Political Quotes

“I strongly support it and was pleased to cooperate in seeing it move through the Committee on Agriculture, and I urge my colleagues to adopt it here. The gentleman is quite correct. We are not facing an ordinary situation here. These are not natural forest fires, and as a result, this resolution would clearly establish Congress' commitment and support for a proactive forest management strategy. The strategy cannot simply be to let these fires burn. They consume the entire forest from the ground to the top of the tallest and oldest and most extensive trees. They leave behind bare mineral soil, dead trees and vegetation, hot running streams and rivers, and the threat of more devastation from massive mudslides. The historic efforts of managing fire suppression will only lead to an increase in the forest health crises and the probability of more catastrophic wildfires like the ones we are experiencing today. We must actively manage by focusing on forest health and if we want to protect our firefighters, our communities, or forests, we must work to create healthy, sustainable ecosystems through good stewardship. Healthy forests burn more predictably and can be more easily controlled when necessary.”