2017: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted For Emergency Hurricane And
Wildfire Appropriations, Which Included $577 In Funding For Combatting
Wildfires. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick effectively voted for
legislation that would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "make
available $36.5 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal
2018 to partially cover the costs of responding to multiple natural
disasters, including hurricanes and wildfires. The measure would include
$18.7 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster
Relief Fund - $4.9 billion of which would be used for disaster relief
loans to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It would also cancel
$16 billion of the Treasury debt incurred by FEMA's National Flood
Insurance Program, would release $1.2 billion in contingency reserves
from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for use in Puerto
Rico would provide $577 million in funding to fight wildfires." The
vote was on a motion to suspend the rules and agree to a resolution that
would have effectively concurred in the Senate amendment to H.R. 2266
with a House amendment. The House agreed to the motion, thereby
effectively passing the legislation, by a vote of 353 to 69. The Senate
later passed the legislation and the president later signed it into law.
[House Vote 566,
10/12/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/12/17; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
2266;
Congressional Actions, H. Res.
569]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Providing $2.15 Billion For Hazardous
Fuel Reduction And Restoration Projects. In August 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against concurring in the
Senate amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which would
provide "$2.15 billion for hazardous fuel reduction and restoration
projects." The vote was on a motion to concur. The House concurred with
the Senate by a vote 220-207, thus the bill was sent to President Biden
for final signage. President Biden signed the bill and it ultimately
became law. [House Vote 420,
8/12/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 8/12/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
5376]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Appropriating $6.4 Billion For
Wildfire Management In FY 2023. In July 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the Transportation,
Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
2023, which would provide "$6.4 billion for wildfire management." The
vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote 220-207, thus
the bill was sent to the Senate. The Senate did not take substantive
action on the legislation. Congress passed and signed into law the FY
2023 Budget through H.R. 2617. [House Vote 383,
7/20/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/20/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
8294]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Authorize $1.5 Billion Annually Through FY
2032 For The Agriculture And Interior Departments To Establish A 10-Year
Plan To Mitigate Wildfires, Including Forest Restoration Projects. In
July 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for
the Continental Divide Trail Completion Act, which "For wildfire
prevention and response, it would authorize $1.5 billion annually
through fiscal 2032 for the Agriculture Department, in coordination with
the Interior Department, to implement a ten-year national plan to
address wildfires, including to undertake up to 20 landscape-scale
forest restoration projects within the next five years." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 218-199, thus the bill
was sent to the Senate. The Senate did not take substantive action on
the bill. [House Vote 414,
7/29/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/29/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
5118]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Require The Agriculture Department To Have
At Least One Interdisciplinary National Environmental Policy Act Strike
Team Per Region To Respond To Wildfires. In July 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the Continental Divide
Trail Completion Act, which would "require the department to maintain at
least one interdisciplinary National Environmental Policy Act strike
team per region to respond to wildfires and related risks." The vote was
on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 218-199, thus the
bill was sent to the Senate. The Senate did not take substantive action
on the bill. [House Vote 414,
7/29/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/29/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
5118]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Authorize $50 Million Annually Starting In
FY 2023 For EPA Grants To Support Communities In The Implementation Of
Mitigation Plans For Health And Environmental Impacts Of Wildfire
Smoke. In July 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick
voted for the Continental Divide Trail Completion Act, which would
"authorize $50 million annually beginning in fiscal 2023 for EPA grants
to help communities implement collaborative plans to mitigate the health
and environmental effects of wildfire smoke." The vote was on passage.
The House passed the bill by a vote of 218-199, thus the bill was sent
to the Senate. The Senate did not take substantive action on the bill.
[House Vote 414,
7/29/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/29/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
5118]