Max Baucus: “Senator McCain and I intended to offer an amendment to H.R. 1904 to establish a permanent revolving fund to address the…”

“Senator McCain and I intended to offer an amendment to H.R. 1904 to establish a permanent revolving fund to address the annual problem of funding emergency fire suppression needs--a problem that essentially robs funds from the very fuel reduction projects H.R. 1904 is designed to promote. When I was in Montana this summer, I visited with some of the firefighting teams near Glacier National Park. It was absolutely amazing to see the organization and coordination that goes into fighting these fires. We had folks from Federal, State, and local agencies and local volunteer fire departments; local loggers; teams from Australia and New Zealand; and private contractors all working together to protect lives and property. I can't tell you how impressed and overwhelmed I was by the dedication and professionalism of the firefighters on the ground. These first-rate men and women earned the deep respect and gratitude of the residents of many Montana cities and towns, particularly in West Glacier. I know that my colleagues saw much the same thing in their states, and we are all seeing it now in California. But, this extraordinary and superior fire-fighting effort costs money--$305 million spent in Montana alone this year to fight the fires that blanketed my state. And as is too often the case, the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management were once again strapped for fire suppression funds during extreme fire conditions.”