Political Quotes

“I rise today in solemn humility to remember Jeff Allen and Shane Heath, two young Idaho firefighters who were killed on the afternoon of July 22 while battling a wildfire in Idaho's Salmon-Challis National Forest. The loss of life is always tragic. The deaths of people working to protect our lives, property, and resources are especially painful; and I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of these brave Americans. Those with the skills and the courage to defend us against the ravages of nature and the folly of man are among the best and the brightest, and we must do all we can as a Nation to ensure that their lives are not put at unnecessary risk and that their sacrifice is never forgotten. My own son, John, once served with a hotshot first strike crew for the Sawtooth National Firefighting crews, so I can empathize with the fear and the pain that comes from incidences like this that these families now face. Today we pause to remember that wildfire does more than just damage our economy and our environment. It kills. May the loved ones of Jeff Allen and Shane Heath take what comfort they can in the sure knowledge that a grateful Nation honors them today and all those who follow them into the forests on our behalf.”