[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 133 (Wednesday, December 6, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S11245]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 EMERGENCY WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION FUNDING

  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to speak about the problem 
of funding for wildfire suppression. This is an issue that particularly 
affects us in the West. We have a looming train wreck with regard to 
emergency wildfire suppression funding.
  This year, wildfires burned a record of more than 9.5 million acres, 
most of that in the West. The wildfires are still burning out of 
control in southern California, where five more houses burned this 
weekend.
  Federal wildfire-fighting expenditures also set a record at nearly $2 
billion in fiscal year 2006. That was more than twice what was 
appropriated for that fiscal year. When the cost of suppressing 
wildfires exceeds what has been appropriated, the agencies spend what 
they have been appropriated for the fiscal year and the amount that has 
been provided to them in emergency supplemental appropriations. This 
year, they also spent $500 million from what is called the emergency 
wildfire reserve account and an additional $110 million which they had 
to borrow from other accounts. Congress has not repaid any of that 
money as of yet. There is $610 million that has not been repaid to this 
wildfire reserve account and to the other accounts from which the 
Forest Service has had to borrow.
  Those agencies, particularly the Forest Service, have been left 
short. They are financially unprepared for even an average wildfire 
year in 2007. As we begin to look forward into next year, we are faced 
with a very severe problem. In addition to the proposed 2007 
appropriations, the agencies will need about $835 million if they are 
to maintain recent levels of financial preparedness. If the continuing 
resolution goes into effect, as we are advised it is likely to, the 
numbers are likely to get even worse.
  I filed an amendment to the Agriculture appropriations bill to begin 
to address the problem by providing $360 million in emergency wildfire 
suppression funding for the Departments of Agriculture and Interior. 
That amendment was sponsored by many of my colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle. Senator Burns filed a similar amendment to the Military 
Construction bill. But it is apparent that neither of those bills will 
get to the President for signature this year.
  We have an enormous need for wildfire suppression funding and no 
clear way to address it. I urge my colleagues to find a way to address 
it before we leave at the end of this week. Providing some additional 
funds to these agencies for this purpose is essential. I believe it 
will be unfortunate if this Congress adjourns leaving those agencies in 
the financial straits which they are in. I know there are many agencies 
across the Federal Government which are going to encounter great 
difficulty in carrying on these activities if we adopt a continuing 
resolution, as is being proposed, but this particular area of wildfire 
suppression funding is one that deserves particular attention.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Michigan is 
recognized.

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