Joe Baca: “I rise in support of H.R. 3157. I am proud to support this legislation that will help farmers recover from national…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 3157. I am proud to support this legislation that will help farmers recover from national disasters because I believe that far too often, farmers are not thought of during times of emergency. Representative Blunt has authored a good bill. I supported it in the House Agriculture Committee and I even introduced an amendment that would make sure that the people in my home State of California, who suffered from the recent wildfires, could be helped by this bill. Too many Californians have no idea how they will get by without their orchards, olive groves, and other farming operations that burned to the ground. This legislation will compel the Department of Agriculture to create disaster liaisons and dispatch them to disaster zones. In California, we have suffered greatly from several wildfires that have caused great damage throughout the state. In San Bernardino County, over 40,000 people were evacuated from their homes, and nearly 1,200 buildings burned to the ground. Far too many people lost their homes, farms, and in some cases--their lives--to these wild fires. This bill and my amendment are only a small step in the right direction. We must funnel Federal attention and resources to rebuild after these deadly wildfires and help prevent similar events in the future.”