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Firefighting funds blocked
The DNR reports that right now there are 29,000 fires burning in the United States. In June, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers blocked a bill that would have created a $1 billion fund specifically for firefighting. That money would have come in pretty handy right now.
People all over the Northwest are being injured, losing their homes and all their belongings. Three firefighters in Twisp lost their lives. If we could find a way to blame this on ISIS, the Republicans would appropriate many billions in emergency funding and mobilize the U.S. military.
It’s disgraceful that the money for responding to predictable disasters is used as a pawn in partisan politics. Because McMorris Rodgers is so ineffective, private citizens are bearing the burden. People in Eastern Washington are big-hearted and generous, but our tax dollars should be spent here to help with this catastrophe.
Cathy does not recognize that our national forests are too big to fail. She lacks the political will to take action on issues that impact Americans. We must not forget her role in this disaster when we vote in 2016.
Stephanie Ullah
Spokane