Rick Larsen: “I want to thank the chairman of the full committee, the ranking member of the full committee, and the ranking member of…”

“I want to thank the chairman of the full committee, the ranking member of the full committee, and the ranking member of the subcommittee for helping to bring S. 404 to the floor, the Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act. The lookout symbolizes a unique and vanishing part of the Pacific Northwest's heritage, and this bill symbolizes Congress' solidarity with a hard-hit part of our State. The Green Mountain Lookout is one of few surviving fire lookouts in the West. It is one of only six such lookouts within a wilderness area. It was an early warning station during World War II to alert citizens to possible aerial invasion. The communities in nearby Darrington and Oso are recovering from last month's tragic landslide that has taken the lives of dozens of people and shut the communities off from much of the outside world. First responders, FEMA, and other Federal agencies have been extraordinary in their efforts to help with recovery. Passing this bill invests in a longer-term economic recovery of the region. Many of the people in these communities rely on outdoor recreation and the tourism that it brings for their livelihoods. Part of that economy is based on access to its historic and beautiful location, like Green Mountain Lookout. Keeping the lookout in place means Darrington has one more reason to tell people from across this country that Darrington is open for business.…”