[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 7 (Monday, January 13, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H203-H204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING U.S. FIREFIGHTERS HELPING AUSTRALIA

  (Mr. PANETTA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 200 
firefighters from the United States, including California, who packed 
up and deployed out to help our friends from Down Under in Australia 
fight one of the biggest fire disasters we have ever seen on this 
Earth.
  A fire that has burned millions of acres, destroyed thousands of 
businesses, farms, and homes, killed 25 people, and incinerated close 
to 1 billion animals.
  For over 15 years the United States and Australia have shared 
firefighters to help each other contain their growing wildfires; but as 
we are experiencing--and, yes, due to climate change--our fire seasons 
are getting longer and longer, our droughts are getting drier and 
drier, and our fires are getting bigger, costlier, and deadlier.
  That is why we are so grateful to the firefighters, not only for 
their service to our communities but for their willingness to travel 
and fight fires in

[[Page H204]]

other countries. That appreciation for those firefighters will be 
demonstrated in Congress later this week when I introduce a resolution 
recognizing their work, their will, and their courage.
  But let that resolution also be a reminder of the work and commitment 
needed by all nations to not just fight fires for our safety, but to 
continue to fight climate change for our future.

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