the Ukrainians and those that are in harm’s way protecting the innocent." -Deb Hawkinson, president, Forest Resources Association

"As Russia continues its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, it's important that Congress continues to seek avenues by which it can hold Russia accountable and reduce U.S. reliance on foreign natural resources. With that in mind, we applaud Congressman Westerman’s legislation which would deal a decisive blow to Russian timber exports while proactively seeking to responsibly mitigate the impacts on American consumers by ramping up domestic production." - Garrett Bess, vice president, Heritage Action

"Rep. Westerman’s 'No Timber from Tyrants Act' is a moral and economic imperative that needs to be enacted immediately. Banning imports of Russian and Belarusian wood products will help to further economically isolate Russia and deny President Putin another source of funding for his unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, the legislation also calls for responsibly increasing domestic lumber production from federal lands to address the resiliency of our national forests, create jobs, reinvigorate the forest industry and improve housing affordability. Time is of the essence and Congress must act swiftly on this bill." - Jerry Konter, chairman, National Association of Home Builders