Last week, 68 House Democrats — led by Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources Representative Raul Grijalva (D-Arizona) and with co-signers from the RCRC delegation including Representatives Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento), Juan Vargas (D-San Diego), Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), and Jim Costa (D-Fresno) — sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York), criticizing the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI)’s funding under the $3.5 trillion budget resolution the Senate passed last month. The group called the proposed funding “disappointing,” adding that the money the DOI would receive under the Senate version falls well short of what is required to address a growing wildfire and brought season in the West.
In an August 24th memo from House Natural Resources Committee staff, members were told the panel would propose spending $5.5 billion to $6 billion more than the $25.6 billion it was allocated in its instructions for its portion of the budget reconciliation bill. The House Natural Resources Committee was scheduled to mark up its portion of the bill — which includes funding for the DOI — this Thursday, but now plans to continue the markup next Thursday after considering a slew of amendments yesterday.
