Rep. Cliff Bentz, Oregon’s Republican Congressional District 2 representative, and Democrat Jeff Merkley, longtime Oregon senator, joined Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Massachusetts, and Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, in introducing the Wildfire Reduction Market Expansion Act of 2026. “Reducing wildfire risk demands innovative solutions and using all the tools at our disposal to invest in wildfire prevention efforts,” Merkley added. “Woody biomass that comes from responsible forest management activities — like hazardous fuels reduction — presents a huge opportunity for communities in Oregon and across the nation. • Allow slash, storm debris, precommercial thinning material, fuel reduction byproducts and ecological restoration material from qualifying private, tribal and federal lands to be used as eligible renewable biomass. “A recent large-scale study completed by UC Davis found that every dollar spent on forest fuel treatments saves about $3.75 in wildfire damages.”