Political Quotes

“I rise in support of H.R. 6387 to ensure States are not unjustly penalized under the Clean Air Act for engaging in responsible, proactive wildfire mitigation activities. Mr. Speaker, wildfires are, unfortunately, all too common in my home State of Wyoming and across the intermountain West. According to the Office of State Lands and Investments, approximately 250,000 acres of land in Wyoming were burned in 2025 due to more than 1,600 wildfires. The numbers were even worse in 2024, with around 850,000 acres burned through more than 2,000 fires. With just one fire, it burned 25,000 acres in 3 hours, giving an indication of the fuel load in the Bighorn National Forest. Wildfires have profound effects on all of my constituents, including threatening the livelihoods of our farmers and ranchers, endangering our courageous first responders, and causing serious respiratory and other health complications for Wyoming families. Given these life-altering consequences, we must use every tool at our disposal, including responsible forest management--which has historically been hampered by bad policies coming out of Washington, D.C.--to minimize the scale and damage caused by these destructive forces of nature. Active forest management through prescribed burns and mechanical thinning is essential to supporting healthy ecosystems, preventing catastrophic wildfires, and improving the long-term air quality.”