Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of the Fire Grants and Safety Act of 2023. This amended version inserts into the Senate bill the text we passed out of the Science Committee unanimously. This bill also includes the text of the ADVANCE Act. I thank Representatives Pascrell and Kean and our Senate colleagues Mr. Peters and Ms. Collins for their leadership and cooperation on this important bill. In our changing climate, we are experiencing more frequent and severe wildfires, not just in the Western United States, but across the United States. From Maui in Hawaii to Smokehouse Creek, Texas, we have witnessed the ferocity and destruction of wildfires. With more than a third of the population living within the wildland-urban interface, our communities are more at risk from fire than ever before. In addition to wildfires, there were more than half a million structure fires in 2022, including 360,000 home fires. Tragically, this resulted in 2,790 civilian and 18 firefighter deaths. We will always honor our firefighters' commitment and sacrifice. We trust our firefighters to fulfill their role professionally, including those occasions when it may mean risking their own lives. However, that trust goes both ways, and they must have from Congress the support and resources they need to keep themselves and their communities safe. S. 860 reauthorizes the U.S.…”