The U.S. House of Representatives passed a controversial bill to increase forest thinning on 20 million acres of federal lands. Critics say the bill, which passed by a vote of 256 to 170, is a million dollar giveaway to the timber industry and has no chance of passing the U.S. Senate. But supporters believe it is a critical step towards better management of federal lands and say the nation must move quickly to reduce the threat from wildfires.