On the recordJuly 1, 2021
2020 was California's worst fire season on record, and 2021 has the potential to be even worse. Wildfires damage property, pollute our air, and threaten lives, and we need to take action. I have been calling for fair pay for Federal firefighters. These brave Americans put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe, and I am glad that the Biden administration recently committed to paying Federal firefighters at least $15 an hour. As we begin another fire season, we need to strengthen our coordination across levels of government to learn from past disasters. I have introduced legislation to create an independent board to closely examine and report on natural disasters. This will keep families safe and save taxpayers money. And, of course, we need to tackle a key contributor to worsening fire seasons, the climate crisis. As we move forward on infrastructure legislation, environmental protection must be a priority. For the millions of Americans and Californians hurt by wildfires each year, doing nothing is not an option. ____________________
