This has been a difficult year in our state as wildfires took more lives, burned more homes, and destroyed more communities than any of us would have imagined. Not only must we rebuild, we must also do everything in our power to make our communities even more resilient after these disasters.
For months, the House has fought for disaster relief for California, and I was honored to work with my bipartisan California colleagues and pass legislation to help those affected by wildfires last December. Today, that relief has finally passed the House and Senate and will soon be signed into law by the President.
Whether it’s for those who faced wildfires in Southern or Northern California this past year, this legislation makes sure that victims of California’s wildfires are treated exactly the same as people who faced natural disasters in states like Texas and Florida.
We’ve also enacted tax relief for wildfire victims and expanded Stafford Act disaster assistance programs to include religious entities like churches, which are usually among the first on the ground helping people and saving lives.
I am glad both sides of the political aisle came together to deliver this relief for the people of California. From Representatives Mike Thompson and Jared Huffman to Ken Calvert, Jeff Denham and Mimi Walters, we put our partisan differences aside to help our state. Though it is deeply disappointing that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi voted against this disaster funding, we will keep working together to help the people of California get back on their feet and build stronger for the future.