New Dems Host Wildfire Prevention Roundtable in Santa Barbara, CA at Sixth New Dems On the Road Stop
Santa Barbara, CA – Today, New Dem Members completed the sixth stop on the New Dems on the Road Tour, an initiative spearheaded by Vice Chair for Policy Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) to get New Dem Members out of DC to hear from American workers, businesses, industry experts, nongovernmental organizations and local leaders about how to improve policy in Washington.
New Dem Vice Chair for Outreach Salud Carbajal (CA-24) hosted Top House Agriculture Committee Democrat and New Dem Angie Craig (MN-02) in Santa Barbara, CA for a roundtable discussion on wildfire preparedness and prevention with local government officials, first responders, wildfire experts, and nonprofit groups.
“Wildfire Preparedness and prevention is top of mind for every Californian, and Congress must do more to help our communities combat wildfire risk,” said Vice Chair Salud Carbajal. “I’m grateful to Ranking Member Craig for her focus on this threat, and to the first responders, local leaders, and more who joined us to discuss the path forward in Congress to tackle wildfire prevention now, and in the future. It’s conversations like these that make the On the Road tour such a pivotal component of the New Dem agenda. As we move forward, I’m dedicated to advancing commonsense solutions that mitigate risk, prevent further catastrophic events in California, and protect our communities.”
“Hearing from the wildfire experts on the ground in California was particularly eye-opening given we’re heading into the peak of wildfire season when states in every corner of the country will be under threat, including my own, where there are three wildfires currently raging,”said Top House Agriculture Committee Democrat and New Dem Angie Craig (MN-02). “I will lean on their insights as I work with my New Dem colleagues to continue pushing for common-sense wildfire prevention and forest management policies that protect our communities and public lands.”
Background
Through New Dems on the Road, New Dem Members are holding conversations across the country to hear from the American people, with each meeting organized under the policy goals of one of the Coalition’s nine Working Groups. New Dems are meeting with local leaders, stakeholders, small business owners, industry experts, and more to hear about the cost of President Trump’s chaos and what New Dems can do to fight back and make progress on the issues that really matter to the American people.
The first New Dems on the Road event was held on April 23rd in Phoenix, AZ, where New Dem Immigration and Border Security Working Group Members Reps. Greg Stanton (AZ-04) and Lou Correa (CA-46) held an immigration roundtable discussion with industry and union representatives, members of the Arizona business community, and DACA recipients.
The second event was held on May 9th in Metro East, IL, where Vice Chair Nikki Budzinski hosted Environment, Climate, & Clean Energy Working Group Chair Scott Peters (CA-50) and Rep. Wesley Bell (MO-01) for a clean energy roundtable discussion with business owners, industry and union representatives, academic researchers, and utility service providers.
The third event was held on May 22nd in Wilmington, DE, where New Dem Care Economy Task Force Chair Sarah McBride (DE-AL) hosted House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05) and Economic Growth & Cost of Living Working Group Chair Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) in her district for a care economy roundtable discussion with medical professionals, advocates, non-profit leaders, labor representatives, and care providers.
The fourth event was held on June 23rd in Frederick County, MD, where New Dem Rural Broadband Task Force Chair April McClain Delaney (MD-06) hosted Vice Chair for Policy Nikki Budinski in Frederick County, Maryland to tour a local broadband construction site and hold a roundtable discussion on rural broadband.
The fifth event was held on July 11th in Garner, NC, where New Dem Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Chair Deborah Ross (NC-02) hosted New Dem Member Nikema Williams (GA-05) and Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy for a roundtable discussion about the impacts of Congressional Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill on the clean energy economy.
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