On the recordJanuary 23, 2025
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave firefighters who have stepped into the breach to take on the fires raging across southern California. Their bravery has been on full display these past weeks, including in my own district, where they have valiantly and swiftly responded in Jurupa Valley to the Clay fire. We all owe them our thanks. Nevertheless, I am deeply troubled by some in the Republican Conference who are seeking to link emergency disaster aid to my home State with toxic policy goals. This would be a disaster. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass emergency aid without policy riders, just as we did for the people in North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, and many other States who have faced natural disasters. Leveraging the losses of thousands establishes a dangerous precedent. It is unacceptable for politicians in Washington to endanger Americans' survival for their own political gain. ____________________
