like Forest fires are burning In California, Republicans in Washington have begun discussing whether to condition federal aid on changing policies they accuse of causing the fires.
“It's part of the discussion now,” Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, Republican of Wisconsin, told Fox News Digital. “People are unwilling to just put a check on something, quite frankly, they still have a lot of questions. And obviously the fires are still burning, so we don't even know what the total is going to be at the end of the day.”
The Los Angeles area has been facing several deadly wildfires in recent days, with evacuation orders issued for nearly 100,000 Californians.
Officials are far from knowing final damage estimates, as well as how much additional funding will need to be approved by Congress.
Essential phone numbers for Los Angeles area residents and how you can help them
House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans are discussing whether to impose conditions on aid for California wildfires. (Getty Images)
But a wide segment of Republicans have already done so Blame the policies of the Democratic stronghold state Management to exacerbate the problem.
“I think there will be a lot of questions raised about this, but we also want to work collaboratively with everyone on both sides of the aisle,” House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma, said when asked. About air conditioning aids. “But I think that's the reality. There will be some questions we'll ask.”
Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee's housing and insurance subcommittee, said it was too early to discuss potential specific conditions but criticized California's home insurance policies.
“I think there are real problems…For too long, California laws have been pushing insurance companies out of that state, making it more difficult to get home insurance,” Flood told Fox News Digital.
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“I think the state of California has to do two things. They have to demonstrate that they're going to create an environment where home insurance, residential insurance, is reflected in the risk, and that they understand the risk, and they're pricing accordingly. And then, in terms of forest management, I think there's a lot of Members of Congress who will say, “How did this happen? What kind of policies led to this?
On the other hand, members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, who typically insist on steep cuts to offset any additional government spending, are no different from the California fires.
Representative Ralph Norman called for “a pound of flesh on every dollar spent” in California (Sol Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
“It should be more than paid for. They should own it,” Rep. Ralph Norman, a Republican, told reporters. “California has never been the most conservative state in terms of spending. We have to get a pound of flesh for any dollar we spend on California, in my opinion.”
Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., who also sits on the House Appropriations Committee, told Fox News Digital: “Why do we keep funding the same policies that caused the problem? I mean, seriously, why would you do that?”
California Republican Rep. Kevin Kelly did not explicitly rule out conditional aid, but said people need help as soon as possible.
“California He needs to change the route It addresses issues of water and forest management, not to mention much else. I think we definitely need to demand that these changes be made. At the same time, the people who are suffering, who have lost everything, their homes, their communities, we need to help them, we need to help them…as soon as possible, and we should not let anything stand in the way,” he said.
However, not all Republicans are on board. “I think we have to provide aid the same way we would anyone else,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., whose state has seen its fair share of natural disasters, told the Huffington Post.
But the idea has gained traction at the highest levels of GOP leadership — including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Los Angeles, who first floated conditional disaster aid to reporters on Monday.
Representative Kevin Kelly did not support conditional aid, but he did not rule it out either, while criticizing the progressive government in his state. (Joseph A. Wolfson/Fox News Digital)
“It appears to us that state and local leaders have been derelict in their duties,” Johnson said. “And in many respects, that is something that should be taken into account.” “I think there will probably be conditions on that aid. That's my personal opinion. We'll see what the consensus is.”
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Meanwhile, Democrats vehemently attacked the idea.
“Conditioning aid to suffering people who have paid more than their fair share in federal taxes is uniquely reprehensible, even for my colleagues across the aisle,” Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., wrote on X.
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, told reporters during a press conference on Tuesday. “I just want to say that it is outrageous that Speaker Johnson would try to attach conditions to this disaster relief or tie disaster aid to unrelated concepts like the debt ceiling. We should not exploit the pain and suffering of our fellow Americans to try to force through policy changes. “
