[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 73 (Friday, May 21, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES FROM WILDFIRE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JIM MATHESON

                                of utah

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 20, 2004

  Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, given current drought forecasts and the 
condition of Utah's forests, this year's fire season is expected to be 
very difficult and expensive. Today, I am introducing legislation, 
along with my colleagues Congressman Dicks and Congresswoman Hooley, to 
provide $500 million in Emergency Supplemental funding for the Forest 
Service and the Department of Interior to maintain our nation's 
wildland firefighting efforts this year.
  We all know how devastating it would be if the Forest Service and 
Department of Interior were to stop fighting fires because of a lack of 
funding. Without passage of this legislation, it is likely that these 
agencies will quickly deplete the funds that Congress designated for 
this fire season. When this funding runs out, the Forest Service will 
be forced to choose between cutting back its firefighting efforts or 
taking funding away from other essential forestry programs. As a result 
of funding concerns, the Forest Service and the Department of Interior 
have employed almost 3,000 fewer firefighters this season than they did 
at the same time last year. The legislation I am introducing today 
would provide the additional funding that is needed to employ more 
firefighters and protect our communities from the devastating effects 
of wildfires.
  The passage of this bill is critical to protecting the health of 
forests and communities in my home state of Utah. We've seen too much 
devastation and damage in recent years due to the extreme drought 
conditions in the West. I am committed to the passage of this 
legislation as an important step toward protecting Utah's communities 
from the devastating effects of forest fires.

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