California legislators urge Congress leaders to pursue federal aid on forest fires

Washington – On Friday, California legislators urged their leaders at the Congress to continue to finance federal aid following the fires of Los Angeles, in the midst of a budget battle of the congress and questions on the possible conditions imposed by the Trump administration.

Their letter – signed by the 54 members of the Chamber and the Senate – marks the last stage in a one -month political struggle to ensure that California continues to obtain the money it needs to clean the destruction and rebuild after devastating forest fires in January.

“The way of complete recovery is long, and although the response of the federal government has been incredibly useful to date, additional funding and resources will be necessary,” read the letter sent to the head of the majority of the Senate John Thune (Rs.d.), the president of the Chamber Mike Johnson (R-La.), the chief of the Senenaire Minority Chuck Scamer (DN.Y.) and the chief of minority Hakeem Jeffries (Dn.y.).

The request for funds comes as the congress is in the midst of its own budgetary negotiations. The congress must vote to continue to finance the government or risk closing by March 14.

A few days after forest fires exploded in the County of Los Angeles, President Biden committed the federal government to support 100% of disaster aid costs in California until June. Funding, approved through fire management subsidies and a disaster declaration, is heading for the first resumption phase, in particular in cleaning of debris, removing dangerous materials and continuing to pay first responses.

But the fact that President Trump will draw the promise of Biden – or how the congress decides to remedy the financing of his budget – remains uncertain.

Long before becoming president again, Trump had harangue in California, promising to retain federal aid for emergency services for forest fires. When the Los Angeles fires broke out a few days before it entered, California’s fears to stay without support were materialized.

But Trump’s first trip as president was to visit the damage caused by forest fires to Los Angeles, where he seemed to be moved by the destruction he witnessed and has committed to renouncing or accelerating federal permits or perhaps the prices, to accelerate the reconstruction process.

“I’m going to give you whatever you want,” he told a round table of officials and residents. “I’m going to give you more than any president would never have given you.”

Governor Gavin Newsom, who shamelessly showed his disdain for Trump on the 2024 campaign path, followed the president’s visit to California with a visit to Washington, DC, with the explicit goal of obtaining a help in continuous workforce.

“During the period of need and crisis, people must see their representatives working together,” said Newsom during his visit. “I have no patience for people who do not work together in a crisis.”

Newsom again reiterated his needs to Washington leaders in a letter at the end of last month to ask for nearly $ 40 billion at various federal departments.

Trump and his Republican Allies in Congress have launched the possibility of linking future Aid to California under certain conditions. Trump’s special envoy in charge of the response of forest fires, Ric Grenell, said that the future of federal aid on forest fires would include the restriction of California Coastal Commission, which regulates development along the coastal areas of the state and protects public access to the beach.

The letter of the California legislators seemed to hop the head in the unusual stage of the packaging of aid in the event of a disaster.

“Just as the federal government has come to the help of the communities affected by forest fires across the West of the United States, the Tornades in the Midwest, the Ice Storms in Texas or the Hurricane of the Southeast, we would once again have to support the resumption of families, companies and communities affected in the County of Los Angeles,” said the letter.