Scott Peters: “Thank you, Congressman Garamendi, for helping to raise awareness about the pressing need to change the way the Federal…”

“Thank you, Congressman Garamendi, for helping to raise awareness about the pressing need to change the way the Federal Government deals with funding wildfire response and prevention. As you well know, the devastating effect of wildfires in 2003 and 2007--we had massive, massive loss of property and dislocations in Scripps Ranch, Tierrasanta, Rancho Bernardo, and Poway. Right now, as I am speaking--and you mentioned this as well-- firefighters in Yosemite National Park continue to battle a wildfire that has burned more than 2,600 acres and required 120 firefighters and 11 aircraft to combat. It is no secret, in addition, that California is facing a prolonged drought that places us at increased risk for wildfires. So we are in the midst of what is expected to be one of the longest and hardest wildfire seasons in recent memory, certainly in any of our memories. Wildfires are extremely expensive for States and localities to fight. There is an urgent need for Congress to pass a solution that funds firefighting without stealing from prevention, which is a crazy thing to do. I think we all acknowledge that. Earlier this summer, as you mentioned, I led the discharge petition with 196 signers to demand a vote on the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act of 2014. That bill has real bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate--71 Democrats and 60 Republicans have cosponsored in the House--and that is very unusual around here. It was also included by the President in his budget request.…”