California Group Comes Together to Support Request for Wildfire Assistance
A newly released bipartisan letter does not reference the terms that President Donald Trump and his associates have consistently advocated for in return for the funding.
TroibNews 
SACRAMENTO — In a show of bipartisan unity, California lawmakers are rallying for increased wildfire recovery aid, despite efforts by President Donald Trump and some Republicans to tie federal assistance to conservative policy measures.
A joint letter spearheaded by Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla and GOP Rep. Ken Calvert, and signed by every Californian congressional representative, has been exclusively obtained by PMG. This letter calls on congressional leaders to allocate additional funding to aid Los Angeles' recovery following the devastating wildfires in January that resulted in numerous fatalities and the destruction of thousands of structures.
Notably, the letter does not address any preconditions or reference the $40 billion Governor Gavin Newsom had previously requested. The wide array of signatories highlights a rare moment of collaboration across party lines in California’s significant House delegation, testing Republican loyalty to Trump’s approach to negotiations.
Trump and his allies have frequently discussed attaching conditions to federal aid, proposing measures such as implementing voter ID requirements and restricting a key coastal regulatory agency.
The letter resonates with Calvert’s January statement on X, asserting that “Californians are entitled to receive federal disaster assistance in the same manner as all Americans.” This sentiment reflects a stance among several House Republicans who have pushed back against Trump, particularly frontline members who successfully resisted well-funded Democratic challenges.
“Just as the federal government has come to the aid of communities impacted by wildfires across the western United States, tornadoes in the Midwest, ice storms in Texas, or hurricanes in the Southeast, we should once again support the recovery of the impacted families, businesses and communities in Los Angeles County,” it articulates.
While this letter emerges just ahead of a March 14 government shutdown deadline, it does not suggest linking wildfire aid to any anticipated funding measures or other essential legislation on the forthcoming congressional agenda.
Members from both parties previously endorsed a similar appeal to then-President Joe Biden in January while fires were still raging and Trump had not yet returned to office.
Behind the scenes, Newsom has been actively orchestrating this letter. The Democratic governor has set aside his differences with Trump in pursuit of additional assistance for the affected state, traveling to Washington for discussions with the president and seeking to hasten the rebuilding process by suspending regulations that Trump has criticized.
Melanie Mason contributed to this report.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
A joint letter spearheaded by Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla and GOP Rep. Ken Calvert, and signed by every Californian congressional representative, has been exclusively obtained by PMG. This letter calls on congressional leaders to allocate additional funding to aid Los Angeles' recovery following the devastating wildfires in January that resulted in numerous fatalities and the destruction of thousands of structures.
Notably, the letter does not address any preconditions or reference the $40 billion Governor Gavin Newsom had previously requested. The wide array of signatories highlights a rare moment of collaboration across party lines in California’s significant House delegation, testing Republican loyalty to Trump’s approach to negotiations.
Trump and his allies have frequently discussed attaching conditions to federal aid, proposing measures such as implementing voter ID requirements and restricting a key coastal regulatory agency.
The letter resonates with Calvert’s January statement on X, asserting that “Californians are entitled to receive federal disaster assistance in the same manner as all Americans.” This sentiment reflects a stance among several House Republicans who have pushed back against Trump, particularly frontline members who successfully resisted well-funded Democratic challenges.
“Just as the federal government has come to the aid of communities impacted by wildfires across the western United States, tornadoes in the Midwest, ice storms in Texas, or hurricanes in the Southeast, we should once again support the recovery of the impacted families, businesses and communities in Los Angeles County,” it articulates.
While this letter emerges just ahead of a March 14 government shutdown deadline, it does not suggest linking wildfire aid to any anticipated funding measures or other essential legislation on the forthcoming congressional agenda.
Members from both parties previously endorsed a similar appeal to then-President Joe Biden in January while fires were still raging and Trump had not yet returned to office.
Behind the scenes, Newsom has been actively orchestrating this letter. The Democratic governor has set aside his differences with Trump in pursuit of additional assistance for the affected state, traveling to Washington for discussions with the president and seeking to hasten the rebuilding process by suspending regulations that Trump has criticized.
Melanie Mason contributed to this report.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
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