Providing for Consideration of H.R. 1011, Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2007

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1011, VIRGINIA RIDGE AND VALLEY ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - October 23, 2007)

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Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate my colleague's yielding me the time.

I will not use anywhere near 10 minutes. But let me say that my colleagues have already expressed their support for the phenomenal work that has taken place over the recent years as we have learned from past tragedies like this. The law enforcement officials, local government, the State people with the Forestry Service in California, and the U.S. Forestry Service have been truly phenomenal. We have learned an awful lot. But I would mention two things.

The first is that in terms of managing our forests, we usually find our way very quickly to develop those dollars that are necessary following a fire to respond to the immediate tragedy. Those dollars seem to flow almost upon our call. The dollars that, on the other hand, are much more difficult are those that involve managing the forest long term. It is so important that we recognize that the U.S. Forestry Service does all that they can, but they know

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full well that the great difficulty of getting the money for managing that which makes up the ground fire that can destroy a forest, literally can obliterate this territory when we are looking, must be a part of our Federal responsibility.

There is little doubt that we will overcome this tragedy. Hundreds and hundreds of homes lost in my own district in and around Lake Arrowhead, California, tragedies for each of those families. But I would say beyond remembering that we must find the money for managing the forests. We also should talk to our constituents about the fact that when faced with a fire tragedy, the first thing that all of our people should do is to respond to those warnings that suggest, when they are called to evacuate, to evacuate. One life lost is too many, and the danger of attempting to overcome a fire near your home, indeed, is a critical decision. I would urge all of our citizens who are faced with this difficulty to respond to those calls for evacuation.

With that, I appreciate very much my colleagues' response to our tragedy and I appreciate very much their help.

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