Feb 14, 2025
Barbed Wire | federal issues U.S. Senators Urge Trump Administration to Exempt Seasonal Firefighters from Federal Hiring FreezeOn February 11, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) joined Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and 13 others in urging senior Trump Administration officials to reverse the hiring and onboarding freeze of federal seasonal firefighters that threatens the safety...
Feb 06, 2025
federal issues Padilla Introduces Bipartisan Bills to Improve Fire Mitigation and Resiliency EffortsOn Monday February 3rd, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) announced a package of three bipartisan bills to bolster fire resilience and proactive mitigation efforts. The package includes the following: The Wildfire Emergency Act to support...
Jan 31, 2025
federal issues U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Leaders Announce Subcommittee LeadershipIn a joint statement, U.S. Senate Agriculture Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announced the following Agriculture subcommittee leadership. This leadership will play an important role in crafting the farm bill and...
Jan 31, 2025
federal issues USDA Announces Key Appointments to Lead on Wildfire PreventionOn January 24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced two key appointments by President Trump to support his administration’s focus on forest management, wildfire prevention, and natural resource conservation: Kristin Sleeper as Deputy Undersecretary...
Jan 31, 2025
federal issues Federal Funding Update: The Freeze, The Thaw, and What Comes NextLess than 48 hours after its initial release, a memo ordering the freeze of more than $1 trillion in federal grants, loans, and financial assistance was rescinded by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)....
Jan 31, 2025
federal issues | Secure Rural Schools | SRS California Legislators Urge U.S. House Leadership to Reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) ProgramOn January 27, a bicameral bipartisan group of twenty-three California Legislators sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, strongly urging them to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination...
Jan 24, 2025
federal issues | homeowners insurance U.S. Senators Call on Treasury Department to Swiftly Publish Data on Impact of Natural Disasters on Homeowners InsuranceOn January 17, Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) joined Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and six other Senators in urging the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Federal Insurance Office (FIO) to immediately publish data and analysis...
Jan 24, 2025
Barbed Wire | federal issues Congress Introduces Variety of Bipartisan Measures to Strengthen Wildfire Resilience and RecoveryIn the wake of, and continuing battle with, the Los Angeles fires, several pieces of bipartisan legislation have been introduced, or reintroduced, in efforts to strengthen Wildfire Resilience and Recovery. On January 17, Sen. Alex...
Jan 17, 2025
Barbed Wire | federal issues Federal Committee Appointments and Confirmation UpdatesOn January 14, Representative Mike Thompson (D-Lake) was once again named Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax Policy. This appointment was confirmed by a vote of the full committee. “It’s...
Jan 17, 2025
Barbed Wire | federal issues Fix Our Forests Act Reintroduced and Slated for Consideration on House FloorOn January 16, House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR-04) and Representative Scott Peters (D-CA-50) announced the reintroduction of the Fix Our Forests Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at strengthening resiliency through active forest management....