Wildfire Firefighter Pay

Floor Speech

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Ms. STANSBURY. Madam Speaker, wildfires are devastating our communities across the country. In fact, just 3 months ago, one of the largest and most destructive fires in New Mexico's history tore through Lincoln and Otero Counties, over 24,000 acres were burned, 1,400 structures were lost, over 900 homes were burnt to the ground, and hundreds more were lost in devastating floods that have torn through Ruidoso and Mescalero Apache in the months since.

These fires will change forever the fabric of our communities. Homes and businesses were lost costing millions in damages and there will be years of recovery to come.

There is no question that climate change is here, and climate change is intensifying these fires. They are linked. Their intensity, their frequency, and the events are coming in the aftermath. We must support our communities. We must support them as they recover from these devastating fires, and we must support them as they chart a future to a more resilient future.

That is why I have been working with State leadership to help secure $100 million to recover from the Salt and South Fork fires, why we are fighting to make sure that our communities do not get left behind in the disaster relief funds that we must pass this session here on this House floor this month with the CR.

It is why I am leading and cosponsoring legislation for wildfire recovery and resilience, why I am leading and cosponsoring legislation to protect and restore our watersheds, and, of course, to support our firefighters and first responders.

It is why we are working to ensure that FEMA, the Forest Service, and other Federal agencies are held to account and have the tools and resources they need to support our communities. It is why my staff and all the people in our communities who are leading are on the ground serving our communities and helping the families who have been impacted by these fires every day because our communities and their future literally depend on it.

The time to act is now, so let's do this.

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