On the recordMarch 22, 2013
wildfires threaten communities all across my part of the country, the West, but I daresay all around our great country. That is why I am proud to partner with my colleagues, Senators Barrasso, Wyden, Bennet, Merkley, and others from the West, to introduce what is a commonsense, bipartisan, and deficit- neutral amendment to the 2014 budget. We need to reduce the Federal budget deficit. We all agree that is important. But if we don't invest in firefighting efforts and mitigation, that will levy an unacceptably steep and entirely avoidable cost upon Colorado and the entire country. So my amendment would allow for an increase of $100 million in funding available for wildfire suppression. I yield time to my friend and colleague and cosponsor Senator Barrasso to speak on this amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.
