Newsom includes LA wildfire funding in special session aimed at countering Trump policies
The broadened scope follows the president-elect's warning about potentially withholding disaster aid from California.
TroibNews 
SACRAMENTO, California — On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded a special legislative session aimed at resisting Trump to include billions in wildfire funding as severe fires rage through Los Angeles County.
This decision, supported by Democratic legislative leaders, came amidst criticism from Republicans regarding a $50 million agreement designed to enhance state and local legal defenses against the incoming White House, coinciding with what may become the most expensive wildfires in U.S. history.
By integrating disaster aid into a session initially focused solely on opposition to Donald Trump, Democrats gain another chance to spotlight the president-elect’s threats to deny federal relief to California. While Newsom has often expressed concerns that Trump could impede the state's disaster response capabilities, he refrained from reiterating this messaging during his announcement on Monday.
“California is organizing a Marshall Plan to help Los Angeles rebuild faster and stronger — including billions in new and accelerated state funding so we can move faster to deliver for the thousands who’ve lost their homes and livelihoods in these firestorms,” Newsom stated. “To the people of Los Angeles: We have your back.”
The governor and legislative leaders are advocating for at least $2.5 billion dedicated to wildfire combat. Newsom aims to expedite $1 billion in state emergency aid while reserving an additional $1.5 billion for wildfire preparedness initiatives.
According to Newsom's office, the proposed $1 billion in emergency funds should qualify for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. However, discussions among Trump and congressional Republicans since the fires began have suggested linking disaster relief for California to a debt ceiling increase.
Newsom mentioned that he had been in contact with state Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire about the necessity of a special session focused exclusively on the fires, expressing his willingness to explore any viable options that would “move the needle.”
California lawmakers do not require a special session to quickly allocate the wildfire funding, which will also assist schools with technical aid as they rebuild and reopen. Nonetheless, holding these sessions can aid Democratic leaders in rallying their caucuses around urgent proposals.
People “are scared and angry, and we must act fast to expedite resources for clean-up and recovery,” Rivas remarked, emphasizing that legislators from the Los Angeles area will provide “feedback to the discussion as we consider the Governor’s proposal.”
While Newsom's office has not established a deadline for passing the forthcoming package of proposals— which will combine fire aid with legal funding for state and local litigation against the incoming White House— Democrats were previously targeting the implementation of the legal funding by Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration.
Half of the $50 million would support efforts by the state Department of Justice to challenge the federal government legally, while the remainder would be allocated to grants for nonprofit legal organizations that assist immigrants facing detention, deportation, and wage theft.
“California faces two massive challenges: Horrific destructive wildfires in Los Angeles … and an incoming federal Administration that has vowed to make it harder for Los Angeles to recover, by withholding disaster relief and deporting immigrant Angelenos who have been impacted by the fires and who are actively helping their neighbors,” Senate Budget Committee Chair Scott Wiener stated earlier Monday.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
This decision, supported by Democratic legislative leaders, came amidst criticism from Republicans regarding a $50 million agreement designed to enhance state and local legal defenses against the incoming White House, coinciding with what may become the most expensive wildfires in U.S. history.
By integrating disaster aid into a session initially focused solely on opposition to Donald Trump, Democrats gain another chance to spotlight the president-elect’s threats to deny federal relief to California. While Newsom has often expressed concerns that Trump could impede the state's disaster response capabilities, he refrained from reiterating this messaging during his announcement on Monday.
“California is organizing a Marshall Plan to help Los Angeles rebuild faster and stronger — including billions in new and accelerated state funding so we can move faster to deliver for the thousands who’ve lost their homes and livelihoods in these firestorms,” Newsom stated. “To the people of Los Angeles: We have your back.”
The governor and legislative leaders are advocating for at least $2.5 billion dedicated to wildfire combat. Newsom aims to expedite $1 billion in state emergency aid while reserving an additional $1.5 billion for wildfire preparedness initiatives.
According to Newsom's office, the proposed $1 billion in emergency funds should qualify for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. However, discussions among Trump and congressional Republicans since the fires began have suggested linking disaster relief for California to a debt ceiling increase.
Newsom mentioned that he had been in contact with state Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire about the necessity of a special session focused exclusively on the fires, expressing his willingness to explore any viable options that would “move the needle.”
California lawmakers do not require a special session to quickly allocate the wildfire funding, which will also assist schools with technical aid as they rebuild and reopen. Nonetheless, holding these sessions can aid Democratic leaders in rallying their caucuses around urgent proposals.
People “are scared and angry, and we must act fast to expedite resources for clean-up and recovery,” Rivas remarked, emphasizing that legislators from the Los Angeles area will provide “feedback to the discussion as we consider the Governor’s proposal.”
While Newsom's office has not established a deadline for passing the forthcoming package of proposals— which will combine fire aid with legal funding for state and local litigation against the incoming White House— Democrats were previously targeting the implementation of the legal funding by Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration.
Half of the $50 million would support efforts by the state Department of Justice to challenge the federal government legally, while the remainder would be allocated to grants for nonprofit legal organizations that assist immigrants facing detention, deportation, and wage theft.
“California faces two massive challenges: Horrific destructive wildfires in Los Angeles … and an incoming federal Administration that has vowed to make it harder for Los Angeles to recover, by withholding disaster relief and deporting immigrant Angelenos who have been impacted by the fires and who are actively helping their neighbors,” Senate Budget Committee Chair Scott Wiener stated earlier Monday.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
