[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 15, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H152-H153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Rivas) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. RIVAS. Mr. Speaker, just 5 days into my tenure as a Member of the 
House of Representatives, several large wildfires broke out across Los 
Angeles County: the Palisades fire, the Eaton fire, and the Hurst fire, 
which broke out in Sylmar on the northern end of my district.
  I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, and I consider 
myself incredibly fortunate to represent it in Congress. The valley is 
a special place to so many people, including my own family, which makes 
the heartbreak of seeing images of it in danger sting deeper.

                              {time}  1015

  I flew home last week as soon as I saw the images of footage coming 
out of Los Angeles County to be home with my community and be helpful 
in any way that I could.
  I have immense gratitude for the Los Angeles Fire Department, the 
first responders, and the firefighters who arrived from across the 
country and from

[[Page H153]]

Mexico who have been working nonstop to put out these fires. I met with 
community leaders, including the brave men and women of Fire Station 87 
in Granada Hills. Due to their bravery, courage, and action in 
responding to the Hurst fire, they were able to minimize danger and 
keep our neighbors safe. Our community thanks them.
  I also visited one of the evacuation centers at the Ritchie Valens 
Recreation Center to learn more about how staff and volunteers have 
been working around the clock to help those who were forced to 
evacuate.
  I visited the burn sites of the Hurst and Eaton fires, where I was 
able to assess the damage firsthand and tried to get a better 
understanding of what Federal resources would be needed to help 
communities rebuild.
  Throughout the week, I was in contact with the Federal Government, 
including the White House and FEMA, where I was able to advocate for 
the Federal support necessary to keep constituents safe during the 
emergency.
  My congressional colleagues and I are focused on making sure our 
constituents and our communities have what they need to get through and 
recover from this emergency without any conditions.
  This isn't about party or politics, and I am proud to have joined 
both of our Senators and 46 other bipartisan Members of California's 
congressional delegation in urging President Biden to sign a major 
disaster declaration so that the Federal Government can provide public 
assistance, individual assistance, and direct Federal assistance to our 
communities.
  We are grateful that President Biden quickly signed the declaration, 
and my hope is that President-elect Trump will continue to provide 
resources so our constituents can immediately access the funds and 
resources that they need to rebuild their lives.
  These fires are the costliest in California's history, and they are 
impacting everyone, regardless of income or party. Lives and 
livelihoods have been lost, and many more continue to be in danger. We 
want our constituents to know that disaster assistance is available and 
will be available to them. This assistance may include rental payments 
for temporary housing for those who lost their homes, grants for home 
repairs, unemployment payments for workers who have lost their job 
because of the fires, and crisis counseling for those who have been 
traumatized by this disaster.
  Additionally, FEMA disaster assistance may be able to help those who 
have lost a home regardless if they were uninsured, had insurance, or 
underinsured. Visit disasterassistance.gov to get started.
  My office is also ready to help those who have been impacted by the 
fires. If my constituents need assistance, I encourage them to reach 
out to my office, and we will be able to start advocating on their 
behalf to get the Federal resources that they need.
  The San Fernando Valley is home, and I am honored to represent my 
home in Congress. That is why I am committed to working with our local, 
State, and Federal officials to make sure our community has the 
resources that it needs to rebuild stronger. Our community is strong 
and resilient, and we will help each other come back from this 
disaster.

                          ____________________