Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse is leading a package of 49 bills designed to help address wildfires and droughts throughout the country.
Neguse, D-Lafayette, on Thursday unveiled the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act, which combines dozens of previously introduced legislation, including bills to increase firefighter pay to at least $20 per hour, fund $500 million in preservation of reservoirs and provide various assistance to victims of wildfires and droughts.
“We need to apply a whole-of-government approach to recovery,” Neguse said. “Across America, the impacts of climate change continue to worsen. In this new normal, historic drought and record-setting wildfires have become all too common. What once were fire season, are now fire years.”