Norma Torres: “I thank the gentleman from California for yielding and for being such a great leader in helping those impacted by the…”

“I thank the gentleman from California for yielding and for being such a great leader in helping those impacted by the devastating California wildfires. The numbers are devastating. Nearly 2 million acres burned. Upwards of $3.5 billion in damage, 8,500 individual fires, 98 civilians killed, 6 firefighters killed, and over 11,000 homes destroyed. With climate change only making things worse, we must help California rebuild because this is just the beginning. Rainstorms will now further ravage communities, causing mudslides and flooding. The amendment I have offered with Representative Thompson begins that rebuilding process by increasing funding for the community development fund by $50 million, specifically for those communities that were hardest hit in the previous year. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for his work on this.”