Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Chair, I know that conversations about wildfire can be very difficult for Members on both sides. The fires this year and in recent years have been devastating, and I have seen it firsthand with wildfires in my district. I close with the same message that I started with: Republican leadership is using the very real and painful wildfire crisis as a Trojan horse for a longstanding wish list of harmful environmental policies. Our forests are critical carbon reserves, majestic destinations for outdoor recreation, and habitats for a range of wildlife, including many threatened and endangered species. All of that will be put at risk by this bill's overzealous approach to logging and other destructive management practices. This bill codifies and expands the use of emergency authorities dramatically, bending the protections provided by the successful, popular, and iconic laws, such as the Endangered Species Act and NEPA. There is nothing discrete or cute about opening this many acres to management without proper review. Mr. Chair, confronting the wildfire crisis is hard work that requires smart planning and broad collaboration. We won't get there through shortcuts and rollbacks. Relying on rushed planning for routine forest management undermines community involvement. We shouldn't be undercutting the people who are most at risk. The Forest Service has been asking us to help them with consistent, reliable budgets.…”